Solana Beach Auto Repair

Icy Roads, Snow Storms and Low Temperatures are all hazards you need to prepare for when heading to the mountains Prepare Your Car For The Snow: Tires, Lights, Wipers: Check to make sure everything is in good working order Battery: Make sure the terminals are clean and the clamps are tight. If your battery is more than 3 years old, you should consider replacing it. Carry jumper cables just in case and be prepared to help someone else. Coolant: Ensure your coolant is of the correct mix of anti-freeze and water to cope with the low temperatures you are likely to find in the mountains. While you are at it, make sure your window washer fluid also has anti-freeze in it so it won't freeze up when you need it the most. Fuel: Before you get to high altitude, be sure to stop and fill up your tank in case you have to stop for an extended period of time and need t ... read more

2015: Changes for Auto Repair Solana Beach The biggest news this year is the retirement of Dennis and Barbara Smith from local Solana Beach auto repair shop D&B Auto. After 35 amazing years serving our community, D&B Automotive closed its doors on December 31. Dennis and Barbara's very loyal customers will miss them. However, as of March 1st, DRIVE AutoCare will be expanding into this location at 128 North Cedros to service D&B's customers without interruption. Also, D&B’s services are expanding to include general automotive repair and vehicle customization. Also this year, in October, California Import Auto and North Coast Alignment Center were re-branded as DRIV ... read more

According to Men's Fitness magazine, the 10 Best TV Cars of All Time include some amazing rides. Who wouldn't love to take a ride with Mr. T or Daisy Duke? Our favorite is the Gran Torino from Starsky & Hutch. Starsky’s red-with-a-white stripe Ford Gran Torino became one of the most recognized cars in America during the show’s run and in October 2014 sold for $40,000. Here's the list: The Green Hornet: Black Beauty Batman: Batmobile Night Rider: Kitt Speed Racer: Mach 5 A-Team: Van Auto Man: Auto Mobile Dukes of Hazzard: General Lee Starsky & Hutch: Gran Torino Arrested Development: Stair Case Mr. Bean: Mini Cooper

7 Cars Owners Regret Buying 7 Cars Owners Regret Buying, according to Consumer Reports magazine, are listed below. Some cars look great but just aren't ready for prime time. And even the best car manufacturers produce a dud once in a while. Be careful if you are considering the purchase of one of these vehicles: SUV: Jeep Compass Mini Van: Nissan Quest Luxury: Mercedes-Benz CLA Sedan: Nissan Altima Sporty: Hyundai Veloster Pickup: Nisan Frontier Overall: Kia Rio How can you prevent Buyers Remorse? Before purchasing one of these USED vehicles (or any used car), you should have DRIVE AutoCare perform a 30-point, pre-purchase inspection. Our ASE Certified team of mechanics will inspect you car and provide you with a detailed report highlighting any mechanical issues

The Petersen Automotive Museum LA -- A Must See (Inside and Out) The Petersen Automotive Museum LA recently reopened after a 14-month, $90 million redesign. The improvements include an amazing exterior and 95,000 square feet of exhibition space. There's no question you will find the new collection of cars and motorcycles to be nothing short of breathtaking. The museum is open every day from 10am-6pm and is located at 6060 Wilshire Blvd., in downtown Los Angeles. The museum's collection contains more than 300 vehicles. However the museum only displays about 150 at any one time which means the exhibits are constantly rotating. A large part of the museum’s focus is to collect and preserve historic vehicles. A great deal of importance is placed on acquiring significant vehicles of all shapes, sizes, makes, models, and purposes. Their original donation was a r ... read more

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Wheel Alignment Answers to FAQs Here are some wheel alignment answers to frequently asked questions: HOW IMPORTANT IS WHEEL ALIGNMENT? Think if it this way: Driving a vehicle for 12,000 miles with a toe misalignment of only 0.34 degrees (.17 inches) would be the equivalent to dragging your tires sideways for 68 miles. WHAT ARE SOME EASY-TO-NOTICE SYMPTOMS OF A MISALIGNED VEHICLE? Excessive or uneven tire wear Vehicle drift or pull A feeling of looseness or wandering An out-of-level steering wheel HOW OFTEN SHOULD I HAVE MY VEHICLE ALIGNED? Always follow the manufacturer's recommendation but as a general rule, have your wheel alignment checked at least once a year. WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF TOTAL ALIGNMENT? Reduced tire wear Better gas mileage Improved handling ... read more

200000 Miles is a huge milestone for a vehicle. According to Consumer Reports magazine, the cars on this list are considered safe, reliable and most likely to make it to 200,000 miles. All of these models were also Consumer Report recommended when new. Toyota Prius Toyota Camry Honda Odyssey Honda Pilot Toyota Corolla Honda Accord Sedan Honda CR-V Toyota Sienna Toyota Highlander Honda Civic DRIVE AutoCare recommends following the maintenance schedule in your owner's manual, taking care of the minor problems as they arise, and keep your care clean and you too can hit 200,000! By driving a car longer, you will save a significant amount of money from reduced ownership costs that include insurance and interest

Do You Have A Spare Tire? Do you have a spare tire? No, not the got a spare tire around your waist, the one that should be in your trunk. Got A Spare Tire? Many new cars don't come with a spare tire anymore (half of the cars manufactured in 2015 did not have a spare) and it's one of the few things about your car that you really need to care about. If you ever have a tire problem, you can bet it will be at the worst possible time and place. Even if you belong to an auto club or have break-down coverage, things get complicated if you don't have a spare tire for them to install. We'll be glad to check your air pressure and adjust as necessary. And if your car didn't come with a spare tire, we advise you to carry a can of Fix-A-Flat in your trunk. Fix-A-Flat will inf ... read more

The recent acknowledgement by VW that it installed software to cheat U.S. emission tests is disheartening. While VW is suffering a backlash from the scandal, losing $25 billion in market value since the news was announced, the implications for VW owners is less certain. The automaker is the largest car company in the world and recently said that 23% of new cars sold in August in the U.S. were diesels, which translates to around 7,400 vehicles. Recently Fortune Magazine published some suggestions that answer the question: What can I do about the VW diesel recall? Check your car model The EPA ordered the recall of nearly 500,000 VW and Audi cars that are equipped with 4-cylinder turbo diesel engines. The recall covers cars made from 2009 to 2015, and includes the following models, all of which are the diesel versions: 2009-15 VW Jetta; 2009–15 Beetle ... read more