In this episode from our archives, John and Rich discuss the summer driving season, tips on keeping your car at the ready. How to increase fuel mileage and given the spike in gas prices you definitely want to listen in. Fuel Saving Tip: Dirty oil If you’re a quart low, there isn’t enough oil to lubricate your engine properly.  The extra friction causes drag that reduces fuel economy. Same goes for dirty oil.  It doesn’t reduce friction properly.  The result is you get to watch those numbers at the gas pump rolling higher and higher. The transmission also needs the proper amount ..read more

In today’s episode, John discusses your a/c system. What to look out for, when to get it serviced professionally, things you can do maintenance wise to prevent system failures and much more. We will discuss the movement from R-134a refrigerant to the newest type called R-1234yf. Basic theory and operation of the a/c system, the components involved and the items that breakdown, why they breakdown and how that can be avoided. GOT SWEAT!? It gets hot and sticky here in New England in the summer! Soon, you’ll be slipping behind the wheel of your car, starting the ignition and powering on the air c ..read more

In this episode, John discusses the importance of your suspension system in stopping your vehicle. The impact on stopping distances with worn suspension parts. Profound effects of worn out shocks and struts. Shock absorbers and struts influence the control and handling characteristics of your vehicle. They work together with your springs to dampen the bouncing motion of the vehicle as affected by road conditions. The energy is absorbed as a piston inside the shock pushes against hydraulic fluid. This restricts the rebounding movement of the springs. Your shock absorbers or struts should be rep ..read more

AH, Springtime in New England! We love to see those warm, spring days as we emerge from winter. But springtime in New England brings an unwanted consequence: potholes! In the worst-case scenario, hitting a pothole can result in a tire blowout or bent wheel. But even in non-catastrophic impacts add up over time and have a negative impact on your vehicle: Wheel misalignment (causing premature tire wear) Wear/damage to shocks and struts and cv axles Bent/broken suspension components (ball joints, tie rods, sway bar links, etc.) With winter firmly fixed in your rearview mirror, you can now turn ..read more

In this episode, Master Automotive Technician Paul Rivard and Rich discuss how to get your vehicle ready for the spring driving season. Check all the fluids. Check the boiling point of your coolant! No longer looking for freezing point! Check belts and radiator hoses. Wax your vehicle. Wash the undercarriage to remove all the sand and salt from the harsh New England winters. Take advantage of the car wash undercarriage cleaner.     ..read more

In this episode, John and Rich talk about your car's battery. How to maintain it. How long it should last. How the extreme cold and hot weather affects your battery and much more ..read more

In this episode, John and Rich talk about your car’s battery. How to maintain it. How long it should last. How the extreme cold and hot weather affects your battery and much more. Batteries today are a big part of our everyday life. Think of how many batteries you have to keep charged. Of course, our purpose here is to talk about your car battery. When people come into Auto Care Plus and need a new battery, they’re really not that happy about having to spend the money. But the fact is that 70 percent of batteries don’t make it to 4 years of service. The hot summer is the number one killer of b ..read more

The engine is the power plant for your vehicle but did you know that it can't work properly without all of the accessories that it drives? How does it do that? The serpentine belt, also known as the drive belt or multi-rib belt, is a single, continuous belt used to drive multiple accessory devices attached to the vehicle’s engine. These can include the alternator, power steering pump, water pump, air conditioning compressor as well as options like superchargers. Without the serpentine belt, there is no way to drive power to any of these devices. A serpentine belt should be replaced as soon as ..read more

  How to Properly Care for and Service the Vital Fluids in Your Vehicle. In this episode of Auto Care Corner, John and Rich discuss not only why and when you should service your vehicles vital fluids but also by what methods. They also discuss water pumps and timing belts and why it is mission critical to service these 2 items together on certain vehicles. John also explains why it is so important to have a competent shop with experienced master technicians using the proper equipment to properly flush out your vital fluids. Very important that the flushing equipment is non invasive meanin ..read more

In this episode, John and Rich talk about your car's battery. How to maintain it. How long it should last. How the extreme cold and hot weather affects your battery and much more ..read more