Raleigh Auto Repair

If you notice that you keep veering right or left when driving, you may need a vehicle alignment. By getting this type of service done, you're ensuring a smoother and safer ride, all while extending the life of your wheels. Your car has four wheels, and all of them should be adjusted for alignment, right? Not exactly. Your vehicle may simply only need a front-end alignment.   Front End Alignment versus Wheel Alignment Alignment is the arrangement of the suspension system that assists in supporting and turning the vehicle properly. Wheels must be in perfect alignment for all tires to work simultaneously by rotating in unison and traveling in the same direction. A slight divergence in the angle of your wheels can negatively affect the suspension system causing irreversible damage and premature tire wear.   A front wheel alignment, also referred to as a 2-wheel alignment, means the alignment only takes place in the front wheels so that they run parallel to the center of ... read more

Engine oil is essentially the bloodline of your vehicle. It's the key substance to keep your engine happy and running for hundreds and thousands of miles. Oil changes are an essential and routine part of car care that should be your number one priority! But why do automobiles need oil changes, to begin with?    What Does Oil Do for a Car? The primary role of motor oil is to grease up the moving parts of your engine. Since an engine has so many complex and fast-moving features, engine oil is required to keep running smoothly by reducing friction and wear. Otherwise, they would grind against each other and cause damage. Furthermore, a well-lubricated engine produces an intense amount of heat. That's why another significant function of engine oil is to extract the excess heat away. Without engine oil, your car would constantly overheat and not run at all. Skipping routine oil changes can have threatening consequences for the health of your car and can even lead to c ... read more

It seems that gas prices in Raleigh, NC continue to spike, especially with the national gas crisis that recently struck the east coast. Your vehicle's miles per gallon (MPG) is a key indicator of fuel efficiency and the distance a car can run before it needs to be refilled. Therefore if your vehicle isn't reaching its average MPG during the rise of gas prices, it can be a pain on your wallet.   Here are some tips to follow to increase your car's MPG: 1. Limit the use of air conditioning or heating. The HVAC system is a huge factor in affecting your MPG. It can significantly decrease your fuel efficiency if it is constantly being blasted. Try to limit the use of AC or heat whenever necessary.    2. Minimize what you carry in your car. Items that weigh a lot are not suitable for long-time storage in your vehicle if you want to maximize your MPG. Make an effort to remove any unnecessary articles in your trunk.   3. Give your tires at ... read more

  The car is designed to be odor-free despite the many types of fluids that run in its system. Unless you are enjoying the new car smell, any other odor should be checked. Here are some of the unusual smells that you should have checked: Hot Oil: If you smell hot oil fumes from the vehicle, it means you have a leaky crankshaft, and the oil is touching the manifold, which heats it. You may find oil on the surface on which you park. Sulfur (rotten eggs): The sulfur smell is an indication that the catalytic converter is not turning the hydrogen sulfide gas in the car's exhaust into sulfur dioxide. You should have the catalytic converter checked. Syrup: If you notice a sweet smell, especially after you turn off the engine, it could be ethylene glycol leaking out of the cooling system into hot parts of the engine. You should have the radiator checked or coolant hoses changed. Burned rubber: The smell of burned rubber may come from wheel friction if you are stuck in the mud. H ... read more

While your owner's manual provides recommended maintenance and timeframes, it just provides all of the information upfront without telling you which ones are most important or most frequently needing maintenance. Everyone knows oil needs changed, but that's just the start. These will be the items that you use every day and have a constant impact on driving. Larger problems tend to not be maintenance issues but rather one-time breaks or errors. That being said, improper maintenance on a vehicle can get you to catastrophic failure much faster. What To Maintain First While most important to new drivers learning the ropes, any level of driver can benefit from a reminder session. Replaceable Parts Wear and tear on vehicles is the largest expense, with some components being subject to more abuse than others. Wiper blades are one of the easier parts you can see need replaced as rain is smeared instead of wiped away. Replacing these every six months or so can improve safety in haz ... read more