Orinda Auto Repair

Tires are often neglected and overlooked by the people who drive on them every day. A daily visual inspection is ideal to make sure the tires are in good shape. But in today’s busy world, most people don’t pay that close attention to their tires until the following happens:   The car sensors detect that tire pressure is low. The driver “feels” something going on with the tires or how the car is not driving smoothly. The steering wheel pulls to the left or the right. A loud pop or explosion is heard while driving (Not good!). Another driver is desperately trying to get your attention and point out that your tires are dangerously low.   So the question is:  Do your tires pass the safety test?   First, let’s establish what is “safe”. Safety can mean several things, such as:   Safe level of tire tread: You have more that 2/32 of an inch of tread depth remaining. This means your probably don’t need new tires ... read more

When traveling to the Bay Area, many people who don’t have a car will either use Uber, taxi service or rent a car. Uber and taxi services are great, if you only need a short ride to and from the airport, for example. However, Uber and taxi rides can get pricey if you need frequent rides. Fortunately, Orinda Auto Rentals has the solution for anyone visiting the Lamorinda area.   First, let’s start by looking at the top five reasons to rent a car:   You are a visitor to the Bay Area who flew in, and you want the freedom of movement that goes along with having your own car. You are moving furniture or large cargo that will not fit into your own small vehicle, so you rent a truck or van. You want to transport a group of people in one vehicle, like a van, so you can all travel together and only require one parking space. You want to take your sweetheart on a date or a weekend getaway in a nice car, like a convertible. Your vehicle is currently in the auto repai ... read more

The 12th Annual Orinda Classic Car Show is almost here, and you don’t want to miss this fun community event on Saturday, September 10, 2016.   Here are the top 10 things you should know about the 12th Annual Orinda Classic Car Show: The purpose of the Orinda Classic Car Show is to raise money for local charities including the Seniors Around Town transportation program,  Educational Foundation of Orinda, and the Orinda Historical Society. Over the past 11 years, more than $360,000 has been raised for local charities. The weekend kicks off on Friday, September 9th, with the popular Dancing With The Cars party, which is always a great event. The 2016 theme for the Dancing With The Cars party is: “The Italian Job”. You’re invited to come mangia, mangia ... read more

At Orinda Motors, we work with customers to develop a maintenance schedule that’s specific to the make and model of their cars. This begs the question: What are the 10 most common auto repairs? Here is our list of common auto repairs:   A faulty or damaged oxygen sensor is one of the most common repairs we deal with. We replace oxygen sensors quite often. These devices monitor the amount of oxygen we have in our engine. One of the biggest reasons the check engine light turns on, is because your gas caps are loose or missing. It is estimated that 147 millions gallons of gas evaporate each year because of a faulty gas cap. We see a lot of cars with a damaged mass air flow sensor. This sensor measures the the amount of air that is being supplied to the engine. When the mass flow sensor is damaged, it is typically due to a lack of preventive maintenance. This problem is easily avoided by bringing your car to our shop for regular tune-ups. One of the most expensive repair ... read more

Not only is driving a car an honor and a privilege, but knowing how to drive and take care of your vehicle is a survival skill. In a perfect world, we believe that every teenager who wants to get behind the wheel should know the following things about cars and car maintenance by heart before hitting the road.   How to drive a manual transmission. If a teenager or adult is in a situation where the only car available to you has a manual transmission, it could save your life when you know how to drive it. Otherwise, you could be stuck in an unfortunate position to where you could not drive yourself to safety. We recommend learning how to drive a stick shift, and here’s a helpful video that provides instruction:     How to change a tire. If you get a flat tire and you don’t know how to change it, you could be stranded. Changing a tire is easier than many teenagers and adults think. Here is a helpful video that will show you how to change a tire, assuming you ... read more

In 2015, Orinda Motors decided to do something new and special at the Orinda Fourth of July Parade. We sponsored a Grandstand at the end of the parade route, invited our customers to reserve seats in our 80-person Grandstand, and enjoyed a warm holiday together in the shade.   The feedback we received from everyone who joined us was outstanding! Our Grandstand was booked solid, but everyone shared the space with ease. There was a feeling of camaraderie. New friends were made and old friends reunited. We danced. We cheered. We all felt lucky to be in this space, watching the parade go by on this special holiday.   We love our customers and we love giving back to the community. So this year, Orinda Motors decided to do it again! Earlier this month, Orinda Motors sent out an email to all Orinda Motors and Orinda Auto Detail customers, inviting them to reserve Grandstand seats at the Orinda Fourth of July Parade. Within a short week, all 80 seats in our Grandstand were reserv ... read more

At Orinda Motors, we are proud to use auto parts made by ACDelco. On May 11, ACDelco is celebrating 100 years of being in business.   For those of you unfamiliar with the ACDelco brand, here’s some of their history: If you prefer auto technicians that are honest, use quality parts, locally-owned, and involved with the communities of Orinda, Moraga, and Lafayette, come see us at Orinda Motors. You’ll be glad you did!  :-)  

Some of us love checklists, and some don’t. Same goes with road trips. If you’re lucky enough to be one of those people who loves both checklists AND road trips, this blog article is for YOU! :-)   Admittedly, we got a little help from Bellhop, which offers a bunch of helpful travel info. We recommend the following checklist for road trip essentials: Full tank of gas Bottled water / Drinks Snacks Cooler Gum Paper towels / Tissues GPS / Maps Mobile phone with Bluetooth for hands-free driving iPod / Music player Charger Car battery charger Spare tire Additional electronics First-Aid Kit / Medications Travel documents Driver license Credit cards / Currency Female items Male items Trash container​   Of course, the most essential item is not on the road trip checklist at all. The most essential item is a safe and fully-operational vehicle. If your vehicle requires an oil change ... read more

Spring is here, and you know what that means….  It’s time to wash and detail your car!   Truthfully, springtime is a fine time to clean your vehicle. It’s the perfect time to get rid of that thin coat of yellow pollen, dead bugs on your windshield, and the grime accumulated from your daily commute.   However, did you know that if you Opti-Coat your vehicle, you can wash it less and still protect it better? Here’s a comparison of basic car wash services versus Opti-Coat detailing services so you can compare apples to apples.   Basic car wash found in the East Bay region: A typical basic car wash may include an interior vacuum, soft cloth wash, wheel clean, and dry. Prices range between $5 - $20.   Average time the car stays clean:  1 week   Mini Detail at Orinda Auto Detail: A mini detail includes exterior hand wash, rims cleaned, chamois dry, interior vacuum, cupholders cleaned, tires dressed.   Prices start ... read more

Orinda Auto Detail is currently looking for new hires. If you or someone you know is looking for a hands-on position with a great company, here is our snapshot of a great candidate. You are a detail oriented individual that has at least 1 - 2 years experience with car washing and auto detailing. You love all types of automobiles, and you enjoy making them look clean and beautiful again. You appreciate working for a highly-respected, family-owned, team-operated company that has built a good reputation in the East Bay. You are friendly, reliable, accountable, eager to learn, and work well with others. You'll get bonus points if you have experience with coatings like Opti-Coat Pro and enjoy the idea of making cars look like they just rolled off the showroom floor. If you or someone you know is a match for Orinda Auto Detail, please send a resume to ... read more