AUTONET TV

To Fix or Not To Fix (Tire Repair)

You know that sinking feeling when you realize one of your tires has a problem.  It may be making an odd noise or behaving oddly when you're driving.  You may hit a pothole or curb and one suddenly goes flat.  Or you may head back to your vehicle and discover it has one tire deflated without a clue of what must have happened to it.

With a lot of different tires hitting the streets these days, the issue of whether to have a tire repaired or replaced can be tricky, and we strongly recommend you have a trained technician help you make that decision. 

One of the most common causes of flat tires is picking up a screw or nail in the tread area.  Many of those can be patched and plugged if the puncture isn't more than ¼ inch/6 mm in diameter. Most tires can handle two of this type of repair, but any more and you should buy a new tire. 

If there's a puncture or bulge in the sidewall or shoulder, the rule of thumb is it's not repairable.  The sidewall doesn't have the reinforcements that the tread area does.  In fact, any puncture that's more than a ½ inch/12 mm away from the edge of the tread should not be fixed. 

Many newer vehicles have no spare tires (to save weight and fuel) and instead have a type of tire called "run-flat."  Sometimes, the only way you know they're deflated is when the tire pressure monitor alerts the driver.  Driving on them more than 50 miles/80km can render them un-repairable.  They may be fixable if you pulled off to the side of the road before driving on them too long. Our technicians can evaluate whether they can be driven further or should be replaced.

Other vehicles with no spare include a can of tire sealant and a compressor.  If you use it, tire experts say to have the tire professionally repaired as soon as possible.

If you have had a flat tire, try not to drive on it unless it's necessary to get your vehicle away from a dangerous situation.  Our technicians can evaluate any tire you may be having problems with and recommend whether repair or replacement is the best option. Your safety is riding on your tires.  

High-Tech Auto and Truck Center
4007 Westfax Drive
Chantilly, VA 20151
7039686648
high-tech-auto.com

Prepare Your Windshield for Winter (Wiper Blades and Fluid for Freezing Temperatures)

Winter and freezing temperatures present challenges for different parts of your vehicles.  For example, winter tires give you better traction on snow.  But some parts of your vehicle that may need special attention for winter are your windshield wipers. You may have found yourself in the middle of a snowstorm when your windshield wipers are doing nothing but streaking slush that ices up on contact on the glass.  Now you're more blind than you were before!

Obviously being able to see during a snowy or icy winter event is important for the safe operation of any vehicle.  So keeping your windshield and rear window clean can go a long way to guarantee you can see your surroundings.

Let's start with the wipers.  Blades that are good for hot weather may not be robust enough for freezing weather. You can buy special winter wiper blades that stay flexible during sub-zero temperatures.  The stiffer frames that hold them have a rubber covering that prevents ice and snow from building up.  Another style is beam wipers that have a one-piece design, intended for use all year long.  Since these have no separate frame, ice can't build up like on traditional frame wipers.  

If you've ever had salty road brine kicked up on your windshield, you know it can blind you in a second.  So you absolutely must have windshield washer fluid available to clear your vision.  The fluid you use during the warm weather months will often freeze below 32°F/0°C, and that can actually make things worse by icing up your windshield when you spray it.  Worst of all, it may freeze in your washer reservoir.

Be sure to use washer fluid that is meant for sub-freezing temperatures; special formulas will remain a liquid in weather as cold as -30°F/-34.4°C.  Some contain alcohol to keep them flowing; some have a little antifreeze that will melt snow and ice.  If you do use these liquids, make sure to keep them away from small children and pets because they're poisonous if they drink them. 

Each climate is different, and there are windshield products to meet your needs.  Your service advisor can recommend which ones will work best for you.  The idea is in winter, you need to be able to see. 

High-Tech Auto and Truck Center
4007 Westfax Drive
Chantilly, VA 20151
7039686648
high-tech-auto.com

The Importance of Chantilly Drivers Following Service Intervals

Today in our High-Tech Auto and Truck Center blog, we're going to talk about following recommended service intervals. Your vehicle isn't the only aspect of your life in Chantilly with recommended intervals: Let's start with twice yearly dental check-ups and regular physical exams. How about laundry, watering the lawn and paying the bills?

Now, what would happen if you didn't follow these intervals? Well, you'd get more cavities. You may not discover health conditions that could be more effectively treated with early detection. And you'd have to wear dirty clothes, be embarrassed by your brown lawn and have your utilities shut off.

