May 16, 2012

Holiday Auto Care: Use The Correct Fluids In Your Vehicle

Filed under: Oil Change — holidayau782 @ 6:28 pm

Holiday Auto Care Use The Correct Fluids In Your Vehicle

Big advances in automotive technology have led to the development of high-tech fluids to keep pace. A simple example of this is the cooling system. For decades it was primarily made out of iron, steel and rubber hoses. There was one kind of coolant that protected these components from corrosion.

Now cooling system components are made with various metal alloys and plastics. These materials require different additives to protect them from corrosion. Since the materials used vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, we now have a number of different kinds of coolant at Holiday Auto Care in Denver. And it’s important to use the right coolant for your SUV. If you pour in the wrong kind, it won’t protect the cooling system and may even void the warranty. Of course, your friendly Holiday Auto Care advisor will know the proper coolant to use. If you’re concerned you may have use the wrong fluid, be safe and have your Holiday Auto Care technician flush the system and start fresh with the correct fluid.

Brake fluid is confusing for some people in CO. For a very long time, most vehicles used Dot 3 brake fluid. Now we have Dot 4 and Dot 5. Some Denver people mistakenly think the higher numbers are an upgrade. You know, if 3 is good then 4 must be better. That’s not how it works. They are different formulations to meet the requirements of differences in brake systems. Only one of them is recommended for your SUV.

Transmission fluid is the same thing. With the tremendous engineering advances in automatic transmissions, there have been several new types of fluids developed to protect and lubricate them. Nowhere are the advances in automotive fluids more evident than in motor oil. Many new weights and formulations have been created to meet the demands of today’s modern engine design.

Modern SUV engines have more parts and much tighter tolerances. Every year, engines make more power and get better fuel economy in Denver. And with all the complication and sophistication, they still have to be durable. That’s where the new grades of engine oil come in. They have to be formulated to lubricate, protect and clean all of those SUV engine parts, big and little. The oil has to be thin enough to get into small passages, yet resistant to vaporization.

Your vehicle may have come from the factory with synthetic oil and/or transmission, brake, differential fluid, etc. If so, your recommended service intervals will be based on synthetic-type fluids and you should use the same type when your SUV is serviced at Holiday Auto Care.

Because grades of oil and types of coolant, transmission fluid, brake fluid, etc. are so carefully matched to the vehicle, take care to always use the proper fluid if you are topping off at home. Check your SUV owner’s manual or ask your Holiday Auto Care service advisor. The wrong fluid can cause damage.

Give Mark Copeland a call at Holiday Auto Care in Denver

Holiday Auto Care
303.758.9222
1465 South Colorado Blvd
Denver, CO 80222

At Holiday Auto Care in Denver CO (80222) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 303.758.9222. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

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May 8, 2012

Deciphering The Menu Board At Holiday Auto Care: F to W

Filed under: Making Your Vehicle Last — holidayau782 @ 8:34 pm

Deciphering The Menu Board At Holiday Auto Care F to W

You may not be familiar with all of the items on Holiday Auto Care’s menu board so here is a quick description of some of the typical services that might be listed. Remember, the board is there for reference; speak to your Holiday Auto Care Service Adviser about other possible needs or services.

Holiday Auto Care Fuel System Cleaning: Over time, the fuel system gets gum and varnish built up. A fuel system cleaning at Holiday Auto Care gets rid of that and cleans out the fuel injectors. Saves gas as you drive around Denver and on Aurora freeways, by the way.

Holiday Auto Care Headlamp Replacement: Halogen and standard headlamps gradually fade. When one burns out, replace both so they’ll have the same brightness. Also, if your headlamp lenses are yellowed or cloudy, you can have them professionally restored to like new-condition. As your friendly Holiday Auto Care advisor for information.

Holiday Auto Care Inspections: Denver drivers get inspections for many reasons. Maybe they’re going on a trip or just want to make sure their vehicle’s ready for summer or winter in Denver. Maybe they just bought a used car and want to give it the once over. An inspection at Holiday Auto Care may reveal some things that are broken or are getting close to having a problem.

Holiday Auto Care Oil Change Service – there are several options: Some Denver auto service centers offer just an oil change and new filter as an option. Most will also check and top off all of your other fluids and do a quick visual inspection with a full service oil change. There may also be options for higher mileage fluids or an upgrade to synthetic oil.

Holiday Auto Care PCV Valve Service: PCV stands for Positive Crankcase Ventilation valve. It’s a little part that releases pressure from the engine. It can get gummed up and that can lead to engine damage. Just needs to be changed now and then.

Holiday Auto Care Power Steering Service: Often overlooked. Your Holiday Auto Care technician will evacuate the old fluid, clean out the system and replace it with clean fluid. Keeps the system running well for a long time.

Holiday Auto Care Serpentine Belt Replacement: That’s the belt that powers the engine’s accessories like the alternator, air conditioner, power steering and brakes. You’ll want to replace the serpentine belt at Holiday Auto Care before it breaks or wears down too much, because that’ll lead to other problems.

Holiday Auto Care Shocks and Struts Replacement: This starts with an inspection of the suspension components. Shocks last a long time and wear out slowly, so many Denver motorists don’t notice when it’s time to change them. If they’re worn or leaking, they need to be replaced.

Holiday Auto Care Transmission Service: This involves removing the transmission fluid and replacing it with clean fluid. It’s like an oil change for your transmission.

