People in Aurora Colorado often ask the question: “Will using premium gas make my car run better?” The answer is simple. But first, let’s talk about what exactly premium gasoline is. Different grades of gasoline have different octane ratings. Regular gasoline has the lowest octane rating and premium the highest. Most gas stations around Aurora Colorado also carry a mid-grade that falls in between the two. The octane range for the different grades of gas varies by region due to…

Your browser does not support video Improved fuel economy has two benefits: less fuel is necessary and fewer emissions are released. Centinial cars and trucks run cleaner than ever. Centinial car owners may not realize that the first federally mandated pollution control device came out almost fifty years ago. Colorado car owners that were around in the early 60′s may remember that the PCV valve came out on 1964 model cars. PCV stand for Positive Crankcase Ventilation. The crankcase is…

Have you ever had an experience like this in Aurora Colorado? You drive through the one of those automatic car washes. When you get to the end, where the dryer is blowing, your check engine light started flashing! You fear the worst, but within a block or two, the light stopped flashing, but stayed on. By the next day, the light was off. You wonder; “What was going on?” Well, it’s actually a good lesson in how the Check Engine…

There are a surprising number of small, inexpensive parts that can lead to expensive engine damage when they fail. It doesn’t seem right. Fortunately a lot of those things can be taken care of in routine maintenance. They may not be easy to remember, because it is a long list, but your service center at Good Hands Auto Care can help you know what’s scheduled to be taken care of. Some of us in Aurora Colorado really don’t look forward…

Most folks around Aurora have had a flat tire. You know it’s inconvenient and a pain. Our tires are important. Keeping them in good working order isn’t just a big safety issue – it also has a financial impact. With high gas prices, we’ve all heard about the importance of keeping proper tire pressure to save on gas. In addition, proper inflation promotes even tread wear so your tires last longer. There’s another danger to under-inflated tires. Low tire pressure…

Screeching tires, crunching metal – it’s an accident! If you’ve ever been in a car accident in Denver, even a minor one, you know how upsetting it can be. It’s hard to think straight and know what to do. Let’s review what you should do in case of an accident: When an accident occurs, you should always stop. Leaving the scene of an accident in Aurora is considered a crime – even if it’s not your fault. And hit and…

When your sedan has a problem, or just needs some routine service, you might get a little nervous. Your car’s so important to your life in Aurora, you need to back on the road as soon as possible – with the problem fixed right the first time. If you’ve ever checked into some of the technician training Good Hands Auto Care professionals receive, you may be surprised at how much specialized knowledge and skill goes into diagnosing and repairing a…

We live in such a disposable society. It’s amazing all the stuff we throw away. New stuff comes out so fast, we just toss the old and move on. In the old days people were real sticklers about taking care of their things. If something got lost or ruined by neglect, tough – they had to do without. Most people couldn’t afford new cars very often, so they had to make them last as long as they could. It’s a…

Good brakes are obviously very important. If you’ve ever had your brakes go out while you’re driving around the Denver area, you’ll know how terrifying it can be. Today we’ll focus on how to tell when you have a brake problem, and how to make good repair choices. Often, the first indication that something’s wrong with the brakes is an unusual sound. It could be a squeal, chatter or grinding sound. Some brake pads have a little piece of metal…

There are some things Denver consumers should know about Aurora automotive service and repair. First and foremost, Good Hands Auto Care cares about you and your family’s safety. And we really appreciate your business. Good Hands Auto Care in Aurora wants to build a trusting relationship that becomes the foundation for a mutually beneficial experience for years to come. Building on that foundation, there are some things that would help you understand the auto service and repair business better. First,…

We’re living in a disposable society. Everything from elaborate packaging to our clothing. Even cell phones are disposable. When replacement is cheaper than repair, the term “built to last” goes by the wayside. An exception is our vehicles. They’re still a very big investment and we want to make them last as long as possible – and we want to make keeping them as cheap as possible. When talking cars, it’s all about preventive maintenance. There is an old saying…

