San Diego Auto Repair

The government mandates a lot of equipment on cars in San Diego: emission devices and control computers, safety equipment like airbags and crash worthiness requirements. All of this is great for the San Diego CA motoring public, but it does add quite a bit to the price of a new car. Because new cars are more expensive, people in the San Diego area are driving their old cars longer. The average car is now over nine years old. Two thirds of vehicles on the road in San Diego have more than 75,000 miles. As cars age, their performance drops, they have difficulty idling for long periods and are more sensitive to weather extremes. Fortunately today's cars are up to the challenge – but they need a little help to keep on goin'. Give Convoy Auto Repair a call to schedule your next car maintenance. 3909 Convoy St. San Diego, CA 92111 Some owner's manuals don't specify service requirements at higher mileage. That doesn't mean it doesn't have to be d ... read more

As January gets underway, there are several events that the city of San Diego and culture-craving locals can eagerly anticipate. First, curb your culinary cravings at San Diego Restaurant Week. From January 16-21st, you can get a steal-of-a-deal on 3 course menus from San Diego’s best restaurants. Chose from over 160 local spots and enjoy $20, $30, or $40 meals. It’s a great opportunity to check out some new cuisine options in America’s Finest City. If you feel like going out for a run, the Carlsbad Marathon may be an event to consider. On January 23rd, participants will hit the coastal course and be rewarded with a medal, t-shirt, and goodie bag while running one of the best-looking routes in the nation. Feel like 26.2 miles is a bit much? Perhaps the ... read more

Your engine is like a finely choreographed dance. All the parts have to work together. If the timing is off at the ballet, dancers crash into each other and fall down. If the timing is off in your engine, it may not run at all. One of the most intricate dances in your engine, has to do with the combustion cycle. Your sedan engine has cylinders in which a piston travels up and down. At the top of the cylinders are valves open to bring in the air and fuel. And there are valves that open to let out the exhaust after the fuel has been burned. It's critical that the values be timed to open and close at precisely the right time in the combustion cycle, or the engine will run poorly or not at all. The timing belt is responsible for rotating the shafts that control the valves. It's vital and precision work. Timing belts are made of very tough flexible material. They can last a long time, but they eventually wear out and can break. The consequences can be disastrous. In some engines, the valv ... read more

Many motorists wait too long before seeking out brake service, a situation that is made worse when winter comes calling. Under slick winter driving conditions, drivers will often attribute a lack of stopping power to ice on the roads rather than considering the possibility that a brake repair may be necessary. Small problems that are present during summer driving may begin to manifest themselves as winter hits, making a car far more difficult to control. Drivers will often notice that their brake pedal requires more force to create a result, that the wheels squeal as they stop, or that the car pulls to the left or right when braking. These are all signs that a brake service is needed. To avoid winter driving complications, drivers should have their brakes serviced and a brake repair done, if necessary, before winter hits. Experienced technicians can check the fluid levels in the brake system, the ... read more

Today Convoy Auto Repair is talking about the proper fluids for your vehicle. It's become more complicated with changes in automotive design and manufacturing. It's not that people in CA are confused as much as they don't realize how much things have changed in recent years. Let's take engine oil. Twenty or thirty years ago, there were just a handful of different weights of oil. The weight of an oil is a scientific measure of its properties, particularly its viscosity or thickness. It was common in those days to use a lighter weight oil in the winter when it's cold outside. That way the oil would be able to splash around inside the engine and protect the parts before it was fully warmed up. And a heavier weight oil would be used in the summer. The thicker oil wouldn't thin out too much in the summer heat and vaporize in the engine. Modern valve trains have become very complicated with more moving parts and small passages than ever before. The valve train is in the top of the engine ... read more