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Troubleshooting Auto Service and Repair Problems

Unusual sounds, smells, leaks and changes in the way your automobile operates are all signs that can indicate problems with your vehicle. You can help your auto technician make a more accurate assessment and speed repairs through careful observations of the problems. Make sure you describe the problems, don't try to make your own diagnosis. Make a list of the symptoms and give it to a service advisor or service technician when you take your vehicle in for service. With a record of symptoms you can help the service tech understand when the problem started as well as he frequency of the symptoms.

The following questions will help you collect relevant information for your auto service technician to diagnose the problem.

What is the vehicle doing? Sound? Visual? Performance? Leak? Odor?
If there is and odd sound please describe.
If the auto is leaking a fluid, what color is it?
Where do the symptoms occur on the auto? Inside? Outside? Location?
When does the problem occur? Starting the auto? Acceleration? Braking? Idling?
Is it a performance problem? Examples of how to describe performance problems. Cuts out, Temporary, complete loss of power, Engine cuts out at irregular intervals, Performance suffers under heavy acceleration.Mild to severe ping, usually worse under acceleration and load. Engine makes sharp, metallic knocks that change with throttle opening. Sounds like rocks rattling around. Engine runs unevenly at idle. Car shakes, Sluggish Engine delivers limited power under load or at high speed. Won't accelerate as fast as normal. Loses too much speed going up hills.
When did the symptoms first appear?
How often do the symptoms occur?
Have you changed anything on the vehicle recently? Electronics? Mechanical?

Whether you are driving a Ford, Chevy, Mazda, Subaru, BMW, Volvo,Toyota, or Honda and Acura this simple questionaire will help ensure you get the best service for your automobile.

Auto Service and Repairs in Winchester VA

Looking for an auto repair specialist? We can help you find the premiere auto service in Frederick County VA.
Don't be left stranded the next time you need an auto repair service. It is important to have a trusted service company to turn to when things go wrong with your automobile. For auto service and repairs in Winchester VA turn to the trusted source of factory certified service technicians. Make sure you ask for genuine factory parts as well. Cheap knock-off parts can ruin your car and destroy your investment. Always ask for genuine factory parts for your automobile.

Don't under estimate the value of regularly servicing their vehicles. Your car or truck needs regular service and inspections to ensure that all systems and components are in proper working order. Many people ignore regular service because they do not have a trusted resource for auto repairs and service.

Services include: Brakes, Oil change, Tires, Auto Repair (engine, transmission or any key sub-system), Appearance (collision damage, dings, scratches, dents),Air Conditioning, Carburetor Rebuilding, Engine Rebuilding, Power Window Repairs, Transmission repair and replacement , Fuel Injection Service & Repairs

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Automotive Repair News

Local News - Winchester, Loudoun, and Fairfax » Auto Maintenance

Coda Automotive Unveils Mainstream All-Electric Sedan
Santa Monica, CA – June 3, 2009 /PRNewswire/ — Coda Automotive, formed and developed under the stewardship of entrepreneur Miles Rubin (known for his marketing and sales of low-speed, electric fleet vehicles under the Miles Electric Vehicles brand), today announced that it will be introducing an affordable, full performance all-electric sedan to the mainstream California market in 2010. Additionally, the company, which has an existing long-term sourcing contract with Tianjin Lishen Battery Joint-Stock Co., Ltd., (Lishen) for lithium-ion batteries used in the Coda, announced the establishment of a global joint ...

Taking Better Care of Your Car
In this tough economy more drivers are putting their money into maintenance instead of purchasing brand new vehicles. While a few hundred dollars here and there can add up, drivers are saving money now in hopes of keeping their cars longer. Read full article here : News Now. ___________________________________________________________________ European Auto Repair Experts EuroZone Automotive Service in Winchester Va

Pinched drivers weigh repair bills and car payments
Some auto repair companies are thriving these days while others are struggling. But the reason is the same – the weak economy. Older cars are receiving extra TLC as their owners try to keep them operating, rather than buying new ones, mechanics say. But other cars are being neglected because their owners can’t afford maintenance. Read full article here: Star-News | Wilmington, NC.

