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Your mechanic or auto repair technician should possess the same qualities that you expect from your doctor and dentist; namely trust and reliability. Car owners have a lot at stake when seeking vehicle maintenance and repairs, it's very important to find the right auto repair technician. There are three categories of inquiries you should make about his business: the skill level of the workers, the price of the work being done and, finally, the policies and extra services. Let's take a look at...

You go out to your car, start it up, pull out of your parking space and see a puddle of...something...where you were parked a moment ago. This is never a good feeling. What could it be?    Fortunately, some automotive fluids are dyed different colors to make this a little easier to narrow down.    Does it appear to be water? Were you recently running your A/C? Chances are that's just condensation from the A/C system, which drips out through a rubber tube and is perfectly normal. No wo...

Q: How do my brakes work? - Jeanine A: Hey Jeanine,  Your brake system relies on each connected brake part to function successfully and safely. Here's a quick explanation. By pressing down on the brake pedal, you activate the cylinder that delivers brake fluid to the calipers that then engage your brake pads. Your brake pads then apply pressure to the rotors, creating the friction needed to stop your car. All your brake parts work together to perform one important and crucial function: safe and...

Fall is in the air, and that can mean only one thing: it’s back to school time! As you run through your back to school checklist- pencils, notebooks, binders, books, and tires- yes, you read that correctly: TIRES. Why add new tires to your back to school checklist? Because now is the BEST time to get new tires for you or your student’s vehicle. Whether you are carpooling your students around, want something dependable for your extra-curricular high school smarty, or need that reliable vehic...

Q: Everytime I buy tires for my car my husband tells me I buy bad tires, and that I should invest more money in the tires I put on my car. I don't understand why it is so important what kind of tires I put on my car. Aren't they all the same?  - Lydia A: Hi Lydia,  No matter how good of an engine your car has, in the end it all comes down to the tires and how they can alter your cars performance. Remember, tires are your car's only contact with the road. Here's a few basic things you sh...

Q: How can I tell if my battery is getting to be too old? - Sara A: Hi Sara,  For starters, you can check the 4-5 digit code on the cover of your battery case. First look at the letter. A letter is assigned to each month (A-January, B-February, etc.) The number right after that will indicate the year (so 9-2009, 1-2011.) This code tells you when the battery was shipped from the factory. Car batteries last an average of 3-5 years. There are also weak battery signs to look out for like a slow eng...

Q: I went to a different repair shop to get my brakes replaced and they told me that in order to keep my warranty valid I could only replace them with original equipment parts. Is that true? - Jason A: Hey Jason,  Legally, car manufacturers can't specify which parts are used when you service your vehicle. You may use any brand you like. The great thing about Tire Pros of Frederick is that we are also a Napa Auto Care Center. You can have your brakes replaced here with quality after mark...

Q: Does preventative maintenance really pay off in the long run? - Chester A: Hi Chester,  The short answer is yes. Let's take a closer look.  Take oil changes for example.  If your car has 100,000 miles on it, and assuming you got an oil change at the recommended intervals (every 5,000 miles) then you would have gotten 20 oil changes on your car. Now let's say you spent an average of $25 per oil change. That's $500 spent on oil changes.  If you were to go without oil changes during...

Q: Just recently my brake pedal has started vibrating when I'm slowing down from highway speeds. Why is it doing this?  - Jackie A: Hi Jackie,  The most common reason that a brake pedal would vibrate like that is warped rotors. This could be caused by multiple issues such as improper tightening of wheels or wheel hubs, rotors not being cleaned, or a bad hub. Sometimes, the problem won't show up right away - usually the brakes need to heat up enough for the vibration to show up. To fix t...

Q: What is the difference between repairs and preventative maintenance?  - Alec A: Hi Alec,  Repairs are services that are necessary when something is not working properly. Maintenance is a routinely scheduled service, inspection, or replacement that your vehicles manufacturer recommends based on the age or mileage of your vehicle. You can find the maintenance schedule in your owner's manual, or ask one of the Service Advisors at Tire Pros of Frederick. And don't forget, whether you're ...