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5 Driving Habits You Should Start Adopting

Being a good driver starts with adopting good driving habits. For most drivers, getting behind the wheel has become habitual. However, it’s never a wrong time to make changes for a safer drive for you, your passengers, and other drivers on the road. Even the most experienced drivers can have bad driving habits. The following list is a good refresher to get back on the right track. Below are a variety of driving habits that can increase safety and vehicle longevity.  Read the owner’s manual If the vehicle didn’t come with an owner’s manual, most cars will have a PDF available online. Reading the manual is essential because the manufacturers have detailed recommendations on vehicle maintenance that promotes optimal performance.  Stop distracted driving Put your phone in a vehicle holder and stop texting. Distracted driving is dangerous driving, for you and everyone on the road. Most vehicles have Bluetooth, but it may be best to save that phone conve ... read more

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Car Maintenance

How to Avoid Vehicle Rust

How to Avoid Vehicle Rust

In some ways, your vehicle is similar to the human body. While your car can’t catch a cold, noticing rust is a sign that should deserve ‘medical attention.’ Seeing rust on your vehicle is not an ultimate death sentence; it can range in severity. While some cases of rust are combated with quick fixes, other issues may require a major repair. Rust occurs when your vehicle’s steel components are in contact with oxygen and moisture for an extended period. This will cause the metal to become reddish-brown and deteriorate. The result is a metal that’s brittle worn, one that eventually loses its structural compound.   The last thing you’d want is the structural compound of your vehicle to become brittle and deteriorated. Rust has a specialized nature and is difficult to combat; it’s always best to bring your cars to the professionals to save your vehicle. Below are a few tips to prevent rust from accumulating from the start:   Co ... read more

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Car Maintenance

Tips to Remember if You’re Relocating

This year seems to be the year of radical change with social injustice, a nationwide pandemic, mental growth, and financial burdens. With these changes, more people are packing up and relocating. Relocating can be stressful, especially when it’s to a new state. Many other priorities may lead to minor oversight when it comes to your vehicle. Below is a to-do list for your car to keep handy while you’re packing boxes and hiring movers.   Contact your automotive insurance provider to update your insurance policy. It’s essential to make sure your insurance company is aware of your move to maintain coverage when you arrive in your new state. Depending on where you’re relocating, it may be wise to discuss additional coverage options. Your car insurance premiums may increase or decrease depending on where you move, preparing in advance allows you to shop around to find a more affordable rate if you need to.    Shipping your vehicle can save you h ... read more

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Car Maintenance

How to Prevent Distracted Driving

While commuting, you notice the driver to your left is texting, the driver on the right is blasting music, and the driver behind you is yelling at their children in the backseat. The pedestrian crossing the street has their hand parallel to their face while they talk into a phone that has a reflected image of themselves. The light turns green as you ease into the intersection, chuckling at the irony of being distracted by distracted drivers. Distracted driving increases your risk for a car crash. Insurance.com has conducted a study that shows that distracted driving is worse now than it’s ever been in the last two years. Below is a list of tips to eliminate distractions for a safer drive. Check your emotional, mental, and physical state. How are you feeling? Are you tired? Are you angry, upset, or stressed? These are great questions to ask before jumping on the road as they are all significant distractions that can lead to dangerous driving practices and accidents. Driving whil ... read more

Oil Changes – How Often?

When you first bought your car, you were probably told that you needed to have your oil changed every three months or every 3,000 miles. However, this may not be the case any longer. Some people might recommend you have the oil changed every 3,000 miles, but research shows that this has changed. Years ago, the 3,000 mile/3 month rule was standard practice. If you happen to drive an older vehicle, it may still be advisable if you drive in harsh climates. But newer cars, those made since 2002, do not need to have the oil changed every 3,000 miles. There are several factors that will determine how often you should change your oil. Some of those are the way that you drive your car, how you handle your vehicle and if you drive more on the highways or around the city. Most experts advise a time around 5,000 miles. That number will be a little less for those who drive sporadically. Even if your car sits in the driveway, it should still have the oil changed occasionally. As the mileage in t ... read more

