Truckee Auto Repair

When autumn comes around in TRUCKEE, leaves fall, nights get longer and there's a definite nip in the air. Time to unpack the boots and gloves and fold some extra blankets onto the beds. It's also time for TRUCKEE drivers to winterize their vehicles.Here is some expert auto advice for TRUCKEE drivers on what vehicles need to keep everyone safe and rolling throughout the CA winter months.1. Check your antifreeze. Top it off or change it if necessary. You don't want your radiator, engine or hoses freezing up. If your vehicle isn't generating enough heat to keep you warm, your antifreeze might be low, or you might have a thermostat problem. Either way, you should get it checked out before the full force of CA winter sets in. If you are due for a cooling system service at The Auto & Tire Doctor Inc in TRUCKEE, get that done as well.2. Check your brakes. The slushy wet conditions of winter increase stopping distances. Ice exacerbates the problem. Your first ... read more

Have you checked out the price of new vehicles at TRUCKEE car dealers? Ouch! Add financing and insurance and a new ride may not seem so attractive. A lot of TRUCKEE, CA, folks are hoping to make their cars last a lot longer.Fortunately, with the current state of automotive engineering and manufacturing, there's no reason a modern vehicle can't be made to last for a 150,000 miles (250,000 kilometers) or more for smart TRUCKEE drivers.The old adage: 'a stitch in time saves nine' is really true for TRUCKEE residents when it comes to car maintenance. A great example is coolant service.Over time, coolant becomes corrosive and actually starts to damage your radiator and other parts. Smart TRUCKEE drivers have their cooling system service taken care of right on schedule at The Auto & Tire Doctor Inc.Ditto for your power steering system, brake fluid, air conditioning system, differential and transmission. Of course, oil changes should be done right on schedule to avoid the build-up ... read more

The hottest CA news story may be different every day, but there's one topic that seems to come up over and over again – the price of gas in TRUCKEE. If you feel like most of your paycheck goes into your gas tank, this post is for you. Here are several basic things people in TRUCKEE can do to greatly reduce their gas consumption, save money, and help the environment. You can really improve your fuel economy by how you drive – but first, here's a review of things you can do for your vehicle that'll save gas no matter how you drive.The first one for TRUCKEE drivers is keeping tires properly inflated. That can save 2 miles per gallon/.85 km per liter. Driving on low tires is like driving through sand – your car just has to work harder. Most TRUCKEE service centers will fill up your tires for free, so just ask The Auto & Tire Doctor Inc. Also, make a habit of checking your tire pressure whenever you fill up. Many TRUCKEE gas stations have an air hose y ... read more

  Which item is most often stolen from vehicles in TRUCKEE?Is it: Stereo Wheels Air Bag DVD System Well, if you said stereo – you used to be right. But airbags have now surpassed stereos as the biggest target for theft in CA – approximately 50,000 a year are stolen across the country. New airbags cost about $1,000, but go for $50 to $200 on the black market in CA.Stolen airbags are making their way back into cars that have been in an accident. Of course, the danger to the consumer of having a stolen airbag installed is that you can never be sure what may have previously affected them and if they will work right when you need them. Contact us at The Auto & Tire Doctor Inc for more information about where to get your airbags checked or replaced.Find us at 12000 PIONEER TRL, TRUCKEE, CA 96161You can reach us by phone at: 5305872178 There are reports that 1 in 25 airbag replacements are stolen ... read more

Since driving requirements and lifestyles differ among TRUCKEE drivers, your vehicle manufacturer publishes two auto maintenance schedules: the regular schedule and the severe service schedule. Which schedule should TRUCKEE drivers follow? Here are some questions to ask yourself:Are most of your trips less than four miles/six kilometers around TRUCKEE?Are most of your trips less than 10 miles/16 kilometers in below-zero CA temps?Are most of your trips off-highway in CA?Do you drive often in dusty TRUCKEE areas?Do you regularly tow a trailer or carry heavy loads around TRUCKEE?Do you drive in very hot or very cold CA weather?Think about your typical week. Do you live by your nearest TRUCKEE on-ramp and enjoy a non-stop commute? Or, do you drive the neighborhood car pool in stop-and-go traffic on TRUCKEE surface streets? Let's suppose your owner's manual says the severe service oil change recommendation is 3,000 miles/5,000 kilometers and the standard recommend ... read more

