Boise Auto Repair

Keep Your Engine Properly Tuned Fixing a car that is noticeably out of tune or has failed an emissions test can improve its gas mileage by an average of 4 percent, though results vary based on the kind of repair and how well it is done. Fixing a serious maintenance problem, such as a faulty oxygen sensor, can improve your mileage by as much as 40 percent. Fuel Economy Benefit: 4% Equivalent Gasoline Savings: $0.15/gallon Keep Tires Properly Inflated You can improve your gas mileage by up to 3.3 percent by keeping your tires inflated to the proper pressure. Under-inflated tires can lower gas mileage by 0.3 percent for every 1 psi drop in pressure of all four tires. Properly inflated tires are safer and last longer. The proper tire pressure for your vehicle is usually found on a sticker in the driver’s side door jamb or the glove box and in your owner’s manual. Do not use the maximum pressure printed on the tire’s sidewall. Fuel Economy Benefi ... read more

We have recently become a sponsor of the Social Media Yak show, the first radio talk show dedicated to discussion of social media for personal and professional use. The show airs on Saturdays from 7:30 to 8 a.m. but anyone can listen to podcasts on their site. We like to do radio advertising , but have found it expensive and long-term. Alexander and Associates provides us with competitive, short-term radio advertising contracts that work for a small business. A and A is one of Idaho's top PR firms and helps us with our Facebook, Twitter and YouTube pages as well. So we're proud to be sponsor of Social Media Yak ... read more

Click this coupon and print it for a $5 discount on your next oil change at Plantation Tune Tech An oil change at Plantation Tune Tech is better than another shop’s because we use BG products. In automotive, industrial, and heavy-equipment applications, the products of BG have shown themselves to be innovative, well made, protective of the environment, and attuned to the task at hand. They perform as promised. They do the job

Here is a great story about the 10 most reliable cars of the past decade. Of course, with proper maintenance, just about any car will give long life and reliable service, and abuse and neglect will kill any car in short order. The Mitsubishi Carisma isn't the hottest-looking car, but it ranks high in reliability and we maintain Japanese and American cars in our Boise auto shop. The 10 most reliable cars according to Warranty Direct: Honda Accord - A classy package, well put together and feels more special than the average family car. Superb engines and value for money. Subaru Forester - Not quite an off roader, much more than an estate with a sporty edge, making it the perfect combination. Great all round buy. Mazda MX-5 - Blueprint for the modern roadster with sweet handling and engines to match. Extremely easy to live with. Mits ... read more

Winter sweaters and boots have been packed away in favor of shorts and sandals. Has your vehicle benefited from the same maintenance you've performed on your closets? Warm weather means long weekend getaways and even longer vacation road trips, and taking the time to perform seasonal maintenance today can help avoid trouble later. Here are 10 tips for spring and summer car care. In some cases, you'll be able to perform these procedures yourself. Others are best done by a mechanic as part of a tune-up. Some will help your vehicle look better. Most will help it perform more efficiently and get better gas mileage. Get rid of road salt on the undercarriage.Road salt can damage your vehicle by eating away at its undercarriage. Use a garden hose with as much water pressure as your system can muster to loosen winter grime and salt. Or, if you have a movable lawn sprinkler that's low enough, set that under the vehicle to wash away what you can't reach. Check the tires.Tire pres ... read more

Interesting story from MSNBC - Americans are keeping their cars longer than ever: "The average age of a vehicle on the road has climbed to a record 10.8 years, according to automotive research firm Polk. Last year the average vehicle on U.S. roads was 10.6 years old, up from 10 years in 2008, Polk said." We can be certain the economy has a lot to do with this. People simply can't afford to buy a new car as often as they used to. At the same time, it's important to maintain your car to get the longest life out of it

Keep your car running! Watch for Engine Warning Signs It's OK to drive your car short distances with certain warning lights illuminated or gauges out of their normal range, but there are three that you dismiss at your car's peril: the engine oil light, the engine temperature gauge and the brake light. A few minutes of an excessively hot engine or low oil pressure and the groceries you're hauling in the back could suddenly be worth more than your car. A couple of minutes with the brake light on and you might end up playing bumper cars with the Cadillac Escalade ahead of you. The one being driven by Tony Soprano. In a bad mood. Get in the habit of glancing at your engine's temperature gauge and warning lights. If the idiot lights come on, pull over as soon as it's safe to do so and shut off the engine. You might just save yourself an expensive engine rebuild Do Your Regular Maintenance Skipping regularly scheduled maintenance intervals is one of the quickest ways to a ... read more

Driving! Wow. Is that "check engine" light on again? Didn't you just have that looked at? Come to think of it, your car is approaching that age, isn't it? A bit more grumble in the engine, a touch more sway in the suspension - you hate to admit it, but every time you take old faithful into the shop, the same thought tickles the back of your brain: Is it time for a replacement? How much is too much to spend on repairs? It's a question we've all had to ask at one point or another. Perhaps it would help to have a basic sense of what auto maintenance typically costs over time. The average American household owns 1.9 vehicles and spends around 1.5 percent of its annual income on auto repairs. In 2004, the standard family unit earned $54,453, which means they laid out around $817 annually on repairs, or $408 per vehicle. That number does not include the 3.7 percent spent on gasoline and motor oil ($1,007 per car), or the 2.2 percent ($599 per car) shelled out for insurance [sourc ... read more