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Car Maintenance

The Need for Automobile Air Conditioning Preventative Maintenance

Preventive maintenance is the key step to eliminate the loss of air conditioning in your automobile during the scorching summer months. A short inspection by a qualified automotive technician will reveal the possible need for maintenance or repair. Catching issues before they spiral out of control will help reduce costs that would consume the family budget. The main focal point of attention in preventive air conditioning maintenance for automobiles is the refrigerant. If a low level exists and is caught in time, simply adding a small amount to fill the system is all that is required. However if low levels are not caught in time, the remaining coolant must be drained and a complete replacement must be done. The process is called recharging and is vital in re-establishing the health of the air conditioning system. Equipment failure is the next leading cause of the air conditioning not working. The ASE professionals at B&L Auto can quickly troubleshoot where the problem is. Compres ... read more

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Car Maintenance

Transmission Service – When & Why

Your car’s transmission is responsible for transferring the engine’s power to the wheels by using gears. Without a transmission, a car will not be able to drive on the road. Often times, a car owner never gives the transmission any attention until there is a sudden problem. Unfortunately, the transmission could have already sustained a devastating amount of internal damage. The key to maintaining the health of your transmission is routine maintenance. Over time, the transmission fluid inside of the gearbox begins to deteriorate. The reason is because the fluid must endure the stressful environment of the transmission for thousands of miles. The fluid may eventually get contaminated with metal shavings and other detrimental debris. This is why you must have your transmission serviced on a routine basis. A proper transmission serving involves flushing out the old and degraded transmission fluid. Fresh fluid will then be filled to the optimum level. The transmission’s ... read more

TPMS: Tire Pressure Monitoring For Your Newport News Auto

You may know that all 2008 model year and newer cars, mini-vans and light trucks in Newport News come with a tire pressure monitoring system. Many slightly older vehicles around Newport News have these systems as well. A tire pressure monitoring system – called TPMS – consists of sensors on each wheel that measure tire pressure. If tire pressure drops 25 percent below the manufacturer’s recommended pressure, the sensor sends a signal to a monitoring unit that causes a warning to light up on the dashboard. When you see the warning light, you know it’s time to put some air in your tires. There are many benefits to driving with properly inflated tires around Newport News. First is cost savings. Running at the correct air pressure improves fuel economy. Driving on under-inflated tires is like driving through sand – it drags down your fuel economy. You’ll also see longer, more even tread wear so your tires’ll last longer. Another important benef ... read more

Preventative Maintenance – Essential To Vehicle Longevity

Sometimes parts on a car break for no reason. But usually, the malfunction is caused by long-term wear and tear. You can prevent many of these breakdowns and ensure your vehicle’s longevity by performing preventative maintenance. Preventative maintenance can involve anything from getting your oil and air filter changed to getting your tires rotated. Your car’s maintenance guide should spell out for you what preventative maintenance you need and when you should have it done. The purpose of preventative maintenance on your car is to lessen wear and tear on your car. For example, you get your oil changed every few thousand miles because the oil gets dirty after awhile and no longer works like it should. You get your tires rotated every few thousand miles because it helps even out the wear and make sure one tire doesn’t wear out faster than the others. Replacing brake pads when they wear out ensures that you don’t do any serious damage to your brakes that would be ... read more

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Car Maintenance

Experienced Auto Repair in Newport News

Experienced Auto Repair in Newport News

When you need automotive repair work and maintenance for your vehicle, you want the best repair shop in the area. Your car is one of your most expensive investments and you want it treated by an experienced automotive technician. In Newport News, that repair shop can only be B&L Automotive. They are locally owned and operated and have been in continuous operation for sixty years. Since 1953 they have kept the community’s vehicles in top operating performance. B&L Automotive personnel are trained, skilled, and knowledgeable technicians with years of experience. When you take your car to B&L Automotive, they will inspect it and only perform repairs that are required. This repair shop has an outstanding reputation for honest and reliable service. If any work is needed, you will be given a written estimate of the parts and labor before any work is done. Their work is guaranteed and you will be given manufacturer warranties for any parts used. B&L Automotive is aware ... read more