Minor automotive repair body work after small collisions now have many newer techniques to save the driver money on repairs and, in a high tech way, get the repair job done much more efficiently than autos of years past. It is like auto body repair / collision repair work goes through eras of proper procedures to perform auto body repair. Back in time, auto body repair had thick steel frames and panels and required very heavy duty methods and frame machines to straighten the main auto frames and panels used lots of bondo to bond to the panels, doors, hood, trunk, and fenders to get the car or truck ready for auto painting. The methods were hard and the paint contained lead which is very bad to inhale in large amounts during sanding procedures.

In the 60’s, car manufactures started trying to lighten up the vehicles to try and get more muscle power by using unibody designs. Unibody eliminated the main steel frames in the automobiles which significantly reduced the weight. Unibody is much easer to work with when repairing collision repairs. Unibody cars from this era setup the next eras with a great light duty frame that was still adequate for the job of strengthening the vehicle.

In the 80’s, the Japanese cars started the era with most of the vehicles all unibody and smaller designs to make the cars light weight and better on gas. Unibody came a long way in this era setting up standards that the German cars caught on to and even the American cars started to realize the cost and safety was more beneficial using unibody.

In the 2000’s almost every car went to unibody and cutting corners and increasing safety designs in the frames started to become the standards. The previous cars were lighter and had less metal, so after impacts with the older cars, these cars would get damaged in a horrifying way upon hard impact collisions. This is why the safety systems such as airbags, frames designed to wrinkle at specific points to crumble up frame areas to keep cars safer and keep the front and rear collisions from reaching the cabin area as much as possible.

Now in the 2010 and up era, cars are rethinking the metals in the frames, In some instances to make low cost yet high strength frames to keep cars from damaging so easily and increase fuel mileage per gallon and increase safety even more. Multi stage airbag systems that are fully aware of he passenger to help safely activate air bags in case of an accident for the type of passengers in your vehicle.

With all of these improvements, there are new techniques, equipment, training and tools to repair these cars right. Make sure that when you have a collision or accident in Tampa Florida, you research your auto body repair shop in Tampa FL to ensure your car will recover after an accident and look as well as it did when it was new. Whether you have an European car like Audi, VW, Mercedes, Bmw, Jaguar or Volvo, or a American car like Ford, Dodge or GM. Whether you have a Japanese or unique Asian car, choose a quality repair shop that you have checked out online, with the BBB (Better Business Bureau) , your friends or in person and make sure that your are treated well and your car is in safe handle sit having a very experienced auto body mechanic working on your car. Make sure the auto body shop has the latest equipment that pertains to your car and uses the top quality paints and shop supplies to get your repaired quickly and correctly

By Guy’s Automotive
Visit AutoRepairTampa.com for a quality mechanic.

General Motors (GM) has just gone thru a monstrosity of problems with their Chevrolet
Volt. After hours of research and studies between General Motors, US Department of Defense and US Department of Energy, a newly designed steel reinforcement device was created that has passed crash tests and hopefully created an end to General Motor’s problems.

According the Associated Press, both GM and Chrysler are cooperating with NHTSA on the investigations to the fire complaints. GM spokesman Alan Adler said “We are conducting our own investigation and will share any findings with the government”. Chrysler spokesman Nick Cappa said “Vehicle fires are very complex and can occur for a number of reasons that have nothing to do with the vehicle itself. Poor maintenance, improper vehicle use or installation of after-market equipment often are causes of vehicle fires.”

On the bright side, no deaths have been reported yet. Both GM and Chrysler are being investigated by the Feds. It is too soon to tell the outcome, but with Chrysler reporting their Jeep Wrangler has exceeded all applicable federal safety standards and has an excellent safety record, hopefully there are no serious injuries in the near future while the Federal agencies and Chrysler sort things out. GM has sold over a quarter of a million Chevrolet Cruzes since 2010. This can be a significant recall in the near future that will put another dampener in General Motors already hurt financial situation due to the declined economy.

By Guy’s Automotive
Visit AutoRepairTampa.com for a quality mechanic.