Stretching your spring auto maintenance dollars
With economic factors challenging, many consumers are making tough financial decisions, including postponing or canceling plans to buy a new vehicle. But, because money is tight, many motorists today may be reluctant to spend on services or maintenance that they think can be put off at least for the short term. Read full article The North Bay Nugget – Ontario, CA.

Automotive Aftermarket $7 Billion Sales Boom Created by 2,000 Car Dealer Closings in 2009
Lang Marketing estimates most of the more than $7 billion in 2009 parts and service sales abandoned by closing dealers (at user-price) will be captured by independent (non-dealer) service outlets and auto parts stores, as well as independent (non-OE) auto parts distributors. Read full story here: msnbc.com.

How To Make Your Old Car Seem Ne
As the scaled-down financial markets continue to lack signs of life, it’s tempting to cut corners to save a few bucks, especially when it comes to car maintenance. But foregoing an oil change or coaxing a few more miles out of an old air filter is not how Johnson racked up 281,000 miles on her truck–and it’s not the best way to get new life out of an old car. Read full story via – Forbes.com.

Quaker State Leverages Longer Car Ownership
Consumers are keeping their cars longer, bad news for OEMs, but good for the auto-maintenance sector of the aftermarket business, which are shifting toward durability messages. Shell recently reformulated its gasoline products with nitrogen and is touting the fuel’s salubrious effects on powertrain durability. Read full article : MediaPost

Understanding the nature of auto repair
Auto repair falls into three basic categories: maintenance, urgent repairs, and preventative or performance enhancing repairs. Maintenance, while very important, can be deferred for a while if the dollars are tight, and there’s plenty of competition for this work, keeping the prices in line. Urgent repairs are fairly easy to categorize an engine that fails to start, a transmission that won’t shift, a safety concern such as a brake pull or inoperative tail lights these usually have a clear solution and must be fixed right away. Read full article – San ...

Auto repair shops say business is good
As the recession forces many people to hang onto older cars rather than buying new ones, it means more trips to the service center to keep those older cars running, said Kyle Hoss, manager at Hoss’s Automotive and Tire in Marion. “People now are getting cars fixed instead of buying new ones,” Hoss said. Read full article: chicagotribune.com.

Consumer Reports: Save Hundreds on Auto Maintenance by Shopping Around
Consumers can save hundreds on auto maintenance by comparison shopping and calling several dealerships and independent shops, according to a new analysis in Consumer Reports’ Annual Auto issue. When budgets get tight, many people are tempted to cut back on their regular car maintenance. But that can lead to serious repair problems and even larger bills down the road. Drivers can save a lot of money on maintenance simply by shopping around. CR’s experts called dozens of dealers and repair shops throughout the country to get quotes for regular maintenance service on ...

April Is National Car Care Month
Spring showers bring May flowers, but they may also bring slippery driving conditions and decreased visibility. When it’s wet, a braking car needs up to four times its regular stopping distance. Worn tires can cause cars to hydroplane, or skim over the road with little or no traction, which can lead to lost control. In honor of April’s National Car Care Month, drivers should take a few minutes to prepare their cars for spring showers. Proper vehicle maintenance may increase traction and visibility during a rain storm, but good driving behaviors, ...

Family automotive businesses have the upper hand on franchises
I heard a segment on MarketPlace today about the perilous position that many franchise businesses are in for a variety of reasons, real estate, bad business models and overly optimistic revenue projections. Franchise businesses are starting to drop like flies. The automotive repair shops are a good example. The article referenced below is a good sign of how the economy will recover. The personal service model of independent auto repair shops stands in stark contrast to both the business model and the sevice model of most franchises. Where a franchise ...

