Archive for January 2022What You Need to Know from Your Lakeside Certified Auto Service AdvisorPosted January 30, 2022 12:15 PMWilloughby drivers may feel intimidated when they take their vehicles to a service center. They have questions but aren't sure how to ask. They don't want to feel embarrassed about their lack of knowledge. They don't want to make the service technician feel that they don't trust him. Lakeside Certified Auto
Clean Slate (Protecting Vehicle's Finish)Posted January 16, 2022 8:50 AMWinter is one of the hardest times to keep your vehicle clean. But did you know neglecting to wash your vehicle in winter could cost you a significant amount of money in the long run? Here's why. Many areas deal with snow and ice in the winter, and the salt and sand that are used to keep the road surfaces from being slick are also super corrosive to a vehicle's metal body and undercarriage. That includes all the parts underneath that can be splashed with brine, saltwater and other road debris. Winter is also tough on vehicles where there isn’t snow, sometimes from ocean salt or winter's extra humidity and rain. If you have any breaks in your vehicle's paint, whether it be from a little fender bender or a stone chip, that corrosive winter moisture can get through those cracks and start eating away at the metal underneath. If you can, you should get any dents or damage fixed as soon as possible so your vehicle has a protective layer of paint between road chemicals and the metal. You may want to wait until the warmer weather, but while you're waiting, the damage is getting worse. If you're not sure of a reputable body repair shop, check with the service advisor where you have mechanical work done. They're usually knowledgeable about who is good and not so good. You also may be tempted to skip the car wash during the winter since your vehicle is just going to get dirty fast anyway. You may want to reconsider. Many winter road treatments now use brine that gets in every nook and cranny of your vehicle. It's wise to clean that off regularly during the winter, and many washing facilities include a spray underneath that gets rid of that salt. Your vehicle repair facility may even have its own car wash, a nice bonus when you take your vehicle in for repair or regular maintenance. Lakeside Certified Auto How Much Does It Cost? (Variations in Vehicle Repair Costs)Posted January 2, 2022 9:05 AMEver wonder why it costs so much more to fix a similar problem in two different vehicles? Let's say you now own an SUV and before that, you owned a car. Your SUV's air conditioning system needs a new evaporator, but the cost for the new one is way more than you remember it was for your car. How can there be that big of a difference? There are many reasons. For one thing, vehicles aren't all the same. Yes, they have engines and steering wheels and suspensions, but engineering and design can vary widely among different styles and brands. In the case of replacing the evaporator, the one in your former car may have been located in a spot where the technician could get to it easily. Plus, the part may have been less complicated and, therefore, cheaper. Your SUV may require the entire dashboard to be removed with special tools to detach the a/c lines from the evaporator. Plus, since it is supplying cool air to a bigger cabin, it may be more complicated; the part itself may cost quite a bit more. But you're not an expert, so how do you know the price is fair? This is where it helps to establish a good, long-lasting relationship with a reputable service repair facility. They know you, they know your vehicle and they value keeping you as a customer. A facility that doesn't care about repeat business may try to suggest more repairs than are needed or inflate their prices. But those shops are unlikely to stay in business very long since their reputation gets around. If you've been taking your vehicles to the same shop for several years, you've had experience with them and know their policy on labor costs and parts prices. At some point you may wonder if it's worth it to keep putting money into your vehicle, and if you know your service advisor, you have developed a trust for his or her advice. Keep this in mind, too. Vehicle designers and engineers have made significant progress in things like powertrain technology and rust prevention. That means today's vehicles are meant to last longer. One study in a major consumer magazine shows that if you can keep your vehicle on the road for 200,000 miles/320,000 km, an average of 15 years, some vehicles can save you up to $30,000 or more. Investing in repairs can make a lot of sense. Lakeside Certified Auto | ||
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