Holiday Auto Care Tire Rotation and Wheel Balancing: The tires are rotated from front to back using the recommended rotation pattern. This helps tires wear more evenly. Wheels need to be balanced from time to time to keep them turning without any wobble or bounce. Helps the ride and saves tire wear as you drive around Denver.

Give us a call

Holiday Auto Care
303.758.9222
1465 South Colorado Blvd
Denver, CO 80222

At Holiday Auto Care in Denver CO (80222) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 303.758.9222. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

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May 4, 2012

Air Conditioning Maintenance At Holiday Auto Care In Denver

Filed under: Air Conditioning — holidayau782 @ 8:16 pm

Air Conditioning Maintenance At Holiday Auto Care In Denver

Most Denver area car owners don’t service their air conditioning until after it fails. Maintaining your SUV air conditioning system means that you always have enough refrigerant to properly do the job. Small leaks in the air conditioning system allow the refrigerant to escape and the system can’t cool the air as well.

Along with the refrigerant, a special oil circulates in the system. The oil lubricates air conditioning components, and keeps the seals resilient. Low refrigerant and lubricating oil means that the air conditioning parts will wear out prematurely, and we all know that air conditioning repairs can be costly in Aurora.

Air conditioning service at Holiday Auto Care in Denver starts with a visual inspection of the components for signs of damage or leaks. The compressor is driven by a belt from the engine, most often the serpentine belt, so it’s inspected for cracks or wear.

The air conditioning compressor and other components are checked for proper operation by your Holiday Auto Care service advisor. Then comes the leak test. If a leak is detected, often in a hose or connection, it’s repaired and the SUV system is retested. Your Holiday Auto Care technician will also perform a temperature drop test.

If needed, the old refrigerant is evacuated and the system is recharged with clean, fresh refrigerant. A final test insures that the air conditioner is working, and you’re on your way.

How often this should be done at Holiday Auto Care varies from vehicle to vehicle. Your SUV owner’s manual will have the manufacturer’s recommendation and, of course, your friendly Holiday Auto Care service advisor can tell you. It’s typically every two years.

Give us a call

Holiday Auto Care
1465 South Colorado Blvd
Denver, CO 80222

At Holiday Auto Care in Denver CO (80222) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 303.758.9222. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

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April 24, 2012

Wheel Alignment Service At Holiday Auto Care In Denver

Filed under: Alignment — holidayau782 @ 6:48 pm

Wheel Alignment Service At Holiday Auto Care In Denver

When all of a vehicle’s wheels are lined up exactly with each other, your wheels are in alignment. Hitting a road hazard in Denver or even just the normal bumps and bounces of everyday CO driving can cause your SUV wheels to be out of alignment. This can lead to expensive premature tire and suspension wear.

Here are some alignment basics from Holiday Auto Care:
The first angle is called toe: do the wheels point in towards each other or away from each other at the front of the tire.
The next angle is called camber: do the wheels tip in or out at the top.
And finally, there is castor. Castor measures the angle where the front axles attach to the vehicle.

The ideal alignment for your SUV was designed by its engineers. Holiday Auto Care alignment service starts with an inspection of the steering and suspension – so see if anything’s bent, broken or worn out. Then the Holiday Auto Care technician will look at tire condition. From there, the SUV is put on an alignment rack and an initial alignment reading is taken. The wheels are then aligned to manufacturer’s specifications.

Your owner’s manual probably has a recommendation for how often your SUV alignment should be checked – usually every couple of years. If you suspect an alignment problem with your SUV, get it checked at Holiday Auto Care before you suffer expensive tire or suspension damage.

Give us a call

Holiday Auto Care
303.758.9222
1465 South Colorado Blvd
Denver, CO 80222

At Holiday Auto Care in Denver CO (80222) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 303.758.9222. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

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April 17, 2012

Tire Tread Depth

Filed under: Tires — holidayau782 @ 8:16 pm

tire tread depth When talking about stopping power, we tend to focus on our brakes. But our tires are where the rubber meets the road. So having good brakes isn’t enough: we have to have tires with enough traction to translate braking power into stopping power.

Let’s focus on stopping in wet conditions. In order for a tire to have good contact with the road, it has to move the water out of the way. If it can’t move the water, the tire will actually ride on top of a thin film of water.

To move water out of the way so the tire has channels for water to flow through. Look at a tire and you’ll see channels that run around and across the tire. They’re designed to direct water away from the tire so it can contact the road better.

The deeper the channel, the more water it can move. A brand new tire has very deep channels and can easily move a lot of water. As the tire wears down, the channels become shallower and can move less water. When it wears down enough, it can seriously affect your ability to stop on wet roads.

Consumer Reports and other advocate groups think that a good standard of replacing tires when the tread is worn down to four-thirty-seconds of an inch. That’s 3.2 millimeters.

When tires are worn to two-thirty-seconds of an inch, the tread wear bar is visible. So the recommended standard has twice the tread depth as a completely worn out tire – and that little bit of additional tread makes a big difference. Stopping distances are cut dramatically on wet roads. A safe stop from freeway speeds with four-thirty-seconds of an inch of tread could result in a crash with worn out tires.

There’s an easy way to tell when a tire’s worn to four-thirty-seconds of an inch. Just insert a quarter into the tread. Put it in upside down. If the tread doesn’t cover George Washington’s hairline; it’s time to replace your tires. With a Canadian quarter, the tread should cover the numbers in the year stamp.

At Holiday Auto Care in Denver CO (80222) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 303.758.9222. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

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