Fort Collins Auto Repair

I can’t imagine what it’s like to move to Colorado and experience driving in snow for the first time. It’s scary and is much different than driving in normal conditions. Driving on snow and ice is a skill. Use these winter driving tips to keep you and those around you safe during Colorado’s winter. Make sure your vehicle is Winter Worthy First, it’s very important to make sure your vehicle is prepared for winter driving. This means up-to-date maintenance, good tires and wiper blades, fluids full, coolant and exhaust system in good shape, gas tank full, and a fully charged battery. Refer here for winter car care to ensure your vehicle is worthy of winter driving. Driving on Snow and Ice Go Slow This is the most basic and fundamental tip for driving in winter. The surest way to avoid an accident or curb check is to go slow–the slower, the better. Seems simple, but this is the ... read more

Just because your serpentine belt doesn’t appear to be cracked, don’t think your auto mechanic is wrong when he says it needs to be replaced. Drive belt technology has improved in newer vehicles, meaning there is new criteria for determining if a belt is worn. If you have a late-model vehicle, listen up. Let’s start with a quick lesson on drive belts, so we’re all on the same page. Drive belts come in two forms, or types: v-belts and serpentine belts. Timing belts, however, are different. A timing belt makes the engine work. Vehicles have 1 timing belt and anywhere from 1 to 4 drive-belts. Drive belts transfer power from the engine to your vehicle’s A/C, power steering, and alternator. Without drive belts, these systems don’t operate. Common knowledge tells us that drive belts need to be replaced when they show signs of cracking. This is true. However, in newer vehicles, a drive belt that has natur ... read more

This season brings us back to earth, back to school, and allow us to reflect on what’s most important to us. It is also a great time to begin preparing your vehicle for winter. Read on to learn more about the areas of your vehicle to focus on for fall maintenance and auto repair. In Colorado we experience true seasons, and so do our cars. Auto repair services tailored for the weather are more effective. Like buying a coat for winter, seasonal maintenance helps prepare your vehicle for the ever-changing elements, thereby extending its life. “It takes very little time and money to make sure your car runs properly throughout the year and although breakdowns happen, they can definitely be minimized by taking a few extra preventive steps,” Rich White, director of Car Care Council. Our Seasonal Car Care Specials are designed to handle all of your car maintenance and auto repair needs for each season of the year and are ... read more

It’s fact: an oil additive is great for an engine. This review is of BG MOA, specifically, is because the product is… amazing! And is really not given enough credit. Considering the benefits to an engine and the cost of a can, the worth of this product is phenomenal. This seemingly simple yet incredible product truly does help extend engine life ten-fold. So much so that we, as a shop, swear by it and use it religiously. I personally add it to my oil every oil change. Eric (Owner of Community Auto) even uses it in his lawn mowers! I hope to shine some light on this little gem as it seems many customers aren’t aware of its greatness and may be missing out on a simple way to make their vehicles last longer. BG MOA (Motor Oil Additive) is, as the name suggests, added to oil and makes the oil more effective. Oil is the blood of an engine, and its condition and contents are extremely important for engine function and performance; just as the shape and functioning of red b ... read more

Shopping around for automotive repair is much like shopping for anything else, right? There’s many factors to consider: price, quality, convenience, etc. It’s one thing to seek out the best burger in town; maybe ask a few people and try a few places to get there. It’s also appropriate to investigate options for, say, your next sinus surgery. You wouldn’t, however, call all the burger joints and surgeons in town, ask how much the burger or surgery costs, then go with the one that tells you the cheapest price, right? Or maybe you would. I don’t know. But let’s assume we agree it’s a bad idea to make an important decision, one that costs you taste buds or money, via a mere phone conversation convincing you of the cheapest price. Oddly, this frequently happens when people choose who to have fix their car. I get it. You’re just wondering how much a certain repair will cost so you figure you’ll call a few shops, see how much they’l ... read more