MOUNTAIN VIEW AUTO REPAIR

We have talked to so many people lately that didn’t know they have a Dealership Alternative, we thought it would be worth reposting this information we shared last year: You are NOT required to bring your new car back to the dealer for all maintenance and repairs in order to keep your manufacturer’s warranty valid. Many people have been told when they purchase their new vehicle that the warranty will be voided if they have maintenance or repairs performed by an independent shop, but this is not true! It is actually prohibited by Federal Law for a new car dealer to either deny warranty service or even imply that warranty service will be voided if servicing or repairs are not performed at the dealership. The law is the Magnuson-Moss Act of 1975, Title 15, Chapter 50, Section 2301-2312. Look it up for yourself! Look under “Tie-In Sales” Provisions. A Google Search on the Magnuson-Moss Act will also bring up many Web sites that explain this Federal Code in less “legal speak”; this is ... read more

So many people have asked me why I am working in the auto repair industry and what brought me here, so here is a part of my story

I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to keep up with your vehicle’s routine maintenance services! Watch my video below where I share my thoughts! Just as it is wise to take good care of our bodies, investing a little time to pay attention to the needs of our cars will result in our cars living a long life for multiple 100′s of thousands of miles. Just changing the oil, although that is critical!, is not enough. Especially with the latest technology being used in modern vehicles, it can be easy to forget regular check ups, so make sure that wherever you do take your car for service has a reminder program in place to help you remember. Your car may seem to be running just fine. But ignoring recommended services at the proper mileage intervals can result in expensive repairs you could have avoided. Of course, the chances for success are greater if a good car regimen begins when your car is new, but starting now is better than not starting at all

If you have an older car that needs a lot of work to keep it running, you may be thinking about buying a new one. When that is not financially possible for you, a good alternative is to buy a newer, used vehicle. There is always a risk, however, that a used car may end up needing just as much work (or even more) than your current car. To reduce that risk, when you find a used car you want to buy, take it to a trusted repair shop and have it checked out. But before spending money on multiple vehicle inspections, you can do some inspecting on your own. Here are my recommendations: 1. It is usually better to buy a vehicle from a private party than from a car lot. Especially if the car is being sold by the original owner and they have records of the vehicle services that have been done. Vehicles that are sitting on used car lots generally were purchased at auction and will not have their service history with them. 2. Buying the vehicle from the owner also allows you to see/observe ho ... read more

A new customer recently called us whose friend had observed his vehicle’s tires bouncing “like basketballs” down the freeway! He wondered if this was dangerous. Yes, this could very well become a dangerous situation. If your vehicle’s tires are not staying in constant contact with the road, control of the vehicle is seriously compromised. What would cause something like this? Most likely, the bouncing tires indicate worn out or broken shock absorbers. Unfortunately, shock absorbers are one of the most overlooked wear items on vehicles, even though they are the next most important safety items after your brake system. The purpose for shock absorbers is not just to provide a more comfortable ride, but to serve to control the suspension movement so that you, the driver, have more control of your vehicle when braking or steering. Here’s what can happen if your shock absorbers need to be replaced: 1. Body roll (side to side movement) which adversely impacts handling and control ... read more