Clearly, there are some things in life that we have to take care of regularly. If we don't, there are negative consequences. Our quality of life in Chantilly takes a hit and it inevitably costs more money.

So why is it so hard to remember to follow regular preventive maintenance on our vehicles? Probably a couple of reasons. One is that automotive maintenance items just don't seem that urgent. All our Chantilly neighbors can see our dead lawn, but no one knows how dirty our transmission fluid is. It's easy to put off. The other reason is that we're just not as familiar with automotive maintenance, so it's a bit intimidating.

From a practical standpoint, people in Chantilly don't need to memorize their vehicle owner's manuals. You can let your High-Tech Auto and Truck Center advisor remind you of the guidelines established by the vehicle manufacturer; he has checklists of what the manufacturer recommends and can find potential problems when he inspects your vehicle. You really can rely on High-Tech Auto and Truck Center professionals to help you make good automotive decisions.

For Chantilly drivers who want to be more proactive with their vehicle care, here are some simple ways for you to remember what has a maintenance interval.

First: Fluids. If it's liquid, it's got a replacement schedule. Oil, transmission fluid, coolant, power steering fluid, brake fluid, differential fluid, etc.

Then think tires. They need air, rotation, balancing and alignment. And while you're thinking tires, don't forget brakes and shock absorbers.

And what makes your vehicle go? Air and fuel. Air filter replacement, fuel filters and fuel system cleaning. Of course there are more items, but if Chantilly car owners remember to take their vehicle in to High-Tech Auto and Truck Center for these things, their service advisor will help them with the rest.

And if you don't follow recommended service intervals? You get lousy fuel economy, your vehicle doesn't run as well, your safety is compromised and you'll spend more money in the long run. So it's the same as everything else: The quality of your motoring life takes a hit and it ends up costing you more.

Reason enough for me to follow recommended service intervals.

High-Tech Auto and Truck Center
4007 Westfax Drive
Chantilly, VA 20151
7039686648
high-tech-auto.com

Technician Training at High-Tech Auto and Truck Center

Your vehicle is important to you, and keeping it running properly is important to your lifestyle. That's why you're smart enough to have it serviced regularly at High-Tech Auto and Truck Center in Chantilly. And even though it may just be routine maintenance, you want it done right by automotive professionals.

It's also very important to your Chantilly service center to keep you happy and on the road. You might be surprised at the amount of money our Chantilly auto service center spends annually to make sure our friendly and knowledgeable technicians are properly trained.

High-Tech Auto and Truck Center offers a variety of automotive services for many kinds of vehicles. We need to be current on the latest techniques and parts so that we can give you quality service. Our Chantilly service centers subscribe to data services that list the high quality parts and fluids recommended by your manufacturer.

And each service has a checklist of standard procedures. High-Tech Auto and Truck Center technicians follow these procedures so they can safely deliver a consistent level of high-quality service.

Some services at High-Tech Auto and Truck Center require the use of specialized equipment. High-Tech Auto and Truck Center technicians are trained extensively on this equipment so that they can service your car quickly and efficiently.

Classroom, video and hands-on training is provided by the company and outside trainers. It's not only important that friendly and knowledgeable technicians be able to perform a given task, they also need to be thoroughly trained in inspection and diagnostic techniques. One of the great services they perform is to detect potential problems before they become serious.

The automotive service industry has standards for classifying and communicating problems. For example, it's one thing to learn that your manufacturer recommends that you change your serpentine belt every 30,000 miles/48,000 km and another to learn that the belt is on the verge of failure. These standards help you understand the urgency of recommendations, letting you make better automotive service decisions.

VA folks may be interested to know that service technicians (including those at High-Tech Auto and Truck Center) are trained in compliance with federal and local Chantilly laws and regulations, including environmental regulations regarding the disposal of used parts and fluids.

It's the goal of High-Tech Auto and Truck Center to provide fast, courteous service. You should feel free to ask your friendly and knowledgeable technician or one of the managers about your service or for more information about their recommendations.

At High-Tech Auto and Truck Center, well-trained service providers, established procedures, industry standards and, of course, great people, combine to give you the best auto service in Chantilly.

High-Tech Auto and Truck Center
4007 Westfax Drive
Chantilly, VA 20151
7039686648
high-tech-auto.com