Transmission Fluid Recommendations:

There are many different types of transmission fluids used on all of the cars and trucks made to date. It is important to use the proper transmission fluid recommended by the manufacturer or automotive maker. Each type of transmission fluid has specific properties and specifications that must be met for the transmission to properly work. As long as the fluid meets these specifications, it will properly function in the transmission. Using the proper fluid and or additives is absolutely critical for a properly functioning transmission.

When Not to Flush the Transmission:

If the transmission has not been properly maintained, a transmission flush may not be helpful. As a matter of a fact, performing a transmission flush on vehicles that have extremely poor fluid conditions may actually reduce the transmission function causing transmission problems to show. If the transmission is already failing, this is another reason not to flush the transmission. In this situation, the transmission will be doomed if a transmission flush is performed. Thinking that the transmission flush will help a failing transmission is certainly a myth and does not help, only hurts more.

By Guy’s Automotive
Visit AutoRepairTampa.com for a quality shop for a transmission flush.

Mileage is an important thing to consider  for keeping your old car.  Not all mileage is the same, you need to consider the type of mileage such as highway and local driving.  Highway driving is usually less brutal, but on smaller engines, engine life expectancy is much less when the engine is working hard frequently.  It is important to understand the average mileage expectancy for your type of automobile to see what is realistic to expect from yours.

Maintenance for your car over its life is another important factor to consider.  In other words, if you have been keeping up with oil changes, fluid flushes, filters, tune-up, tires, brakes, inspections and all auto repairs for the entire time you have owned your car, you may have a positive for keeping your car.  Maintenance is very important for keeping your car on the road for a long time.  If you do not maintain your car or keep up with your car repairs, cars quickly get ragged out and usually do not last much past the 100,000 mile mark.

Knowing how reliable your auto make is will also help in your decision.  There are many auto makers out there, but some auto makers make bad cars.  Research your make and model to see what the critics and other auto owners say about driving and owning your type of vehicle.  Many people may already know that they have a reliable model car, but it is a fact that some auto makers may put out some great models, and through out some floozies as well.  You may not want to hang on to a car with a bad reputation since it is bound to have problems in time.

Inspecting your car or your car to be may be your savior.  Whether you are wanting to keep or replace your car, pay and get a quality inspection.  Usually these inspections will go off the price of the car or towards the repairs, but may save you on a bad car decision.  These inspections should include many points in a checklist to ensure that your entire car is looked at.  A reliable and experienced ASE certified mechanic that understands your type of car should do these inspections for you.

This tax season, make sure you take the time to properly access your car before repairing or replacing it.  The year will go by a lot smoother with a great choice concerning your car.  Do a little research on your car and even get an inspection to help your automotive decision.  With a little common sense and good judgment, you can make a choice on your car that will benefit you and your wallet till your next tax check!

By Guy’s Automotive
Visit AutoRepairTampa.com for a quality mechanic.

The definition of great auto repair starts at the mechanics at the auto repair shop. Great mechanics do not work alone, they must have a quality management and use quality auto parts and repair methods. Proper tools and the latest technology in diagnostic equipment are truly needed to repair today’s cars and trucks. Mix these things with timely expeditions of repair service and you have a recipe for success. The bottom line is putting the pieces together and actually performing the quality auto repairs on a daily basis and having multiple satisfied customers to show for it. Here is a checklist of what expectations you should have with your mechanic.

Finding a great mechanic in Tampa should not be a burden. Looking in the right places, asking your friends and co workers and doing your homework will help assist you in finding the great mechanic for your make and model. Make sure you decide what is right for your car by choosing a great mechanic and great auto repair shop in Tampa.

By Guy’s Automotive
Visit AutoRepairTampa.com for a quality mechanic.

BMW, Mini, Mercedes Benz and Smart News by Guy’s Automotive in Tampa Florida

USA today has reported November sales for Daimler Mercedes Benz to be just over 28,000 automobiles. This is a staggering 55.2% improvement over last November 2010 which was around 18,000. This year, over 236,000 vehicles sold for Mercedes Benz which is a 20.4% increase over the 196,000 vehicles sold during the same period last year. If you do a comparison of BMW and Mercedes, BMW was leading Mercedes with over 219,000 BMWs sold as compared to Mercedes over 186,000 sold by the end of September.

