COVINA AUTO REPAIR

  Wheel Alignment   What is Wheel Alignment? It is a maintenance necessary to be performed at regular intervals: once every 20k to 30k miles in order to keep your vehicle running safely and reliably. By aligning your vehicle’s wheels, you are adjusting the main angle of your tires to ensure the car is tracking straight. Proper wheel alignment makes the vehicle steer easily and allows tires to wear evenly. How can I tell that I need wheel alignment? Common to all cars, the vehicle’s steering and suspension get damaged overtime due to some road abuse, such as going over pot holes, hitting the curb or driving over speed bumps. The latter will cause the tires to get nudged out of alignment, which will affect the drivability of the vehicle. If your steering wheel is off center but your car is driving straight or alternatively, if the steering wheel is centered but the car isn’t driving straight then you need to get your wheel ... read more

We all have come to live in a world where everything and everyone has a price. The money driven world. And when we come across a business advertising a free service, we jump at the opportunity to grasp it before it slips away. Albeit, what we haven’t come to discern is the cost and effect of the FREE service, in the future. The auto repair industry is one of the many businesses stamped as the money hungry business. Frankly, a visit to the mechanic alone stirs up the anxiety of an impending calamity. The fore thought of a generous estimate pins us to the ground. An estimate comprised of a variety of charges ranging from diagnostic fees, to labor, parts and so on. But what alarms consumers the most is the diagnostic fee, a fee they do not understand why they have to pay for. First and foremost, let me clarify how the latter works: A diagnostic machine connects to your vehicle’s computer system and analyzes the code to determine the cause of the problem ... read more

Giving Back: What’s in it for me? The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others. (Gandhi) We have completely succumbed to our daily responsibilities, being pulled in various directions of our own personal world, trying to solve our daily hiccups that we have forgotten to stay connected to our community, to society. Nevertheless, the best gift you can give someone is your time, because you are giving them something that you are never going to get back. Giving back does not refer to monetary donations alone, but also to giving your support, effort and time; whether by actively volunteering at a homeless shelter, hospital, nursing home or participating in various awareness walks; or simply joining a non-profit organization in your community and getting involved in the projects they organize. Come to mention some of the notable nonprofit organizations are: The lions “We serve”With 13.5 million members aro ... read more

Some might know it as an air conditioning filter, dust or pollen filter and most might not even know its existence, and even though it is last on your priority list, it plays a significant role in the quality of the air you breathe. Are they important? Cabin air filters were only introduced in cars that were built after the year 2000. They prevent pollutants from entering the vehicle’s cabin, as well as leaves, bugs and other debris from entering the heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) system. It keeps the air inside your vehicle’s cabin clean and helps with allergy and asthma problems. We all know once an advisor or a technician recommends us the service of replacing the cabin air filter, our quickest response is: I’LL DO IT NEXT TIME AROUND. But what we are honestly thinking is “he is just trying to sell me a service I don’t need”. When is it time to replace it? Before overlooking the suggested service, first and foremost c ... read more

Do you change your oil every 3,000 miles? The majority of drivers on the road have been bombarded by advertising that recommends changing their car’s oil every 3,000 miles, but the truth is that interval is no longer really necessary. Yes, engine oil does get dirty, and when that happens, it can clog engine parts, but if you’re driving a car that’s less than five years old, you’re probably wasting money — and oil — if you change it as frequently as that. Yes, knowing when to change oil is not as simple as some ad campaigns would have you believe. Changing the oil in your car every 3,000 miles was necessary in the 1970s, when most cars used 10W-40 oil, which tended to wear out within about 3,000 miles. Thanks to improvements in high-quality lubricants and tighter tolerances in the assembly of automotive engines, the 3,000-mile baseline simply does not apply to many cars on the road today; in fact, automakers now recommend you change oil at 5,000, 7,000, 10,000 or even as high as ... read more