Orinda Auto Repair

California is currently experiencing wildfires like never before, and everyone seems to be sharing the effects of these fires. First, the team at Orinda Motors would like to thank the firefighters for all their hard work in battling these fires. We couldn't be more appreciative. The effects of these fires are far-reaching, as we have seen the smoke and ash settle in the Bay Area. The smoke and ash don't just affect our health, but it affects our vehicle, specifically our cabin air filters.  Your cabin air filter cleans and filters the air that enters through your heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems in your vehicle. Your cabin air filter prevents any contaminants from the exterior, such as dirt, dust, smoke, pollen, and ash, from reaching your interior. When the air passes through your filter, any contaminants will be trapped in the filter, and you or your passengers will have an easier time breathing clean air. Over time, your air filter will slowly turn da ... read more

Photo by Parvez AzarQaderi on Unsplash But how do you know when? Each component of your vehicle has a vital role, including your timing belt. Your engine is full of various pieces and parts, and each of these components will need to be replaced eventually. Before we begin answering this question, we will first discuss what exactly is a timing belt, and why it matters to your vehicle’s overall condition. You can always check with our auto repair team at Orinda Motors to see if your vehicle is equipped with a timing belt or a timing chain. Your timing belt is a toothed belt composed of reinforced rubber that wraps around pulleys and tensioners. Your engine’s crankshaft pulley drives the timing belt. Your timing belt provides rota ... read more

Classic car enthusiasts, rejoice! The popular Orinda Classic Car Show is adjusting to the COVID-era and this is good news.    Prepare yourselves for some mobile fun by participating in The 2020 Orinda Classic Car Tour on September 12, 2020.    Isn’t this exciting news? If you want to enter your car in The 2020 Orinda Classic Car Tour, click here to register: https://www.orindacarshow.com/bring-your-classic-to-the-show/   Space is limited and we are only able to include the first 100 cars that register for this event. If you have questions, email [email protected]. Drivers/riders will arrive in their vehicles between 9:00 and 10:00 AM and depart by 10:30 AM. Passengers are welcome to join in. After the Tour everyone will return to the Orinda Village.   But wait, there’s more for Spectators, too! &n ... read more

Getting your first car is a rite of passage. For many of us, our vehicles equal freedom, and having our vehicles gives us the freedom to go anywhere or do anything seemingly. If your son or daughter is getting a car for the first time, it is primarily their first step into adulthood. As the saying goes, “with great power comes great responsibility,” owning a vehicle for the first time shouldn’t be taken lightly, as there are things all car owners should know and be aware of.  Here are the top 5 things every first-time car owner should know:  Engine Oil: Your engine oil is imperative to your vehicle’s overall health. Not only does it ensure proper combustion, but it also helps lubricate, cool, and clean your engine. It is essential to stay on top of your vehicle’s oil changes.  Spare Tire: Some cars will come with a spare tire. However, it depends on the make and model whether your vehicle has a spare tire. If you are a first-time car owne ... read more

In the wake of COVID-19, cleaning our vehicles is incredibly important. It is easy to remember to sanitize our homes and even hands, but it is quite easy to forget about our cars. We have the potential to track germs and debris into our vehicle, and we need to make sure we take the proper steps to keep our cars clean and sanitized.  Don't worry, the team at Orinda Motors is here to help. We are here to discuss the do's and don'ts of proper automotive interior cleaning and disinfecting. Before we begin, it is critical to recognize that our car, truck, or SUV has several points that we frequently come into contact with. Regardless of the material these high-contact areas are in, the coronavirus can potentially live on these surfaces for days. We will focus our attention on the regions we come into contact with most frequently, also known as "touchpoints."  Begin by vacuuming. We recommend starting by breaking out the vacuum and getting rid of all the pes ... read more

  We are living in an unprecedented time, and for many of us, we are spending an ample amount of time indoors with our family. If you are struggling to find ways to keep your little ones occupied during shelter-in-place, the team at Orinda Motors is here to help with some fun and family-friend activities and games that the whole family can enjoy:    Watch zoo and aquarium live cams -- even though many of these zoos are closed down, you can still experience the wonders, albeit digitally and through a live cam: San Diego Zoo & Safari Park Live Cams, Monterey Bay Aquarium Live Web Cams, and Aquarium of the Pacific.   Grow a garden -- now is the perfect time to let your little one dig in the dirt and enjoy the process of growing a garde ... read more

With spring break just around the corner, it is the perfect time to start planning your spring break vacation. Fortunately, California is home to many beautiful spring break destinations within driving distance. In fact, for many of these destinations, you can treat the drive there as part of the vacation. It is always nice to spend quality time with your family out on the open road.    We are fortunate to live in such a beautiful state with so many places to visit. It can be hard to figure out where to go. Here are our favorite spring break spots in California:  Palm SpringsMonterey & Santa Cruz   San Diego  Disne ... read more

Sometimes, your vehicle will give you warning signs. When your vehicle tries to tell you something, it is best to pay attention. At first, it can be a struggle to figure out what your vehicle is saying -- it is a completely foreign language! Fortunately, the team at Orinda Motors can act as your interpreter. Here are 5 auto repair-related red flags you should not ignore:  If your car’s temperature gauge has a constant and slow fluctuation after warming-up, this may be an indication that air is getting into your engine’s cooling system. Your temperature gauge should only ebb and flow after a few minutes of driving. Temperatures gauge can accurately report your coolant temperature, but they can not read air temperature.  If you notice your headlights flickering at night, it may mean that your headlights are about to go dark, caused by a broken or loose headlamp mount. If the flickering occurs when you are driving on a bumpy road, it could mean that you have a brok ... read more

Happy New Year’s from the team at Orinda Motors! We wish you and your vehicle a safe, happy, and healthy New Year’s! To make sure 2020 and the next decade is as safe as can be, we think an appropriate New Year’s resolution would be to eliminate driver distractions. We are here to help make sure this resolution comes to fruition. Your vehicle and other drivers on the road will thank you!  Here are some easy ways you can eliminate driver distractions:  Out of sight, out of mind! Put your phone away, and use it only for emergencies. No, an emergency does not include changing the song or texting your friend back. If you need to use your phone for an emergency, pull over.  If you are feeling drowsy, don’t hesitate to pull over and take a break. If you drive drowsy, you are four times more likely to get into a crash. Thirty-seven percent of all crashes are caused by drowsy driving.  Try to limit the number of passengers in your vehicle, if poss ... read more

December is officially here, which means it is time to break out the holiday decorations, bundle our little ones in the coziest scarves, and start planning our New Year Day’s trips to Grandma’s. It is also means it is time to start thinking of the most thoughtful gifts to get our loved ones. If one of your loved ones is a car lover, the team at Orinda Motors is here to help.  Here are the best Christmas gifts for car lovers:  Riparo Reverse Stitched Leather Driving Gloves, $51.97 iOttie Easy One Touch 2 Car Mount Holder, $19.95 TOGUARD Mini Dash Cam, $47.90 (Originally $69.99) DBPOWER 600A Peak 18,000mAh Portable Car Jump Starter, $69.99 (Originally $159.99) Tile Mate Key Finder, $24.99 JooJoobs Personalized Custom Leather Keychain, $19.99-$24.99 Chemical Guys Complete Wheel, Rim, and Tire Kit, $79.99 Carrera GO!!! GT Contest Slot Car Track, $84.99 PunkyMoka Speedometer Cufflinks, $8.80 Wolf & Shepherd Gunner Driver, $225 Craftsman 450-piece mechanics tool k ... read more