In the USA, BMW models for the 2011 year include: 125i, 128i, 135i, 1M, 328i, 335d, 335i, 335is, 528i, 535i, 550i, 740i, 740Li, 750i, 750Li, 760Li, Active Hybrid 7, Active Hybrid 7L, Alpina B7, M3, X3, X5, X6, and Z4. 2011 Mini models in the USA include: Cooper and John Cooper Works. Mercedes models in the USA for 2011 include: B200, B200 Turbo, C250, C300, C350, C63 AMG, CL550, CL600, CL63 AMG, CL65 AMG, CLS550, CLS63 AMG, E350, E550, E63 AMG, G550, G55 AMG, GL350, GL450, GL550, GLK350, ML350, ML450, ML550, ML63 AMG, R350, S400, S450, S550, S600, S63 AMG, S65 AMG, SL550, SL600, SL63 AMG, SL65 AMG, SLK300, SLK350, SLK55 AMG, SLS AMG, Sprinter 2500, and Sprinter 3500. 2011 Smart models in the USA include: Fortwo.

BMW is close in comparison of models with Mercedes Benz. When you look at BMWs 1 series, 3 series, 5 series, 7 series, M series, X series, Z series and Mini, and compare to Mercedes B class, C class, E class, G class, R class, S class, and Smart, you can see the 2 auto giants are straight up competing with the luxury car industry as well as the mega compact car market. It appears both car manufacturers have the entire spectrum of what a person wants in a car from absolute luxury, safety features, fuel economy or technology. With electric cars starting to take off, and thousands of hybrid vehicles already on the road, it will be interesting to see how far BMW AG and Daimler will go to out-do one another in the upcoming years.

By Guy’s Automotive
http://BmwRepairTampa.com
http://MercedesRepairTampa.com

NHTSA released this statement about the matter,” This past May, NHTSA crashed a Chevy Volt in an NCAP test designed to measure the vehicle’s ability to protect occupants from injury in a side collision. During that test, the vehicle’s battery was damaged and the coolant line was ruptured. When a fire involving the test vehicle occurred more than three weeks after it was crashed, the agency concluded that the damage to the vehicle’s lithium-ion battery during the crash test led to the fire. Since that fire incident, NHTSA has taken a number of steps to gather additional information about the potential for fire in electric vehicles involved in a crash, including working with the Department of Energy and the Department of Defense — in close coordination with experts from General Motors — to complete rigorous tests of the Volt’s lithium-ion batteries.”.

It appears that soon after an auto accident, the Chevrolet Volt may catch on fire and even cause fire damage to vehicles around it, possibly in the towing storage area or the auto body repair shop it is taken to. In fact, if you own a Chevrolet Volt and are involved in an auto accident, it is advised that you exit the vehicle safely and wait for the emergency vehicles to arrive at a safe distance from the vehicle. It is also recommended to keep a collision damaged Volt outside and not in an enclosed area or garage. This apparent safety defect should be part of the learning curve for these new electric cars that are hitting the market like the Nissan Leaf and the upcoming Mitsubishi MiEV that’s scheduled to hit the auto market in the early 2012 year and Ford Focus Electric in late 2012.

Chevrolet Volt on left, on right Nissan Volt, Mitsubishi MiEV, and Ford Focus Electric by Guy’s Automotive in Tampa Florida

With President Barack Obama’s plan for putting 1 million vehicles in operation on our roads by 2015 reducing America’s dependency on foreign oil, electric cars may become a important transportation milestone for us Americans. Electric car sales for Chevrolet over 6,000 cars and Nissan is over 8,000 cars. Obviously we can not ignore that electric cars are here and we must learn from the early safety issues to help prevent tragedies.

Safety needs to be a priority for electric cars with lithium-ion batteries. Battery fires from lithium-ion batteries can reach temperatures of 1,100 degrees and lithium-metal battery fires can reach over 4,000 degrees. Spontaneous combustion can occur with these batteries even days after an auto accident so it is imperative that auto repair shops, collision repair shops and towing yards follow proper discharge procedures and safety measures when handling these new electric automobiles of the new millennia.

