Automotive News & Information - Taylor's Garage Inc.

When do you need to schedule maintenance for your diesel engine and what is needed each time? For your convenience, we've added the preferred maintenance listing.

With gas prices high, our drivers are asking, "What can I do to improve gas mileage?" Our answer is that there are quite a few standard maintenance tips that will help you increase gas mileage and your vehicle safety.

One of the first things you should check is tire pressure. There is no one size fits all and it is a pretty easy thing to check at home and fix. On the inside of the driver’s door or door jam is a plate that indicates the correct tire pressure. Careful – there might be a different pressure for the front and rear tires. Check them at least once a month.

Fall driving can be unpredictable because of weather changes and the end of daylight saving time. We are all driving and enjoying the beautiful fall colors and need to be safe and aware on the roads this fall. Some great tips for safe fall driving include:

Watch out for leaves: Once leaves become wet, they can present slippery and dangerous driving conditions. Be sure to watch for patches of wet leaves on the road or on road lines. Dry leaves can also present a problem to your vehicle. Avoid parking your vehicle near leaf piles to prevent fires that could start from your vehicle's catalytic converter.

We’ve all heard a car or truck in our neighborhood that needs a new muffler. But there’s more to the exhaust system than just the muffler. The exhaust system has three main functions:

To safely get hot exhaust gas from the engine out the tailpipe
Treats the exhaust to remove harmful pollutants
Muffle the engine noise

Care and Maintenance Tips Keep Your Car Running in Top-Notch Condition: We’ve compiled our best expert advice, surprising tricks, and car care tips to prolong the life of your automobile!

1. Be patient during the break-in period: You’ve bought your dream car and now you want to make it last at long as possible in top condition. Here are some things to remember as you pull it out of the dealer’s lot:

During the break-in period, typically the first 1,000 miles (1,600 km), keep your speed under 55 mph (88 kpm) or to the speed recommended by your car’s manufacturer.
Avoid heavy loads on the drive train, such as towing trailers, and loading the roof rack or trunk with heavy construction materials.
Do not allow your new car to idle for long periods — this is good advice for the life of your car, but especially during breakin. The oil pressure generated by doing so may not be sending oil to every part of your engine.
Use only light to medium acceleration, keeping the engine rpms below 3,000 for the first few hours of driving.

In an attempt to boost performance, tire manufacturers analyze the capabilities of their tires under a variety of road conditions and speeds to ensure the safety and durability of their tires. These tests are conducted on all factory-made tires whether they are intended for rain, snow, off-road, performance or fuel conservation. Among the many tests done on new tires is stopping distance. Stopping distance is the span of road that it takes for a vehicle to come to a complete stop.

Summer’s coming, and with it, warmer temperatures, vacations, and longer trips. We don’t want to be downers, but if your car’s cooling system isn’t up to par, things could go from fun-in-the-sun to stranded-in-the-sun too quickly for anyone’s liking. Because the truth is: cooling system failure is a leading cause of vehicle breakdowns.

Don’t let it come to that. The easiest way to make sure your summer plans stay on course is to pay attention to your vehicle’s cooling system now, while the weather’s still mild. Trust us, you’ll avoid a lot of aggravation, and possibly an unnecessarily expensive vehicle repair. Here’s how to maintain your cooling system.

You do not have to use the dealer for repairs and maintenance to keep your warranty in effect! Source Consumer FTC. If you own a car, you know how important it is to keep up with routine maintenance and repairs. But can a dealer refuse to honor the warranty that came with your new car if someone else does the routine maintenance or repairs?

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation's consumer protection agency, says no. In fact, it's illegal for a dealer to deny your warranty coverage simply because you had routine maintenance or repairs performed by someone else. Routine maintenance often includes oil changes, tire rotations, belt replacement, fluid checks and flushes, new brake pads, and inspections. Maintenance schedules vary by vehicle make, model and year; the best source of information about routine scheduled maintenance is your owner's manual.