Your cooling system is very important. It circulates coolant through the radiator and your engine to protect your car from overheating. There are five main components to the cooling system: the radiator the radiator cap the hoses the thermostat and the water pump The water pump’s like the heart of your cooling system, circulating the fluid throughout. It’s a small pump that’s driven by the engine; usually by belt, but sometimes by a chain or gear. The water pump only…

If you’re gonna drive around the Denver area, you’ve got to be able to see! So having a good pair of windshield wipers is extremely important. We’ve all experienced the frustration and fear of not being able to see clearly during a storm, or when our windshield is just dirty. It seems like your wiper blades are always at their worst when you need them the most. But windshield wipers are like most other vehicle parts– they require regular attention…

Looking at getting some new tires? The choices at Parker tire stores can be a little overwhelming. Suppose you have an SUV and are trying to decide between all season tires or some that are also rated for off-highway. Do you get off the payment on the outskirts of Parker more than most? If so, some additional off-road traction would be nice. Maybe the real reason for wanting those off-highway tires is that they look cool. Well there’s nothing wrong…

Bad air quality while you’re driving around Littelton is nothing to sneeze at. But seriously, more and more vehicles these days come equipped with a cabin air filter. Since they’re fairly new on the scene, a lot of folks don’t know about them yet. These filters clean the air in the passenger compartment, or cabin, of your car or truck. They do the same job as the furnace filter you have at home. They can filter out particles as small…

When I was a kid in Aurora, my dad always made sure he took the cars in for Spring and Fall checkups. I was telling a friend that it’s about time to get into Good Hands Auto Care for my checkup and he said that he read on the internet that modern cars don’t need seasonal service. My friend is (technically) right about some things, but from a practical standpoint, a seasonal check up still makes sense. Back when my…

You may know that most automotive failures in Aurora Colorado are tire related, but do you know the second most common cause for vehicle failure? Nope, it’s not teenagers. It is the coolant system. But, if you take good care of your coolant system, it will take good care of you. A car’s engine creates a lot of heat – so much heat, that if it is not properly cooled, the engine can lock up, resulting in massive damage and…

Warm weather or cold, Aurora drivers still need to think about their sedan’s air conditioning. Most Aurora people don’t service their air conditioning until after it fails. At Good Hands Auto Care, we can advise you on your vehicle manufacturer’s preventive maintenance schedules for air conditioning service, just as we do for transmission service, oil changes and so on. Maintaining your air conditioning system means that you always have enough refrigerant to properly do the job. Small leaks in the…

With high fuel prices in Aurora Colorado comes lots of gas saving advice. Some of it, like what you hear on AutoNetTV, is really great. Some is myth. And some is just designed to prey on Aurora Colorado people desperate to save some money on gas. When you get one of those e-mails that’s going around telling you how to save gas, try to think it through. Does it really make sense? Does it defy the laws of physics? Do…

High gas prices in Aurora have hit most of our budgets. You’ve probably budgeted a certain amount for vehicle related stuff. Increased fuel costs are now consuming a bigger portion of that budget and you may be tempted to skimp in some other areas – like scheduled maintenance. According to news reports and industry studies, you’re not alone. Nine out of ten personal vehicles on the road have at least one maintenance or repair item that hasn’t been done. Some…

One might say the most challenging part of being an automotive service technician at Good Hands Auto Care in Aurora Colorado is diagnosing a problem before it can be fixed. Cars are made up of a bunch of complex systems. There usually could be a number of reasons for any given symptom. So it’s challenging to track down the actual cause of the problem. And it can be frustrating for the vehicle owner because it can take time and money…

Most of our Parker clients want to save on gas and seek our advice on improving fuel economy. At Good Hands Auto Care, we are frequently asked, however, just how much money Parker motorists can actually save. Well the US government has a website dedicated to helping us use less fuel. It presents the cost savings in a way Parker car owners can relate to and is relevant for all vehicles. Let me give you an example: Having your sedan…