Recalls are pretty serious for TRUCKEE residents and don't happen all that often. But sometimes cars have less serious problems that TRUCKEE residents still might want to know about. For these less serious cases, the vehicle manufacturer issues what is known as a Technical Service Bulletin – or TSB. These bulletins tell TRUCKEE service centers (including The Auto & Tire Doctor Inc) how to repair a problem that occurs frequently or is especially difficult.Your TRUCKEE service center receives updated information through subscription plans, which are sometimes available in consumer versions too.Whatever your source, pay attention to TRUCKEE vehicle recalls to keep you and your passengers safe. No matter how well they're made, vehicles are bound to have problems with their design or manufacturing. Think of all the moving parts. When the government thinks a problem is really serious, they require the vehicle manufacturer to issue recall notices to TRUCK ... read more

These days many people in the TRUCKEE area are really committed to making their cars last a long time. First thing: you've got to start with what you've got. It'd be ideal if people started with a brand new car, never missed a scheduled service item, paid attention to the severe service maintenance schedule and had regular inspections. But if you've had the vehicle for a while or bought it used, its maintenance history is what it is; and that's where you start.Go through the maintenance schedule for your vehicle and see what's been done and when. Have your TRUCKEE service advisor at The Auto & Tire Doctor Inc do an inspection and come up with a list of stuff that needs to be done. Review the list and prioritize the work, talk about budget and make a plan to get caught up.Making a plan is so important. Suppose you go in for an oil change and learn you need your cooling system serviced, a transmission service and are coming up on a timing belt replacement in the ne ... read more

We live in such a disposable society. It's amazing all the stuff we throw away. New stuff comes out so fast, we just toss the old and move on. In the old days, CA folks were real sticklers about taking care of their things. If something got lost or ruined by neglect, tough - they had to do without. Most TRUCKEE drivers couldn't afford new vehicles very often, so they had to make them last as long as they could.It's a good thing that vehicles are more reliable these days. They just don't break down as often. And the good news for us CA penny pinchers is that a modern vehicle can easily go 200,000 miles/320,000 km with proper care. The engineering and the manufacturing quality is tremendous. The missing ingredient is us TRUCKEE vehicle owners making sure we follow the vehicle manufacturer's recommended maintenance schedules.Every time you go a little farther between recommended oil changes, you have created an opportunity for sludge to be formed and for clogged p ... read more

So what is the most distracting food to have in the car while driving around TRUCKEE?Is it: A Hamburger; Coffee; A Soft Drink, or Gummy Bears? Well, you may be surprised to learn that all but the gummy bears are in the top ten most distracting foods when you are driving. But if you chose 'coffee,' then give yourself an extra two points.  Coffee is the number one food distraction for drivers in TRUCKEE and around the country.Food distractions cause 25 percent of all car accidents; over a million and a half each year!You'll notice that all of the top ten distracting food items are messy. Messy foods are the types of food you might spill (very distracting!), then try to clean up (a safe-driving impossibility!). If you gotta eat on the run, take five-then drive. You'll thank yourself later for two reasons: one, that you can actually relax for just a moment in our fast-paced world, and two, you won't have to worry about getting ... read more

Today in our The Auto & Tire Doctor Inc blog, we're going to talk about following recommended service intervals. Your vehicle isn't the only aspect of your life in TRUCKEE with recommended intervals: Let's start with twice yearly dental check-ups and regular physical exams. How about laundry, watering the lawn and paying the bills?Now, what would happen if you didn't follow these intervals? Well, you'd get more cavities. You may not discover health conditions that could be more effectively treated with early detection. And you'd have to wear dirty clothes, be embarrassed by your brown lawn and have your utilities shut off.Clearly, there are some things in life that we have to take care of regularly. If we don't, there are negative consequences. Our quality of life in TRUCKEE takes a hit and it inevitably costs more money.So why is it so hard to remember to follow regular preventive maintenance on our vehicles?Probably a coup ... read more