Category Archives: Blog

3 Summertime Spotify Playlists for Your Next Road Trip

3 Summertime Spotify Playlists for Your Next Road Trip

Photo by Fredrick Lee on Unsplash   What's On Your Road Trip Playlist? We all love the scene in the movie where the passenger tosses their legs out the passenger side window, leans their seat back, and cranks up the music. Road trips, day trips, and summer lake days are the nostalgia fuel we crave. The California Central Valley abounds with lakes, rivers, mountains, and hiking trails to suit everyone's particular tastes. Find the right playlist and the right crew, and you are on your way to making memories.   What's your favorite road trip playlist? Do you like classic road trip fuel by Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, and Bob Seger? Or maybe you have kids, and they want to listen to the latest radio hits as you try desperately to drown ... read more

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The Importance of Maintaining Your A/C System

The Importance of Maintaining Your A/C System

Image by NoobInNature NIN from Pixabay  Why do I need to maintain my vehicle's A/C system? Summertime in Turlock, Ca, means two things. Extreme summer temperatures and dry & dusty conditions. Combine those two, and you have a "1-2 punch" to your vehicle's air conditioning system. Living here, it is more important than ever to service your A/C system regularly!   Your A/C system consists of physical machinery and electrical engineering. They work in concert to provide you a refuge from the punishing Central Valley heat. The compressor, radiator, freon, fans, and more all need to work for you to stay cool. My A/C system makes a noise whe ... read more

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Don’t Let Your Vehicle Go Thirsty

Don’t Let Your Vehicle Go Thirsty

Why is it important to change the fluids in my vehicle? It's almost summertime in the California Central Valley, and we all know what that means! Scorching days that regularly exceed 100+ degrees, dry & dusty agricultural air, and hazardous road conditions. This is even more true in Turlock, CA's rural agricultural areas. Pollen, dusk, and road debris mix and lodge themselves in our fuel systems, creating dangerous operating conditions for our vehicles. Here are a few reasons why it is so essential that you change the fluids in your vehicle: It helps to keep your vehicle in peak operating condition Removes dirty fluids contaminated with debris and particulate matter Maintains proper fluids levels across your system It gives you a chance to change filters associated with that fluid, helping to keep dangerous particulate matter out of your vehicle system Do I change all of the fluids or only certain ones? That is a great question, and a couple of factors go into it. Fi ... read more

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Dirt, Dust, & Debris in the Central Valley

Dirt, Dust, & Debris in the Central Valley

Photo by Rinald Rolle on Unsplash Why You Need To Change Your Vehicle's Filters As we know, the California Central Valley is home to some of the world's best produce! While we absolutely love the access to world-class fruits and vegetables, there is a downside when it comes to living amongst the farms. Dirt, dust, and debris can be an issue, especially in the hotter months when the sun dries out the surrounding agricultural fields and the wind picks up. Beyond that, the California Central Valley is home to a unique amount of pollen, which presents a problem for our vehicle filters; the recent wildfires haven't helped, either. Our vehicles have to filter out all of the debris to keep their vital components functioning at an opt ... read more

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Time to Check Your Tires

Time to Check Your Tires

Photo by Frank Albrecht on Unsplash   Summer Is Just Around The Corner; Time To Check Your Tires! As we say goodbye to the bitter sting of the winter months and the cold, wet, and muddy roads leave us behind for a time, now is a good time to look to the health of your tires. How did your tires do with all the rough and cold conditions? Summertime is almost here, which means road trips, lake days, and day trips to Yosemite.   Nothing puts a stop to the family fun like a flat tire, or worse, a blowout! There is a difference, btw. A flat tire results from slow tire-pressure loss over a given period of time, leading to your tire looking deflated. On the other hand, a blowout is a sudden explosive moment where your tire actually burst ... read more

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Take Your Car Out For a Date

Take Your Car Out For a Date

Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash   Valentine's Day is coming up; in just about two weeks! Are you prepared? Well, don't worry, we have a plan for you, and this year it includes your vehicle, too. However, Turlock's backroads and farming areas see a lot of mud, potholes, and debris. All of that creates a problem, and it should be maintained regularly to give your vehicle the longest life possible, especially if it has a date ahead of it!   We have had some pretty good rain this year in the California Central Valley, which surprised many vehicle owners. Wet conditions create all sorts of problems for our vehicles. So, it is just as important as ever that we care for our vehicle as we care for our family. Here ... read more

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The Importance of Pre-Purchase Inspections

The Importance of Pre-Purchase Inspections

Image by Capri23auto from Pixabay    With all the news of pandemic price surges in the used vehicle market and no clear end in sight, now is the time to consider the importance of a pre-purchase inspection. The New Year brings joys and headaches but buying a vehicle doesn't have to be one of them. A quality auto repair shop can make the experience easy and guide you towards the best decision for your dollar.   Pandemic prices are through the roof; used vehicles have risen 26% on average over the past year, making them more expensive than they have ever been. So, we know we are going to buy a vehicle, but we aren't sure exactly how to get the most bang for our buck. That ... read more

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10 Sensible Gifts for Drivers

10 Sensible Gifts for Drivers

 Image by Brock Wegner from Unsplash   With the holiday season in a full rush, it isn't too late to find the perfect gifts for the drivers in your family. Now is a great time to consider some sensible gifts for the newer drivers out there, too! Many of our loved ones will take to the roads for the first time during the holiday season, especially if they got that new car they were dreaming of for Christmas.    Fledgling drivers often forget some of the important things to have in your vehicle. Let's help them get started before they hit the road; check out this list of 10 sensible gifts for drivers and consider what they might need to get started!   Trunk Organizer - This might seem a bit silly, but it is so nice to have everything in its spot when you need to find something! Furthermore, they make lined organizers; to protect from grocery spills on your way home from the store. Physical GPS - Nowadays, most of us use our phones as our GPS, but if ... read more

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Give Thanks

Give Thanks

Photo by Jorge Saavedra on Unsplash   November is a month full of reflection; the leaves turn their autumn shades of brown and red as we round the corner of another year. Some of us are gearing up for our holiday road trips and turkey dinners ahead. Now is a great time to slow down for a second and consider all the things we have to be thankful for!   These past two years have been crazy for everyone! Things are changing faster than we can keep track, and nobody knows what's coming next. What we do know is that our relationships and health are more important than they have ever been. Let's all take the time to give thanks for the things we cherish in life!   Time Spent With Friends - Remember all those amazing r ... read more

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Dealing with Unexpected Scares

Dealing with Unexpected Scares

Image by Ryan Doka from Pixabay   October is filled with spooky fun for all ages! And Halloween has a very special place in childhood traditions. It's one of the first moments a child identifies their fears. By playing with those scares, kids learn to cope with what frightens them. As we grow up, we encounter a whole new set of scares, and we can learn to deal with those as well!    A drive through Turlock can be scary for an adult. An unexpected pothole can send a heart racing. A plank of debris can rattle through us and our vehicle's suspension. The winter season brings rainy conditions, mud, and unforeseen hurdles we have to deal with. Turlock has a lot of long country roads; all sorts of spooky situations can happen!   Scares will always come when we least expect them, but we can do things to prepare for them! We went ahead and created a list of ways to deal with unexpected scares!   Change Your Windshield Wiper Blades - We've all seen th ... read more

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