HOW TO CHANGE YOUR OIL
Women:
Pull up to Desert Car Care when the mileage reaches 3000 since the last oil change.
Drink a cup of coffee.
45 minutes later, write a check and leave with a properly maintained vehicle.

Men:
Go to an auto parts store and write a check for 40 dollars for oil, filter, oil lift (AKA kitty litter), hand cleaner and scented tree.
Discover that the used oil container is full. Instead of taking it back to the store to recycle, dump in hole in back yard.
Open a beer and drink it.

Jack car up. Spend 30 minutes looking for jack stands.
Find jack stands under kid’s pedal car.
In frustration, open another beer and drink it.
Place drain pan under engine.
Look for 9/16 box end wrench.
Give up and use crescent wrench.
Unscrew drain plug.
Drop drain plug in pan of hot oil; get hot oil on you in process.
Clean up.
Have another beer while oil is draining.
Look for oil filter wrench.
Give up; poke oil filter with Phillips screwdriver and twist it off.
Beer.
Buddy shows up; finish case with him. Finish oil change tomorrow.
Next day, drag pan full of old oil out from underneath car.
Throw oil lift (AKA kitty litter) on oil spilled during step 18.
Beer. No, drank it all yesterday.
Walk to 7-11; buy beer.
Install new oil filter making sure to apply thin coat of clean oil to gasket first.
Dump first quart of fresh oil into engine.
Remember drain plug from step 11.
Hurry to find drain plug in drain pan.
Hurry to replace drain plug before the whole quart of fresh oil drains onto floor.
Slip with wrench and bang knuckles on frame.
Bang head on floor board in reaction.
Begin cussing fit.
Throw wrench.
Cuss for additional 10 minutes because wrench hit Miss December(1992) in the left boob.
Clean up; apply Band-Aid to knuckle.
Beer.
Beer.
Dump in additional 4 quarts of oil.
Beer.
Lower car from jack stands.
Accidentally crush one of the jack stands.
Move car back to apply more oil lift (AKA kitty litter) to fresh oil spilled during step 23.
Drive car.

Our relationships with our vehicles are extremely profound. We live in them . We have emotional diatribe in them. We store food and snacks in them. We may even…keep a few coins here and there for an emergency “I left my purse\wallet at home” episode.

The fact is …this is our domicile away from domicile on wheels.
Until……….We allow someone else to borrow our cherished chariot. We all have our reasons of why “we let such and such” take privilege behind the steering wheel of our road warrior sanctuary. In all reality, we just wanted to assist a friend or family member in dire need…..So we thought.

I have experienced many a story about a vehicle that required an inspection or diagnosis that was “no fault of mine”. ” I lent my vehicle out” explanation.
Its when a vehicle is given a thorough automotive inspection, where the surprises start to inch out one by one..startling the owner, and quite frankly the mechanics that perform the evaluation.

When we indicate the vehicle requires an alignment, due to some off road activity that has recently occurred ( fresh mud markings), you state ” Impossible”, I work in the city and never frequent offroad trails. We think, of course under our breathe, your vehicle cheated on you.

When we explain that the brake rotors have hot spots throughout from excessive heat, and several recent “panic ” brake stops, you declare “Impossible”, I recently repaired the Brakes (BTW recent is not 3 years ago, and is typically acknowledged as less than 6 months..just sayin), and I have never experienced any brake pulsation or grinding or even a squeek”. We think, of course under our breathe, your vehicle cheated on you.

When we express your vehicle inspection concern\s regarding a slight coolant leak originating from the lower radiator hose that should be addressed before the Arizona hot summers approach, you state ” Now that’s really impossible, as my neighbor just replaced that hose ,recently” ( At this point we must set a baseline of your definition of recently). Again, we think, of course under our breathe, your vehicle cheated on you.

Realizing that it is extremely difficult to keep track of everything that we keep with in life, and all of the monotonous details that come with, the 2 things you must avoid are 1. Neighbors working on your vehicle ( …well, may be not. Neighbors that work at the local grocery store during the day, may just get your vehicle in tip top shape. Besides their intention is well taken, even if duck tape happens to be a valuable tool at times)
2. You must know your vehicle, the trips it endures, the various driving habits it endures, and more importantly…..You MUST OWN THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE ONE MECHANIC THAT knows you, and your vehicles history…Be honest and upfront about your vehicle escapades, even if it feels like ,……..” She Cheated” on you…….Happy Motoring.

On a beautiful day like today with a bit of chill in the air , while preparing for today’s schedule of vehicles lined up for service, we have started a ritual of planning our daily lunch.