Nationally recognized TV auto expert to teach ‘basics’ in AU workshop
Lauren Fix is currently the host of a TV show on the Do-It-Yourself Network which provides viewers with in-depth demonstrations and tips for auto repair. She has won numerous awards including a 2000 Car Care Council Communications award and in 2003 an International Automotive Media Award. Read full press release here : Alfred University : News.

AskPatty.com Partners with Parenthood.com to Provide Automotive Advice for Moms
Visitors to Parenthood.com will have instant access to the hundreds of articles on AskPatty.com, written especially for women, to get advice on car buying, auto maintenance and other automotive related topics. Mom’s can even shop for vehicles through the AskPatty.com network of certified female friendly dealerships across the U.S. AskPatty.com Partners with Parenthood.com to Provide Automotive Advice for Moms.

Central Jersey repair shops reap benefits as new car sales tank in weak economy
In recent months, Joe Castainca has been hearing the same sad song from customers at Metuchen BP Service Center coming to have their car repaired. The boost in the auto repair business is the flip side of the new car business, where sales are down dramatically. Read full article here MyCentralJersey.com.

Do-it-yourselfers, mechanics, novices, welcome at relocated hobby shop
The Quantico Auto Hobby Skill Center is open to all Marines and civilians interested in doing automotive maintenance to their vehicles, but is not well known among base occupants. Originally located in an airplane hangar near Larsons gym, the shop and was moved in 2006, to Building 2080 between the Pruitt Hall Building and Motor-T. Read full article…InsideNova.com.

To repair or to replace yout car? — That is the question
These days, many motorists are putting off the purchase of a newer vehicle. But as existing vehicles continue to age, major components can begin to fail and leave motorists facing a tough decision—invest in auto repairs to an older vehicle or invest in the purchase of a newer one. “While repairing major vehicle components such as the transmission or engine can run upwards of $2,000 or more,” says Craig Horsley, director, Automotive Services for AAA East Tennessee. “the repair is often cheaper than getting another car.” Read full article…VolunteerTV.com..

Economy helping accelerate business at some service shops
Travis Butler, owner of Butler Automotive, looks for a tool before going back to work on a car in his shop recently. A lot teeming with cars, trucks and SUVs is something car dealerships dread and repair shops pine for. And so it goes in early 2009 for the automotive industry. “For big repair shops that specialize in major repairs, they do extremely well during this type of downturn because people can’t do it for themselves, and they have to do it to keep their cars going,” Humphreys said. “This is particularly ...

In recession, many fix old autos instead of trading in
More motorists are fixing their old cars instead of buying new ones, in hopes their jalopies will survive a long recession. Auto dealers and garage owners say they are seeing drivers pay more attention to regular maintenance and be more willing to spring for costly major repairs now that they are reluctant to trade in their junkers. “People are hanging on to them right now, and they’ve got to keep them running,” says Tim Smith of Bob Smith BMW/Mini in Calabasas, Calif. • Repair shops. Some 60% of the independent mechanics responding ...

Car Care Guides available
The Car Care Council reminds aftermarket companies and organizations to order copies of the popular Car Care Guide for National Car Care Month in April. Orders can be easily placed by visiting the Car Care Council Web site at and clicking on the link for the desired order form. In addition, the Car Care Council has launched a digital version of its popular Car Care Guide that can also be easily accessed through the council’s Web site. “With National Car Care Month quickly approaching, now is the time to order copies of ...

‘Good’ mechanics open shop in industrial park
Cascade Automotive and Repair Services owners and brothers Loren Good and Marlin Good work on a car together inside their shop located in the Estacada Industrial Park. The young Marlin Good rebuilt the engine of a 1987 Nissan pickup when he was a teenager, and his brother Loren got his first taste of driving heavy farming and construction equipment more than a decade ago. The two brothers grew up in rural communities in Oregon and Minnesota, where their father carved out a career in woodworking, and learned how to fine-tune an ...

