A Few Things You Should Know If You Own A Car

In the event whereby you buy a car or someone offers you such a gift, you should know some processes with regard to the vehicle. Even though you could pass by a service station or call a mechanic to check any problem that arises, you could save some money and time by having this knowledge. This article provides you with some necessary information on three areas of car servicing.

a) How to change a car's oil

It is important to change a vehicle's oil at least once every year or after traveling for about 7000 miles. During the process of changing this oil, someone should observe some precautions. One, always allow an engine to cool down before changing the oil. This way someone avoids being burnt by the hot oil. Two, it is important to park the car on a level ground in order to use the jack safely. Three, start the engine and let it run for about two minutes in order churn the oil allowing it to flow easily.

First, identify the location of the plug for draining the engine's oil. Some cars may necessitate someone to crawl under the engine in order to reach this plug easily. Secondly, place a big container under this plug. The container will collect the old oil. Unscrew the plug while wearing gloves or using some rags in order to avoid getting dirty. After all oil is drained, screw this plug back to its position. Then unscrew the cap at the filler hole, which is at the engine's upper part. Remove the car's oil filter and empty it as well. Then drain some new oil through this hole, return the cap and clean any oil spilt on the engine's surface.

b) The things that you should keep in preparation for a breakdown

Whenever you are driving, especially on a long journey, you should prepare for emergencies such as a breakdown. Therefore, you should carry a few items to use during such times. One, have a shovel in your vehicle. This is because you could be stuck either in mud or in snow. Two, carry items that can keep you warm. These items include a candle and a blanket. Three, have items that can help in the changing of a tire. These items include a rpare wheel, necessary tools (for example a jack and spanners) and an air compressor. Four, have a flashlight since your car could breakdown at night. Five, have some food or snacks since the car could break down far from a shopping center. Six, ensure that you have a cell phone because you might need to call for help.

c) Local car service companies

There are two ways of finding a service firm for your car. One, you could contact firms that deal with your vehicle's model alone. Use a search engine to find the nearest dealer in relation to your location. Two, you could contact an automotive firm that offers repair services for any car.

Susan is a full-time freelance writer. She is an avid traveler and reader and enjoys writing on health & fitness, travel, parenting, relationships and personal development.

Automotive Repair Is Inevitable, But These Tricks Can Help

Automotive repair is inevitable, even for newer cars with less mechanical issues. For those who own older cars, routine maintenance is vital in avoiding major automotive repairs. Once a major part or system in the vehicle needs repairs, it could costs hundreds or even thousands of dollars to get back on the road again.

A good way

to avoid expensive automotive repairs is to have a trusted mechanic who is familiar with your car. Having a good mechanic on your side can be very helpful when it comes to regular maintenance because they are familiar with your car's needs and can provide good preventative maintenance. Good preventative maintenance can help prevent a major breakdown. Furthermore, your repairs might be a little less expensive if there is a breakdown because a regular mechanic can more easily figure out the cause. There are many different automotive repair shops you can choose from and finding a mechanic shouldn't be that difficult. However, finding a trustworthy mechanic's shop that can do quality work is key. There are a few techniques and tips you can employ in order to find a good mechanic.

The most important thing to remember when looking for a good mechanic to perform affordable quality work is to never wait until you have a vehicle breakdown to find an auto mechanic. This is one of the biggest mistakes a vehicle owner can make because in the event of a major breakdown, they panic and simply hire the first mechanic they find in the phonebook or online to diagnose and fix the vehicle. Many times, the repairs can cost more because the vehicle owner does not have the time to shop around for an affordable mechanic. If you look for a mechanic ahead of time, you are more likely to find one who is both skilled and more affordable. Finding a mechanic through word-of-mouth recommendations is one of the best ways to find a good mechanic. If you have a friend with a older car that runs well, you can find out who their mechanic is to begin the search for an auto repair shop. If you cannot find an auto repair shop through direct word-of-mouth recommendations, you can check you local listings online. Searching online can be helpful because mechanic listings online will also include customer reviews that will give you a better idea of who well that particular shop or mechanic can service your car.

You can also educate yourself on automotive repair in order to avoid major problems and to have more knowledge on automotive repair. Automotive education can help you to better understand preventative car care needs in order to avoid major repairs. Furthermore, when you take your car to a mechanic for servicing you will have the advantage of knowing if the mechanic is credible, simply by knowing what type of issues your car has.

Automotive repair can be expensive, but some of this expense can be avoided if you have a good mechanic that can perform regular preventative maintenance.

In Clackamas automotive repair doesn't have to be a costly, protracted ordeal that leaves you in the dark about what exactly the mechanic did to your car. There are vehicle professionals who know what they're doing! Read more here:http://amanderotica.blogspot.com

Finding A Good Automotive Repair Facility

Many people spend their time looking for a good repair shop, or perhaps taking the car back to the dealership which the vehicle was purchased from. Unaware that they could be saving money by taking their car to an independent repair shop. Sometimes finding a good repair shop can be a bit of a challenge. Knowing the signs to look for that make a good repair shop will definitely help. Or knowing the right questions to ask when you get there. Even going into a well run repair facility without knowing what to look for can result in a unpleasant experience. Poor service can result from not knowing the right things to be on the look out for, the right questions to ask, or the right info to give the service writer behind the counter.