Well, lunch.. seems to be a bit simple. Its more like a gourmet shin ding . Now we truly love fixing vehicles and getting all of our Gilbert Auto Service clients taken care of…BUT man..we have started this daily preparation of amazing eats.

At times,while we are working on various auto services, we may have a crock pot in the background brewing a flavor-able mix of peppers ,beef, carrots,onions and various concoctions of our secret seasonings (..well ..that’s what we think anyway).

We love keeping a great spirit throughout the auto shop ,and why not promote with an amazing meal. Many of our clients will pipe in, and comment about an unusual aroma of goodness, that just doesn’t smell like the average auto repair shop. (grease,oil ,fluids,rubber etc).

As we prioritize auto repairs for our clients , we are also keeping our taste buds and tummies in great spirit. It is not uncommon for us to share in the gourmet goodness and invite our clients waiting,while vehicle in for service, for a bowl, or a plate of warm specialties.

So, if you are ever in our neck of the woods (Gilbert ;Williams Field\Val Vista), whether your vehicle needs service or not, stop in and sample some of  our “gourmet” goings on.

Purchasing a green car means that people will have some extra concerns, but they will also have some extra advantages. People will need to weigh the pros and the cons before they decide to purchase a green car, but as long as they maintain their vehicles, they will receive the benefits for several years to come.

Maintaining a Green Car

As with other vehicles, it’s important for people to change the oil in their green cars when it is recommended. An added tip is that green car owners consult their manufacturers’ manuals to make sure that they are putting in the recommended brand of oil if they are changing the oil themselves. Green car owners will also need to make sure that they are changing their oil filters and spark plugs when the manufacturer suggests it. By performing regular maintenance, people with green cars can make sure that they are even more fuel efficient and emitting the least amount of harmful substances into the air.

The Advantages of the Green Car

• Fuel Efficiency: Some green cars can give people as much as 60 miles to the gallon.
• Emission Efficiency: Green cars are using less gasoline, so they are releasing fewer harmful emissions into the air.
• The green car does not idle like gas-powered vehicles; this further prevents emissions from entering the atmosphere.
• Tax Incentives: The federal government has tax incentives for people who purchase green cars; sometimes, the amount people can receive is $4,000, exactly the cost of replacing the battery.

The Disadvantages of the Green Car

• Green cars cost $2,000 to $4,000 more than gas-powered vehicles, and these extra costs may not be justified unless the price of gasoline triples.
• The battery in green cars carries a risk of electrocution after the vehicle has been involved in a car collision.
• Some of these vehicles have been known to run very quietly, and this might be an advantage for the person driving, but pedestrians who are accustomed to hearing the cars around them may not be as vigilant as they need to be because they do not hear the green vehicle.

Why it is Cheaper to Insure a Green Car

People who own green cars can find cheap insurance quotes  for several reasons. One is the fact that those who have been involved in car crashes in green cars were found to be 25 percent less likely to have injuries than those who were driving other types of vehicles. Because of this, car insurance companies can charge cheap insurance rates for Medical Payments and Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance, two types of coverage related to bodily injuries.

It’s important to have car insurance because of the possibility of being involved in an accident. It’s also required in most states that people purchase liability insurance. Although people don’t have a choice, they can find cheap car insurance, especially for a green vehicle. They may even be able to obtain cheap car insurance because they received a discount just for owning a green car.

Support for the Motor Vehicle Owners’ Right to Repair Act from the Engine Repower Council may help give the legislation the impetus it needs to become law. The measure already enjoys broad support among motorists because it puts them – not the auto manufacturers – in charge of who performs maintenance and repairs on their cars, trucks and SUVs. The new legislation offers an important chance to prevent large corporations from taking over the decisions that rightfully belong to private vehicle owners.

The Right to Repair Act (also known as HR 1449) seeks to force openness in the automotive industry that will guarantee independent mechanics and vehicle owners access to the information they need to work on vehicles. Traditionally, automakers keep key information to themselves in an effort to keep auto owners returning to dealerships for service. If passed, HR 1449 will allow all mechanics and drivers to work on all models of cars.

Without legal protections in place, many mechanics and vehicle owners will have no choice but to hire dealer service departments to perform repairs. For example, repowering a car with a replacement engine often makes sense when major repairs are involved. Without the information they need to properly configure new or rebuilt engines, drivers and their local mechanics cannot do the work. Automakers would effectively force car owners to choose between buying a replacement car and having the work done by auto dealership service departments.

