San Diego Auto Repair

2015 is here and it’s time to reflect on the previous 12 months and take a moment to think about self-improvement. For some of us that means a new exercise routine or a promise to learn a new skill. For others, that means sticking to a firm cleaning schedule or working toward a specific goal. But what about your car? New Years can be the perfect time to make a calendar for you and your car to make sure your ride is in tip-top shape. Start by taking a look at your manual and see what services your car is due for in the next 10,000 miles. If you have a higher mileage car and aren’t sure about the upcoming service requirements, schedule an appointment and we’ll be happy to set you up with a service schedule and recommend any other repairs your individual car may need. Starting off your year with an inspection can also set you off on the right foot for saving up for essentials or major repairs. New tires, major services, and unexpec ... read more

Considering the Ford Escape for your next new ride? Why not? It's one of the least expensive cars to insure, comes with a very sweet parking assist feature (the car literally parallel parks itself), and comes fully loaded for under $35,000 (under $30K for the base model). Our friends at Why This Ride? have a video review to share after having the vehicle for a week. The highlights of the Ford Escape are the surprising styling inside and out, the 2.0 litre, 240 horsepower/270 lbs. feet of torque Ecoboost 4-cylinder, and the affordability of the car fully loaded. This is a great car for a daily commuter for the whole family, and it looks pretty great, too! Check out the video for the full review! Image ... read more

When shopping for a car, we're hoping to strike that golden combination of a car that's affordable to care for, meets our needs, and won't leave us stranded on the side of the road (or worse). New cars are getting better and better about going the distance, but it sometimes seems that the older technology (pre-computer) can last forever. While it's impossible to know yet how long a car made in the last few years is going to last, all we can do is look at a manufacturer's track record to make an educated guess. But what about those cars that rarely break down, and get 100,000, 200,000 or more miles on them and still keep on truckin'?   That's what this Reddit discussion wanted to know. Here at Convoy Auto Repair, we see just about everything at one point or another ... read more

It’s a heavy burden to bear when your job is to drive brand new cars supplied by manufacturers for a week – fully detailed and with a full tank of gas. No, really, it is. (Why does no one ever believe that?) Well, it can be when the vehicle delivered to you all shiny and new turns out to be a bit of a disappointment. It’s rare to road test a horrible new car, as most new models have plenty of things to recommend them even if they aren’t to your particular taste, and as an impartial journalist you should approach each vehicle in the mindset of a person who would be interested in such a car. It's not all doom and gloom. Often times you find yourself really enjoying driving a car you were sure you weren’t going to like. This was very much the case with a mint green 2015 Fiat 500 1957 Edition: thanks to an enjoyable 5-speed manual and handsome brown leather interior (only Italians could make that work), it was the car’s quirky demeanor which mad ... read more

There’s nothing quite like buying a car. The stress of making the right decision, the excitement of having a new set of wheels … few purchases have such an impact on your day-to-day life. If you’re like most people, when you’re looking for a fresh car, you’re looking for something used to get the most for your budget. December is the best time of year to buy a used car, partially because plenty of others are buying new and selling their old rides. Take advantage of these used car buying tips and you'll have the perfect new set of wheels! Here are 5 tips to help you make the right call when you’re out looking: 5 Tips for Buying a Used Car Consider a Certified Used Car If it’s in your budget and you’re looking for a later model, a Certified Used Car from a dealer can offer you the factory extended warranty for no additional cost and the cars are often the nicest-of-the-nice in terms ... read more

Southern California is known across the country as the place with the mildest winters. While those of us who live here may know how lucky we are to have 70 degree days all year long, sometimes we still want to see the snow or participate in winter sports. Lucky for us, there are quite a few places within a short drive where the full winter experience can be had! Winter Day Trips Near San Diego Ski Resorts Mountain High Mountain High Ski Resort opened their ski season on November 25, just in time for some Thanksgiving slopes! This resort is a short 2.5 hour drive from San Diego, and they create their own snowpacks each year to provide SoCal with a full ski season. There’s a glut of cabin rentals, hotels, and other lodging options if you’re looking to make a long weekend of it, but with that short drive time many San Diegans find themselves with season passes! Big Bear The second most popular SoCal ski resort is Bear Mountain. This popular destination is a short trip f ... read more

There are some times in life when you don’t have the luxury of deciding when to get a new car. Accidents, mechanical failure, life changes...these things can all mean a quick research period and an urgent hunt for the perfect new or used car. For others, they know what they want and it’s a very particular model, special order even. And for still others, they know it’s time to start the hunt, they have some loose requirements, and they want a good deal. So, when is the best time to buy a car? Image: Flickr New Cars Fall/Wint ... read more

This week, you've probably got turkey on the brain. You may also have certain Black Friday deals lurking in the back of your mind. We're stressed with finding the perfect gifts for our loved ones this time of year, as that magical combination of thoughtfulness, practicality, and generosity seems impossible to find. Allow us to suggest an alternative to waiting in line in the middle of the night this Friday to get a generic "big box" gift (or worse, patronizing businesses that are open on Thanksgiving Day): car parts. You may initially think that gifting car parts isn't interesting, or romantic, or even thoughtful. We disagree. Car parts make great gifts – yes, even for your wife. Not convinced? Read on! Gifts for Car Lovers New Battery Nothing says “I love you” quite as much as a new battery. Just imagine your loved one struggling to start their car on a dark and rainy night in a deserted ... read more

We're almost officially into the holiday shopping season, which means commercials for jewelry and perfume and various other things no one really needs are going to be stuffed on every viewing platform until December 25th. Among those are the commercials and advertisements that show a very happy recipient hugging a very pleased gift-giver standing in front of a shiny vehicle with a giant red bow on a snowy driveway. How could you not win gift-giver of the century with a car? Plus, a car is something the recipient probably actually needs (or is at least more practical than jewelry), so wouldn't a car make the perfect gift? The answer is no; you should never buy a car as a gift. There are many reasons why you should never buy a car as a gift. Car makers capitalize on the idea that we should get gifts we deserve. This notion is meaningless, because by definition a gift is something given without it being earned and without pa ... read more

The holidays are the busiest travel season of the year, but not everyone is headed back home! The winter season can be the best time to take a little road trip with family or friends and enjoy some quality time together. Here are a few of our favorite holiday destinations!   Image: Flickr Holiday Vacations Palm Springs If you’re looking for swinging, happening place to spend the holidays, look no further than southern California’s own desert oasis. The ret ... read more