Wheel Alignment for Luxury Vehicles

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Land Rover, Range Rover, Mercedes, Audi, and other high-end vehicles aren’t exempt from the need for regular wheel alignment and maintenance if the owner wants them to keep performing at their peak. The purpose of a wheel alignment is primarily safety and longer vehicle life. Generally, tires are rotated to achieve uniform wear and tear because each tire is subject to different kinds of driving patterns and road situations that cause them to lean in or out, threatening safety and increasing premature wear and tear. Poor wheel alignment is immediately felt at the steering wheel, causing the wheel to excessively veer off the center driving line, even when encountering a minor bump. Poor alignment will make the vehicle pull to one side when braking or accelerating.

Most of these high-end vehicles feature advanced Electronic Air Suspensions that automatically adjust up and down to suit road or off-road conditions, or to give the under chassis extra ground clearance when needed, or less clearance to allow elders to climb into the car’s cabin. These features simply will not work if correct calibration is not achieved.

Thus, for these special vehicles, state of the art precision alignment machines that determine tolerance mode accurately are necessary to gather accurate auto information that it can be used to make real-time adjustments, like what Dr. Auto Tech offers using their HawkEye Elite system. Hawkeye Elite is the best and most technologically advanced alignment equipment. They use four precision hi-resolution cameras to measure position and orientation of targets mounted to each wheel. With the QuickGrip adaptors that feature spring-loaded arms, they can grip the tire while eliminating metal to metal contact and rim damage to give you alignment results in just 70 seconds! They will come up with a printed analysis/basis for getting your vehicle back to factory settings, cost-effectively. This is the fastest and most reliable alignment system for luxury vehicles.

The rule of thumb is to bring your Land Rover or Mercedes for alignment whenever you change tires, and when any of the aforementioned symptoms occur. On average, tires are replaced every 25,000 to 60,000 miles, depending on road conditions. Minor deviations must be given appropriate attention when necessary. Sometimes, a minor tire rotation can solve the problem temporarily. But the thing is to have a certified professional look into it.

How To Protect Yourself From Dealer Auto Repair Tricks

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Many people are paying too much for auto repair at the dealer.

This video explains why, watch out for and how to make sure you’re getting your car serviced and repaired by a highly qualified auto technician at a reasonable rate.

The viseo is based on a article Time Magazine posted on their website entitled “Crafty Ways Car Dealerships Get You to Spend—When You’re Not Buying a Car”

Click here to read the original article on the Time Magazine website.

Engine Troubleshooting – Diagnosing Car Engine Problems

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Engine problems can be very irritating, but you don’t have to be at a loss if your vehicle breaks down on you. A quick and simple diagnosis may be all you need to get back on the road.

What to do if your engine doesn’t start.

First check the gas and make sure you have enough to start the car.
If there is gas then listen to the sound that is made when you try to start the car. If there is no noise. It may be electrical. Check your battery and wiring. If the lights dim when you try to start the car, you may need a new battery.

If the car just makes noise and doesn’t start then it could be your starter. If the engine starts, but then stops it could be a vacuum hose leak, or at the air valve or the fuel pressure regulator. If you own a classic with a carbonator it could be the choke.

Engine Overheats quickly?  The easy thing to do is to make sure your engine coolant is refilled to a proper level. You may need professional assistance  to check and adjust the ignition timing as it can be set wrong or to check if there are any mechanical problem in the engine.

Backfiring engines? Check for a broken or a burnt valve. A broken camshaft can also be a problem and should be repaired to avoid serious engine issues.

No increase in the car’s speed or acceleration.  You might need to replace the air filters or there may be water in the gasoline. Also check if your catalytic converter is choked.

Remember that diagnosing your car’s problem early will prevent severe failures and will increase the life of the engine.

Of course we are always available to help you, so feel free to call with any questions.

Photo from Buzzle

Car Repair Advice: What To Do With A Broke Down Car

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car repair

Photo from: Eric Peters Autos

Having a car is great. In Southern CA it can be hard to imagine life without one. That is why it can be specially troubling if it breaks down and you don’t have any idea how to repair it.  So let’s talk about the basics of simple auto-maintenance. This will keep your car running longer and with less problems.

Plus I will give you some tips that can help you if there is an emergency. That way you can be prepared just in case you ever breakdown on the road.

  • Bring a good battery charger with you wherever you drive so when your battery shut down, you can simply charge it.
  •  When you take your car to a shop ask as many questions as you can so you will know what caused your problem and what will help you avoid the same issue again in the future.
  • The life of your engine is in the oil, so make sure you change the oil regularly according to your manufacturers instructions.
  • Check your ties and rotate then so that they wear evenly. This will help them last longer and keep you from getting a flat.
  • Keep a record of all your previous repairs. It will help your mechanic to easily determine what might have caused any problems. Plus it helps keep your resale value higher.

Check out the full information and tips here

 

Top 5 Safety and Fuel-Saving Features for Cars in Future

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Safety and fuel saving are two of the most important things to consider when buying a car.

Since the car-makers make their cars more hi-tech each year, we will look at 5 new safety and fuel saving features coming up.

Mercedes BenzCollision warning with automatic braking:  Collision warning works on radar and camera systems warn the driver of a front-end crash with beeping sounds. Along with automatic braking, the safety system can stop the vehicle or slow it down. It helps cars to keep a good distance from vehicles in front of them.

Advanced Cameras: Expect more car companies to add cameras that can detect animals or read wrong-way road signs or even notice traffic lights by 2015. And the next wave of automobiles? By 2016, auto-makers are likely to come out with systems that would automatically steer away the car from an obstacle.

Lane Centering: Lane-centering is a product of lane-keeping systems, which first appeared on commercial trucks a decade ago. Those systems either make a beep sound or vibrate the driver’s seat if the camera senses that a car is swerving out of its lane.

Adaptive Headlights: Adaptive headlights help a driver while turning. These headlights swivel in the direction the car is going to. Moreover, many cars have high-beam lights that dim automatically and sense oncoming traffic.

Stop-start: This device shuts off the engine at the traffic light and automatically starts the engine when the driver releases the brake. Nearly all gas-electric hybrid vehicles have it.

Read the original article at International Business Time