MOUNTAIN VIEW AUTO REPAIR

So, what is a maintenance service anyway? For starters, know there is a difference between “services” and “repairs”. The auto repair industry defines services as work done at specific time intervals to your vehicle to keep it running its best and to avoid potential major work that will cost you big dollars. These routine maintenance services are similar to the wellness checkups or dental cleanings/exams your health care providers schedule for you. If you skip or ignore them, the chances of serious problems developing are greatly increased! Bottom Line: Sticking to a routine maintenance schedule that is done completely and correctly (those two conditions are key!) will dramatically reduce the frequency and expense of repairs. In future blogs, I will describe these routine services in more detail. Let me know if there is a particular service you have questions about. * *See our book, Fearless Auto Care: A Guide to What Women ... read more

The best place to start is with your Owner’s Manual! If you don’t have one, ask for a copy from your vehicle manufacturer, or even purchase one online. The Owner’s Manual can seem overwhelming at first glance, but just begin by going to the section that lists your vehicle’s maintenance services and the recommended time or mileage intervals when they should be performed. These are the key to your vehicle’s health and long life. It is critical that you stick to that schedule as closely as possible to avoid major problems down the road! Especially with today’s more sophisticated vehicles, you can be lulled into believing everything is great when in fact, there might be trouble brewing. If you have a new car, it is also important to be aware that your new car warranty will only remain valid if you keep to the scheduled maintenance services. *Excerpt from our book “Fearless Auto Care: A Guide to What Women Should Know About Their Car”

Writing has always been my first love, and ever since I was about 7 years old, I have dreamed of becoming an author. But I never dreamed that I would be writing a book about auto care! In the 10 years I have been working alongside my husband as co-owners of an auto repair shop, I learned more than I ever thought I wanted to know about taking care of cars as well as their owners. I began to realize that the way my husband ran our business, the way he treated customers, the vast amount of knowledge he had acquired and continues to acquire, was not the usual or the norm. I see now how many misperceptions there are about auto repair held by both men and women and how those misperceptions and misinformation are prevalent in the media, the internet and through other less informed people within the industry. I also hear women say how intimidating it can be when trying to bring their cars in for service somewhere, how unsure they are if they are being told the truth about what their car need ... read more

We have talked to so many people lately that didn’t know they have a Dealership Alternative, we thought it would be worth reposting this information we shared last year: You are NOT required to bring your new car back to the dealer for all maintenance and repairs in order to keep your manufacturer’s warranty valid. Many people have been told when they purchase their new vehicle that the warranty will be voided if they have maintenance or repairs performed by an independent shop, but this is not true! It is actually prohibited by Federal Law for a new car dealer to either deny warranty service or even imply that warranty service will be voided if servicing or repairs are not performed at the dealership. The law is the Magnuson-Moss Act of 1975, Title 15, Chapter 50, Section 2301-2312. Look it up for yourself! Look under “Tie-In Sales” Provisions. A Google Search on the Magnuson-Moss Act will also bring up many Web sites that explain this Federal Code in less “legal speak”; this is ... read more

I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to keep up with your vehicle’s routine maintenance services! Watch my video below where I share my thoughts! Just as it is wise to take good care of our bodies, investing a little time to pay attention to the needs of our cars will result in our cars living a long life for multiple 100′s of thousands of miles. Just changing the oil, although that is critical!, is not enough. Especially with the latest technology being used in modern vehicles, it can be easy to forget regular check ups, so make sure that wherever you do take your car for service has a reminder program in place to help you remember. Your car may seem to be running just fine. But ignoring recommended services at the proper mileage intervals can result in expensive repairs you could have avoided. Of course, the chances for success are greater if a good car regimen begins when your car is new, but starting now is better than not starting at all