Many auto dealers oppose the Right to Repair Act for one obvious reason: money. Although the legislation does not force automakers to reveal trade secrets, the proposed legislation would force them to allow independent entities access to information needed to perform any repair. This would bring additional pressure on dealer networks to compete with local repair shops for service business. Many motorists want to preserve their right to choose the companies and mechanics they pay to perform repairs on their car based on their own criteria. While many will want to use dealer service centers for repairs, many others want to choose to use their favorite mechanic.

Technology advances at such a rate it’s hard to keep up. Just think of how the internet has changed the way we live, work, shop and play. Now it looks as if it may also change the way we drive.

 V2V (Vehicle to Vehicle) technology, based on networking could see a change in the way we drive.

 Imagine this, you’re in a car driving along and come to a blind bend, you slow down a little but then your breaks kick in and you come to a halt. In front of you is a truck, jackknifed across the road. You couldn’t see it but your vehicle could.

 V2V technology is coming of age – we hope – and GM are working on a portable version because the technology is most efficient when all cars have access to the system. They hope that by the end of the decade it will be available as a smart phone app.

 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration predicts that this sort of technology, where cars ‘talk’ to each other could prevent up to 81% of accidents. Although this technology is still not the standard, ‘networking’ for vehicles is already moving forward with an algorithm designed by MIT researchers.

 This algorithms deals with drivers who run a red light, thereby causing accidents with drivers who legitimately drive through a green light. By studying more than 15,000 cars at intersections in Christianburg PA, analysing their speed, acceleration/deceleration and distance from lights. The researchers were able to predict around 85% of drivers who’d jump the light.

This is an improvement of 15 – 20% on existing technology. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration tells us that over 2,000,000 crashes happen at intersections and 7,000 or more cause fatalities. Of those some 700 deaths can be attributed to drivers jumping a red light, so technology to prevent this could prove very popular.

We are getting more comfortable by the month with technology so perhaps the take up for this will be greater than we imagine.

The question is………will you use it?

Take a look at this Audi, looks pretty sweet doesn’t she? Unfortunately looks can be deceiving as the new owners of this car found to their cost

What to look for when buying a pre-owned car.

This vehicle , which was not inspected prior to service, came in for an engine oil leak inspection. It was soon discovered that foul play was at hand….there had been an attempted “band aid” to a crack in the engine block by using JB Weld.. which ultimately did not work. They sold the vehicle to this individual knowing the engine was shot….COST TO REPLACED ENGINE 6,000-8000 DOLLARS… It did take us a few hours to muster up the courage to call these folks back with such horrendous news….DONT BE A VICTIM !!..Have that potential vehicle purchased inspected BEFORE purchasing …

This is something that can be avoided if you get any car you’re thinking of buying inspected. No one should be concerned about you wanting to geth avehicle inspected prior to buying, unless they have something to hide. They may say to you that they have someone else interested as a way to force you into making a decision, it may even be true. But, do you really want to chance the horrendous costs incurred by the new owners of this Audi just to beat someone to the post?

Fun evening for women to learn a little and enjoy a lot!

Desert Car Care is proud to announce a fun filled free seminar on the 12th November 2011 aimed at busy women who may feel a little intimidated by the vehicle service experience.

“We know many women may feel intimidated about vehicle maintenance and, we want to end that.” said Frank Leutz CEO. “We’ll provide a fun environment as well as valuable information that will empower them to discuss vehicle repairs and service. A well-maintained vehicle is safer and more dependable, we don’t want women to compromise their safety because they fear the service experience.

The traditional view of the auto repair shop does not always inspire confidence in women and we want to change that. Having a well maintained car is vital for safety on our busy roads and freeways, women more often do the ‘school run’ carrying precious cargo (including themselves) before getting to work or carrying on with other important jobs.

Desert Car Care car maintenance seminar for women Knowledge is Power

The seminar will be held at our Chandler branch so call Angie today on 480-359-5531 to register or get more information.

Meet the owner

This is Frank, the driving force behind Desert Car Care. Frank spends time in both shops, sometimes dropping in to Gilbert or spending time serving customers at Chandler. His passion for his business is evident as is his joy in life. Spend time with Frank and you’ll always leave with a smail on your face.

Frank appreciates that it’s you the customer who makes his business viable. So he’s always ready to listen if you have a problem or suggestion, follow him on Twitter and you’ll always be able to stay in touch.

Want to book in for a service? He’s made that easy for you, you can schedule an appointment anytime, day or night by using the appointment form here.