Orinda Auto Repair

Many motorists have no intention of replacing their vehicle any time soon.  Replacing your car for a new one is an expense that you may want to put off for a while. Like my dad always said, “if it’s not broke don’t fix it”. Sometimes the situation may arise when the time to make a decision about the car’s destiny will pick you. You can suddenly find yourself at a crossroad when the staggering cost of major car repairs meets the staggering cost of replacing your car. Unfortunately we do not know if the vehicle may need additional repairs in the future or not. Sometimes when it’s broke you really do need to fix it or replace it. Either way there is a decision to be made. A vehicle that needs a major car repair like a transmission or engine will have a low resale or trade in value. Either you dump the car for pennies on the dollar or invest more than the blue book value to make i ... read more

You’ve spent plenty of money on the purchase of your car or truck, now the question arises, “How do I take care of it?” Proper washing is one of the most overlooked and misunderstood areas of auto care, and sadly improper washing damages and dulls your vehicle’s finish over time. If you take a second and look at the cars around you in a parking lot, or even at a car show, in the direct sunlight you will notice many of the cars have a scratched surface. These microscopic scratches seem to radiate outward in a “cob-web” effect from a central light source like the reflection of the sun. Many of the swirl marks are the result of improper washing and drying techniques. They are caused when grit is abraded against the paint’s surface. Much has been written on how to properly maintain a vehicles appearance and while most of the tips in this article certainly aren’t new, perhaps they may help you think about things in a different light. Vehicle enthusiasts range from those who religiou ... read more

We drive our family car or SUV year round without thinking about it much. We use it in the summer and winter like it was nothing. As the seasons change we need to make sure that our vehicles receive the attention they deserve. There are season specific safeguards we must take. Important components like the battery and the wiper/washer system are adversely affected by extreme temperatures. Other components like brakes, tires and struts/shocks should also be checked to insure safe ride control for any time of year. The first thing we need to do is to make sure the vehicle is getting a good inspection at least once a year. If you check the maintenance guidelines in your owner’s manual it will help you understand what is required. Most intervals call for a comprehensive inspection every 15,000 or 30,000 miles. Once a year is a good rule of thumb. I am not talking about a quick oil change with a quick inspection, but a thorough inspection by experienced personnel. This inspection inc ... read more