Women’s Automotive Connection – “Car Smarts for Women” Empowers Auto Repair Savings in Economic Recession
Atlanta’s Auto Expert and founder of the Women’s Automotive Connection, Gail Dunn, ensures that women take control of their automotive service and repair transactions by empowering and educating them to come out ahead. Her latest seminar, “Car Smarts for Women,” explores solutions to the automotive issues brought on by the challenging economy such as increasing fuel mileage and knowing when to repair or replace your vehicle as well as everyday maintenance and repair needed to prevent an expensive problem down the road. Read full release…pitchengine.com –

Winchester VA News

Local News - Winchester, Loudoun, and Fairfax » Winchester News

Winchester Storm Cleanup Continues
The City of Winchester is continuing with the monumental task of digging out from one of the largest snowstorms in the City’s history. Crews have been working around the clock since the snow started last Friday and will continue to work around the clock all week as the City continues its current efforts and plans to deal with another impending storm. This storm has been particularly challenging because the snow was very wet and difficult to push. The City’s equipment has encountered numerous mechanical breakdowns due to the depth and weight ...

Winchester In Snow Plan C
Snow Plan C was placed into effect in the City of Winchester effective Saturday at 8:00 p.m. Crews will be continuing to plow and treat roadways, as well as begin to remove snow. Snow Plan C carries the following provisions: Use caution Drive only when necessary with snow tires or chains (recommended) Keep sidewalks clear of snow Vehicles will be removed from parking lots and streets where snow is to be removed Do not park along designated snow emergency routes Under Snow Plan C it is unlawful for any person to: • Operate a motor vehicle which ...

Frederick County School System Launches the “FCPS Media Network”
Frederick County Public Schools has launched the FCPS Media Network as a means to better communicate with students, staff, area residents and the world. Anyone with an internet connection can gain access to the network by going to www.fcpsmedianetwork.org or using the link on the Frederick County Public Schools home page www.frederick.k12.va.us. Frederick County Public Schools Supervisor of Media and Technology Glenn Moreland says, “The mission of the FCPS Media Network is to function as a resource of diverse, high-quality programming content which enriches, informs and inspires the greater community of ...

Winchester Comprehensive Plan Public Input Meetings
Help shape Winchester’s future by attending the upcoming Comprehensive Plan public input meeting: Wednesday, February 24, 2010 (Inclement Weather date: March 1) John Handley High School Griffin Student Union (use Handley Boulevard entrance) 6:30 pm open house, view exhibits 7:00 pm staff and consultant presentations 8:00 pm public Q&A 8:30 pm additional open house time Winchester citizens are invited to attend this meeting on the update of the City’s long-range Comprehensive Plan and to provide input on the goals, objectives, and alternative development scenarios that have been drafted as part of the update process and in response ...

Snow Plan B has been implemented in the City of Winchester
Snow Plan B has been implemented in the City of Winchester as of 2:00 p.m. on Friday, February 5, 2010. The Public Works department and contractors will be plowing roadways. Snow Plan B carries the following provisions: Use caution or do not travel unless necessary Keep sidewalks clear of snow Do not park along designated snow emergency routes When Snow Plan B is in effect, it shall be unlawful for any person to: • Operate a motor vehicle which is not equipped with effective tire chains or snow treads on any of the streets or alleys ...

Snow Plan A has been implemented in the City of Winchester
Snow Plan A has been implemented in the City of Winchester as of 9:30 a.m. February 5, 2010. Snow Plan A includes the following provisions: • Use caution • Drive only when necessary with snow tires or chains (recommended) • Keep sidewalks clear of snow Public Works crews are currently treating roadways as necessary. Updates will follow as plowing and snow removal operations commence. When plowing operations begin, it is requested that vehicles be moved from the roadway, where possible. Citizens and businesses are encouraged to use ice melt on their driveway entrance and sidewalks ...