Poor service can come from several different factors. I would not say that poor service is the customer's fault, in fact it is quite the contrary. Most of the time when a customer receives poor service, it is because the shop is not managed well. There are things you as the consumer can learn to spot when a shop is not managed well. Many times a shop can appear well run and put together on the surface. If someone is not looking, they might miss some of the biggest signs. Knowing what to look for and what questions to ask will help the customer. It always helps to know what to be on the look out for and what information is the best to share with the service writer. You should also pay close attention to what questions the service writer is asking you. Informing yourself will help you. Educate yourself by asking people about their experiences. Where they had good service and what made it good. Online research can be very useful. Looking for articles written by someone in the repair industry would be a great help. They will know what kind of information will be needed and what will be useful. All of this will help you know what to be prepared with.

Pay close attention to the way that the service writer makes you feel. Your intuition is very important and you should count on it, trust it. Is this some one you feel you can trust? Someone that you feel wants to work with you to accommodate your automotive needs? After all, it is your hard earned money that you will be spending. You should feel comfortable with the recommendations that the repair shop is giving you about your vehicle. You should also feel confident in the work that is being performed.

A well informed consumer will be be able to spot a well managed shop. They will also be able to know what kind of questions to be asking at the repair shop. As well as what kind of information to be prepared with when walking into the repair facility. It is important to be aware of what kind of questions the service writer is asking you. With all of this information, a customer will be able to find a good automotive repair shop. One that will value them as a customer as well as fill all of their automotive needs. Keeping all of this in mind will help you as the customer find the right repair facility.

Tony Bentley is an automotive technician and a service writer.

He has put together some of his ideas on how to go about finding a quality automotive repair facility. As well as some good tips for those that like to do the work themselves. To read through some of these ideas and tell him*what you think, and give some topic ideas check out the link below.

Automotive Repair Marketing - The One Word Your Customers Want to Hear

A while back I had the opportunity to interview over forty people for a panel of customers. My intent was to discover what drives their decisions in choosing an auto service facility, how they make their purchasing decisions, and the follow up they would like to see. In many cases I spent well over an hour with each of these prospective panelists, so I had the opportunity of learning many amazing things about automotive repair marketing. Here is one of the most valuable insights I was able to take away from these interviews....

Regardless of the length of time the people I interviewed had been patronizing the same independent repair facility, one of the questions I asked each of them was, "If the service advisor told you that you needed a complete transmission or an engine, would you authorize repair?" The overwhelming majority of the people I interviewed said that before they would authorize such an expensive repair, they would first contact the dealership or a transmission shop. When I asked why, the standard response was "Bob, you have to understand a transmission or an engine can be pretty complicated, so I'd want talk to an expert first."

I came to a number of conclusions after speaking with all of these customers. First of all, most independent repair shops are not doing a good enough job of educating their customers on their level of competency and skill. Secondly, your customers are no different than you when it comes to looking for expert advice. Look at it like this... Imagine you have been going to the same doctor for years, and have a tremendous amount of faith in that doctor. Then imagine that doctor told you that you had a problem with your lower back. Even though your doctor may be very well-skilled with lower back problems, and possibly even better skilled than many orthopedic surgeons, I suspect you'd still feel more comfortable speaking with an orthopedic surgeon. Why? Because they're viewed as the "experts." Ironically, your customers are no different. If you have a general auto repair shop, they'll look at you as their friendly family doctor-good for most things, but not necessarily the expert.

The "expert" perception plays a huge role in how brake shops are able to generate new customers. You might think they attract customers by offering low-priced brake services, but in reality that's not the case. The reason they are continually able to bring in customers is because the motoring public perceives them to be what they are looking for: the brake experts.

So here's my suggestion to you: if you want to build a more profitable, successful business, then one of the things you'll need to do is brand yourself as the "expert" in every way that you can. Those of you that have specialty shops, such as transmission shops, brake shops, etc., should incorporate the word "expert" in all of your automotive repair marketing campaigns. Those of you who have general auto repair facilities should use terms such as "The SUV experts," "Toyota experts," etc. Your customers are looking for an expert for all aspects of their lives. When it comes to auto repair and service, make sure they know in clear terms, it's you.

Marketing Strategies for Automotive Repair Shops

If you own a business and you want to invest for something new, it is best to choose for automotive repair shop especially if your current business is connected with this kind of industry. However, before engaging with this kind of business, you must know the proper marketing strategies first so that you can be at peace that what you are planning to invest will turn into success.

Nowadays, the industry of automotive is one of the most established businesses globally. Since every person worldwide use cars and other vehicles in their everyday life, the business for repairing their autos can secure your future.

As mentioned above, you need to know the marketing about this kind of business. Do not worry because these strategies are very easy to follow and carry out. Some of the most useful marketing strategies for your automotive repair shop are the word of mouth, direct mail, creating website or blog and press release.

The second marketing strategy is through direct mail. You can send postcards and mails within your neighborhood and this can help you promote your business with the possible clients that will soon need your services.

The third marketing strategy in this business is to create website or blog. Since the Internet is a place where almost people go to search and look for several things, you can also use it to promote your business. There a lot of individuals surf the net just to look for repair shops that can fix their cars. You can even write detailed information with regard to automobiles and even some reviews about it. With this way you can promote your business in bigger audience.

The last marketing strategy is through the use of press release. You can do it either off-line or on-line. When you do it off-line all you have to do is to write a good press release with regard to your business and send it to any local newspapers. With online, you also do the same and post it on your website or blog.