By Guy’s Automotive
http://GuysAutomotive.com
http://BodyShopTampa.com

Lets face it, maintenance on your car can be hard to remember. With our hectic everyday lives of going to and from work, school, kids, and whatever life brings our way, it sometimes can be hard to bring your automobile in for service much less remembering what needs to be done. Here are a few tips to guide you on how to take care of your car so your car can take care of you.

There are 5 useful areas of maintenance areas that help you take care of your car. Remembering these areas will certainly help you keep your car well maintained and help keep your automobile on the road for a long time.

1. Oil Changes, Fluid Flushes, and Lubrication: Most car owners know the importance of keeping their oil changed regularly. This means in a timely manor. If your car’s oil needs to be changed in intervals of 3000 miles, 5000 miles or 10,000 miles it surely needs to be followed. Another point to know is the type of oil your car requires. There is regular oil and synthetic oil to use. There are different oil weights and oil specs for some cars that must be used. Know the times and types of oil your car requires. Fluid flushes are also important. These are usually neglected by car owners because they either do not know, or do not think they are important. Fluid flushes include transmission flushes, coolant flushes, power steering flushes, brake fluid flushes and differential fluid flushes. Oil, transmission fluid, power steering fluid, brake fluid, coolant and gear oil all wear by time, heat and mileage. Even brake fluid gets hot after applying brakes over and over,. The brakes will get so hot you can not even touch the wheels. This cooks your brake fluid over time and this is why you must do a brake fluid flush. The other fluids especially the ones on the engine or transmission get just as hot as the engine oil does. As time and miles go on, these fluids sludge up and create mechanical work for your car. Doing these fluid flushes help reduce the amount of mechanical breakdowns which save you money.




2. Brakes and Tires: Tires should be regularly checked for signs of wear and air pressure. You must rotate your tires periodically to help evenly wear the car’s tires. Most newer cars have tire pressure monitors to help notify you when your tires need air otherwise, auto mechanics can easily check your tire pressure and add air if necessary. Mechanics can also check on your brakes. Brake jobs will cost much less when they are performed prior to brake failure. If is just plain smart and safe to keep an eye on those brakes.




3. Tune-ups: A tune-up keeps your engine running strong and efficient. Tune-ups include spark plugs, but may also include spark plug wires, spark plug boots, coils, distributor caps, distributor rotors, air filters, fuel filters, induction service and or a fuel injection cleaning service. Each make and model of car and engine will help determine what types of parts will be needed when a tune-up is performed. It is good to know that doing a tune-up right the first time will help prevent engine problems and other tune-up related problems.




4. Belts and Hoses: Your belts and hoses are rubber parts that can easily fail. Usually there are warning signs that may help you decide when to change them. Typical warning signs may include cracking belts, swollen hoses, or visual defects on the surfaces that are caused by wear. Auto mechanics can inspect belts and hoses and help you decide when they should be replaced. If your car has a timing belt, make sure that the service schedule is being followed for your timing belt replacement. If you are unsure, a skilled auto technician can remove a cover to inspect the timing belt and help figure out what stage of wear the timing belt is at. The timing belt is a critical part of your engine and if it breaks, it may damage the entire engine causing a major repair or engine replacement issue.




5. Inspection of Your Vehicle: A reliable mechanic can do an overall check of your vehicle using a checklist. A good time to have this inspection is every time the automobile is being serviced or repaired. Even if you are just getting a simple 15 minute oil change, it is urged that you request a vehicle inspection. Anything from oil leaks, potential engine problems, suspension and brakes, wiper blades, exterior lamps, tires and exhaust leaks can be looked over and ,if you have an early sign of trouble, can be repaired quickly before a failure occurs.

Keeping a service log and your auto repair receipts are a good way to remember what services were performed and when. Obtaining a maintenance chart for your vehicle may help you understand what services will be due at what mileage. Just remember when you are having a hectic life that your car needs more than gas to keep going. Do what is right for your car so that your car will take care of you.