Northwestern District Sports Schedule Updates
All after-school activities scheduled for Frederick County Public Schools for February 3 have been canceled. The Northwestern District Swim Championships have been rescheduled from Friday, Feb 5, to Thursday, Feb 4. Events start at 7:45 p.m. The Northwestern District Indoor Track & Field Championship has been postponed from Wednesday, Feb 3, to Thursday, Feb 4. It will be held at Sherando HS. Start time is 2 p.m. The Northwestern District Wrestling Tournament has been moved from Saturday, Feb 6, to Thursday, Feb 4. Weigh-ins are at 2 p.m., start time is 4 p.m., ...

Northwestern District Cancellations
All after-school activities scheduled for Frederick County Public Schools have been canceled due to the impending storm. The boys’ and girls’ basketball games between Handley and Kettle Run scheduled for February 2 have been canceled. No make-up date has been scheduled at this time. The Nortwestern District Indoor Track & Field Championship has been postponed from Wednesday, Feb 3, to Thursday, Feb 4. It will be held at Sherando HS. Start time is 2 p.m. The Northwestern District Wrestling Tournament has been moved from Saturday, Feb 6, to Thursday, Feb 4. Weigh-ins are ...

Police Discover Marijuana Plants in Winchester
On Monday January 25, 2010 at approximately 3:00 p.m. Winchester Police were called to 1101 Orchard Avenue to assist the Winchester Fire and Rescue Department. Upon arriving at the scene, police and rescue personnel located the victim, Gregory W. Ashley (44), suffering from an apparent electrocution. It was initially reported that Ashley had been in the basement of his residence doing some type of electrical work. Winchester Fire and Rescue personnel attempted lifesaving efforts to save Ashley from his injuries however he later died. During the course of this incident, officers ...

Martinsburg Airlift Wing Helps Haiti Relief Mission
Airmen with the West Virginia Air National Guard’s 167th Airlift Wing are working around-the-clock in an effort to get critical life-saving supplies into the hands of Haiti’s earthquake victims. The air base in Martinsburg, W.Va., was transformed Jan. 14 into a staging area for more than 332,000 pounds of supplies bound for the airport in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Hundreds of thousands of pounds more are expected to be palletized at the air base for shipment to Haiti in the coming days. A C-17 Globemaster III based out of Jackson, Miss., made the first ...

Jill Holtzman Vogel Holds Interactive Town Hall
Citizens who were curious enough to answer a phone call from an “unknown name” and “out of area” phone number around 7p.m. Tuesday evening, were afforded the opportunity to remain on the line and participate in an interactive town hall meeting with State Senator, Jill Holtzman Vogel. Senator Vogel represents citizens in Clarke, Fauquier, Frederick, Loudoun, and the City of Winchester in Virginia’s General Assembly set to convene its 2010 session in Richmond, Virginia this week. Read full story via Jill Holtzman Vogel Holds Interactive Town Hall – Winchester Va News.

Valley Health’s Acquisition of War Memorial Hospital Approved in WV
Valley Health’s Acquisition of War Memorial Hospital Approved in WVJanuary 11, 2010 by admin · Leave a Comment EditWMH_exteriorValley Health’s proposal to acquire the assets of War Memorial Hospital from Morgan County, and to build a long-awaited $30 million replacement hospital in Berkeley Springs, was approved on Tuesday by the West Virginia Health Care Authority HCA.The Certificate of Need was submitted to the HCA in April 2009. The decision, due last August, was delayed when a notice of opposition was filed by City Hospital and Jefferson Memorial Hospital. This action ...

Grand Larceny at CVS on Tasker Road
The Frederick County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a grand larceny that occurred on December 30, 2009 at the CVS located t 1400 Tasker Road. The Assistant Manager reported that a slender black male wearing a puffy dark colored coat and a white female with blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail placed numerous packages of Prilosec into a gift bag and left the store. The two left the area in a black, newer model 2-door vehicle. Items removed were valued at more than $1200.00. Read full story via Winchester Va News.