Hello Centinial, let’s talk about brakes. Braking, as all Centinial drivers know, is slowing or stopping a vehicle. As you can imagine, brakes are engineered to work well on a particular vehicle application. For example, you would expect more powerful brakes on a heavy-duty pickup that routinely hauls big loads and pulls trailers, than you would on a compact car. And a Corvette that can go over 180 miles per hour would have much different braking needs than the family…

Getting enough fuel to your engine is very important for performance, fuel economy and safety. In order to accomplish this, your fuel system needs to be clean. Today’s production cars have fuel injectors, rather than a carburetor. The injectors need to be cleaned from time to time in order to deliver the fuel with the correct pressure, spray pattern and volume. You can buy fuel system cleaners that you just pour into your gas tank that can help maintain an…

So you have some exciting plans for the Colorado weekend. You’re going to take some of your Aurora, Colorado friends out on the boat for some water skiing. Of course, you’ve gotten the boat all ready. And you haven’t forgotten about your tow vehicle. You’ve gassed it up and even vacuumed it out. But you want to make sure that your sedan maintenance is up to date. Think about it – heavy traffic on the way out of Aurora. There’s…

A recent report stated that over 80 percent of the vehicles on our Aurora Colorado roads have one or more service or repair that’s needed, but hasn’t been taken care of. Now that’s a lot of undone service. That translates into something over 160 million vehicles in the U.S. alone. Some of the neglected items are minor. Others are serious safety concerns. There are several reasons why we hesitate to take care of recommended services; especially services that our Aurora…

If you’ve walked through the automotive fluids of an auto parts store in Denver, you’ll know how overwhelming the sheer number of products available can be. How do you know what’s right for your vehicle? As you know, these fluids all serve a function in making your car run as you drive around the Denver area. Your vehicle manufacturer has specified a particular type of fluid for every system from the motor, to the cooling system, brake fluid and so…

Your browser does not support video Today in our Good Hands Auto Care blog, we’re going to talk about following recommended service intervals. Your sedan isn’t the only aspect of your life in Aurora with recommended intervals: Let’s start with twice yearly dental cleaning. And physical exams. How about laundry, mowing the lawn and paying the bills? Now, what would happen if you didn’t follow these intervals? Well, you’d get more cavities. You’d probably not become aware of health issues…

Imagine you’ve left Aurora and you’re up in the arctic on a dog sled. Your dog team is pulling straight and true. You can cover a lot of ground fast. Now imagine what would happen if one or two of the dogs wanted to go their own way and were pulling off to the side. That would slow you down. You would have to work harder to keep the sled going where you want it. The dogs are all working…

If you’re like most of us in Aurora, you want your car to handle well. That’s the job of your suspension system. There are different types of suspension systems, but they all work on the same basic principles. First, there are the springs, which bear the weight of the car. The most common springs are coil or leaf – although we see air springs and torsion bars more often. The springs do most of the work. Visit our Aurora location…

DO NOT POST THIS VIDEO – THIS NEEDS AN EDIT FROM LANCE. THE VIDEO CONTAINS INFORMATION THAT NEEDS ADJUSTING. -CARY This fuel saving tip is so simple, no one from here to Parker will believe it. It has to do with your gas cap. The first thing is to make sure it’s screwed on tight. If it’s loose, gas vapor will be constantly leaking out; wasted gas. This could cause the check engine light to come on as well. A…

If you’re a quart low in your sedan, there isn’t enough motor oil to lubricate your engine properly. The extra friction causes drag that reduces fuel economy while you’re driving around the Denver area. The same goes for dirty oil; it doesn’t reduce friction properly. The result is you get to watch those numbers at your local Denver gas pump rolling higher and higher. The transmission also needs the proper amount of clean fluid to do its work. When it’s…

No one in Aurora Colorado likes high fuel prices. But if one good thing has come about, it’s that people are really focused on how to reduce their fuel consumption. North Americans literally drive billions of miles less each month during times of high fuel prices. But we still need to drive, so it makes sense to try and increase our fuel economy however we can. Let’s look at a real life example of one of our AutoNetTV producers. He…