Guy’s Automotive in Tampa
3049 W. Hillsborough Ave. and 14611 N Nebraska Ave #2
Tampa, FL 33614, 33613

http://guysautomotive.com

Beware of shops with bad reputation in Tampa, Florida and other places in the US. Getting scammed in an auto shop can keep consumers from trusting their local auto repair shops. It only takes a customer 1 time to get scammed to become distrustful of all auto mechanics. Thank God for technology, because now, customers can easily conduct a background check on the repair shops in their area to see what other customers think of a particular automotive shop’s services. Below is a list of ways you can protect yourself from the scammers of the auto repair business.

1. Check the BBB (Better Business Bureau) rating. If an auto repair shop is shady, you will find many consumer complaints linked to their name. Checking the BBB is easy and only takes a few minutes.

2. Look for online reviews. Google, Yahoo, and Merchant Circle are just a few places consumers can check for bad reviews. Many customers use the internet to provide good or bad comments on their automotive experience. You will also be able to compare prices using these consumer review websites.

3. Do an internet search of the business name and see how long it has been in business. A long-standing business with positive customer reviews is an automatic plus when choosing an auto repair shop.

4. Check out their shop by calling and or visiting the facility. Most people can get a vibe just by calling. See if the person answering the phone is knowledgeable and friendly. Does the person answering the phone offer you good advice on your auto repair situation? Does the shop look presentable upon your visit?

5. Word of mouth is crucial. When possible, ask friends, family and co-workers if they have ever heard of a particular auto repair shop. Referrals are actual parts of marketing and a shop that provides good service is sure to get recommendations from previous customers.

These 5 tips will help you find the right auto repair shop in Tampa, Florida or anywhere else you may be looking. Unnecessary engine, transmission or other repairs can be avoided just by you doing your homework. A few minutes on the web can save your wallet dearly.

Guy’s Automotive in Tampa
3049 W. Hillsborough Ave. and 14611 N Nebraska Ave #2
Tampa, FL 33614, 33613

http://guysautomotive.com
http://autorepairtampa.net
http://transmissionrepairtampa.com
http://enginerepairtampa.com

Transmission repair in Tampa is a crazy business. Many auto repair shops in Tampa sell transmissions like a rope and dope. Beware of the transmission shops that quote a very low price, they usually do one of two things. One is get your permission to tear down the car and then quote you a very high price showing you a big mess of transmission parts that look like a nightmare to put back together. Second is they take shortcuts that only patch the transmission missing the source of the problem and / or the rest of the transmission wearable parts that should be replaced during the rebuild. This type of transmission job does not last long and you may even get stuck paying all over again to get the transmission repaired correctly.

There are many electronic parts and a transmission computer in most transmission setups of the modern day. Parts like shift solenoids, input sensor, output sensor, speedometer sensor, pressure sensors, governor solenoid, pressure regulator solenoid, throttle position sensor, and neutral / gear position switch are all electronic parts that help the transmission shift and work. The transmission computer will use these sensors and switches to control the shifting. When this system fails, the driver will usually get a warning lamp on or flashing to indicate an automatic transmission problem which will require computer diagnostics to figure out. Ignoring these types of problems will cause further damage to the internal automatic transmission components like clutches and drums.

Major mechanical transmission problems are very noticeable. Usually, you will feel clutch slippage, hear horrible sounds during the drive or shift, no reverse gear, a missing forward gear, or a bad shift pattern when a transmission is failing or already failed. These are the types of problems that require tearing down a transmission and getting a full transmission overhaul or rebuild. Other options would be a used auto trans unit or a new trans unit incase you did not want to repair the existing transmission.

Preventive maintenance such as a flush service or a fluid and filter service will help extend the life of your transmission. Each auto manufacturer encourages a mileage that these services should be performed. Check with your mechanic shop in Tampa to find out when these services should be performed and this will surely help keep your vehicle driving for a very long time.

Guy’s Automotive in Tampa
3049 W. Hillsborough Ave. and 14611 N Nebraska Ave #2
Tampa, FL 33614, 33613

http://guysautomotive.com
http://autorepairtampa.com
http://transmissionrepairtampa.com
http://autotransmissiontampa.com