Va State Trooper Awarded Carnegie Hero Medal
Virginia State Police Trooper Kurt J. Johnson is among the 23 individuals from throughout the United States and Canada to be named as a recipient of the esteemed CARNEGIE MEDAL. The Carnegie Hero Fund Commission gives the medal to those who risk their lives to an extraordinary degree while saving or attempting to save the lives of others.Trooper Johnson was nominated for this prestigious recognition based on his valiant acts performed in the line of duty earlier this year. In a press release, the Commission selected Johnson for his extraordinary ...

Felony Destruction of Property arrest for thefts from soda machines
Monday, December 21, 2009 On November 24, 2009, Ptlm. L. D. Ruffner of the Martinsburg City Police Department arrested Tevin Scott Varney of Union View Lane, Winchester, Virginia for one count of felony destruction of property. This arrest stems from recent thefts from various soda machines around November 22, 2009 in the Martinsburg area where the machines had extensive damage or were totaled beyond repair. via Martinsburg PD Press Releases

Storm Driving Advisory
Heavy snow continues to fall. Roads are very treacherous. Please stay off the roads to allow road crews to work

New City Manager Starts January 11, 2010
Over the past 25 years, James O’Connor has had the opportunity to combine his passion for local government with his educational training. As an MBA graduate of Wilmington College in Wilmington, Delaware, Mr. O’Connor has a way of getting the most out of every fiscal situation. As the current City Manager for the City of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, he has a gained a reputation of being good with a budget and in these tough economic times, his expertise will be greatly appreciated in Winchester. Mr. O’Connor will start work on ...

Winchester Social Services is Relocating
Winchester Social Services is Relocating The Winchester Department of Social Services office located at 33 East Boscawen Street, Winchester will be closed from noon December 18, 2009 through December 22, 2009 to complete the move to their new office. The office will be open for business on Wednesday, December 23, 2009 at their new location: 24 Baker Street, Winchester, VA 22601. Phone and Facsimile numbers will remain the same. For the public’s convenience during this closure, we will have staff located on the first floor of City Hall to accept applications and ...

Fatal accident with school bus in Winchester
Police believe ice was likely to blame for a deadly crash in Virginia that killed a father and daughter on Monday. It happened around 7:45 a.m. when 45-year-old Richard Burrell’s car crossed a double yellow line and hit the bus on Shawnee Drive. Read full story via myfoxdc

Active Living & Recreation Center Gymnasium Closed for Repairs
As of Thursday, December 10, 2009, all activities in the Denny Lee Gymnasium in Jim Barnett Park have been canceled or moved to alternate sites until repairs on the gymnasium floor are complete. Officials expect that the gymnasium floor will reopen by February 1, 2010 however an update will be issued once officials have more information. Please contact the Winchester Parks & Recreation Department at 662-4946 for more information.

I-81 Nine Car Pile-up near Martinsburg
Icy roads caused a nine car pile-up on Interstate 81 near Martinsburg shutting down north and southbound lanes for five hours Sunday morning. According to west Virginia state police the driver of a pickup truck pulling a camper lost control due to icy conditions, and ran off the road at mile marker 19 in Berkeley county. Read full story via TV3 Winchester

WPRD Helps Form the Shenandoah Valley Youth Lacrosse League
WPRD recently teamed up with Frederick County Parks and Recreation, Clarke County Parks and Recreation, Shenandoah County Parks and Recreation, Powhatan School, the Sportsplex and Shenandoah County Lacrosse to form the Shenandoah Valley Youth Lacrosse League. WPRD Athletics Coordinator Jennifer Justice says the collaboration of different departments and organizations made sense for many reasons. “Everyone, within our own organizations, is trying to bring the sport of lacrosse to the Northern Shenandoah Valley. Lacrosse is extremely popular in places like Loudoun County and Charlottesville. We thought if we combined our resources we ...