COLUMBUS AUTO REPAIR

Like most families, my family’s vehicles are an essential part of daily life, and sometimes the way we arrive at our best memories are on trips and vacations. A flat tire, dead battery, or breakdown can bring our lives to a grinding halt. No one wants to focus on their vehicle when they're on a trip, or let’s be honest, in their day-to-day busy routines either. We want it to go when we want it to go, and do what we need it to do without any hiccups. Preparing your car for an emergency is the best way to avoid disruptions in your daily life. September is National Preparedness Month, and I keep thinking of all of the ways that a vehicle needs to be included in our efforts to prepare for the unplanned. Routine maintenance, packing for emergencies, and knowing car safety tips are all important to ensure your family stays safe in case something goes awry. Routine Car Maintenance Tips For Emergency Preparedness When you take great care of your vehicle, it will be reliable ... read more

At Luke’s Auto, ensuring your family's safety on the road is a top priority. Make certain your vehicle is in tip-top shape before your kids head back to school with this Back-to-School Safety Inspection Checklist:   Brake System Safety Check: Beyond brake pads and rotors, your entire brake system should be checked to ensure your vehicle can stop reliably in all situations.    Tire Inspection and Rotation: Keep tires in optimal condition by inspecting tread depth and rotating tires to ensure even wear   Fluid Levels and Condition: Check oil, coolant, and other vital fluids to prevent breakdowns and maintain engine health.   Battery Health Assessment: Avoid inconvenient “my car won’t start” surprises by making sure your battery is strong to get you where you and your family need to go, on time.   Headlights and Taillights Inspection: It’s critical to ensure all lights are working properly to signal your intentions ... read more

After driving our vehicle for several years, we're bound to get pretty attached to it. Cars take a lot of time and resources to maintain. A vehicle is considered high mileage once it begins to push past the 60k mile mark. High mileage vehicles need consistent maintenance to keep it lasting for as long as possible. Fall is the perfect time to give your car a little extra TLC. Below are five fall maintenance tips to keep your high mileage vehicle thriving through the winter.  Check the Transmission Fluid Most vehicles will need their transmission fluid changed every 60k to 100k miles depending on their driving habits. Healthy transmission fluid is essential because it serves as a lubricator for the transmission. The transmission has several fast-moving parts; keeping them lubricated allows them to move freely and effectively.  Check the Spark Plugs Spark plugs supply the infamous spark that ignites the fuel to help the engine produce energy. If you ... read more

That little “e” makes a big difference! If only one thing on the whole car can work properly, you want it to be the brakes. It doesn’t matter how well the car runs, how fast it is, how good it looks, or how cold the A/C is; if the vehicle can’t stop, you shouldn’t be on the road! So the question is, how do you know you can trust that when you press that brake pedal, your car will actually come to a stop? First of all, brakes are a wear item, meaning over time, most brake components do wear down and need replaced. Most people in the Auto Industry agree that brake pads last anywhere from 30,000 to 70,000 miles (sometimes more, sometimes less, it’s very dependent on how the driver brakes and road conditions). If you haven’t had your brakes checked within the past year or two, getting a basic inspection can not only allow you to financially plan for possible future investment in your brakes, but also give you peace of mind knowing you’ll be ... read more

Is it a term created by mechanics to help bring in business during a slow time of the year? At least that was my thought as a little kid when my parents got the car back from the mechanic. I was disappointed when it looked the same as when it went in! Being a young boy I expected (and hoped) the mini-van would come out looking beefed-up with chains on the tires, off-road lights on top, and a plow on the front. In reality, although nothing looked different, needed services were performed. Winters (at least here up north) can really take a toll on a car. The salt from the roads can do irreversible damage to a car’s frame, the cold puts a lot of strain on the moving parts, and water based fluids can freeze if they haven’t been kept up on. So what all should be inspected before snow starts coming? Tires. You’re going to have a difficult time just getting out of your driveway if there is a shortage of tread left. Even if you can get moving, you wa ... read more