Posted on Thursday26July 2012
Sometimes we hear people in Centennial say, "What's up with all this maintenance stuff? Modern cars just don't break down." While it is true that today's vehicles are extremely reliable, they are also becoming increasingly complicated and use more exotic materials than ever before. All that complexity demands higher tolerances for everything. For example, most Centennial drivers don't realize how high tech automotive fluids have become, fluids such as engine oil, transmission fluid, coolant and brake fluid.Did you know that a modern engine would not run for more than a few months using motor oil formulas from 30 years ago? Today's automotive fluids contain a much higher percentage of additives to protect your vehicle's components from premature wear and corrosion. Time and distances march on for all of our cars. Please don't think we're using scare tactics to get you to take care of your maintenance - but here are some personal stories we've heard ... read more
Posted on Tuesday17July 2012
All Colorado pilots have checklists for every aspect of flying. They always use their checklists even if they only have two steps on them. They do this simply because a checklist is a great way to not forget steps. It is also how they can assure a predictable outcome. That is why Centennial automotive service centers including Davis Automotive Repair have procedural standards for each service they perform. Davis Automotive Repair technicians are trained step by step. And they perform the procedures step by step, the same way each time. By training to procedural standards, Colorado service centers can assure a quality outcome. The job is done right every time and Centennial customers leave happy with how their vehicle performs. Each company trains its technicians to standards. The Colorado automotive industry as a whole is very committed to standards of excellence and encourages individual Colorado service center operators to apply them to every vehicle they ... read more
Posted on Friday13July 2012
Like everything in the Colorado automotive market, there have been great strides in headlight technology in recent years. Colorado drivers can be safer at night because of it. Good headlights improve visibility on Centennial roads, enabling you to see farther. They also improve your peripheral vision, helping you to see the sides more clearly. The more you can see, the more quickly you can react to road conditions. This is because nearly half of traffic fatalities take place at night. And as Centennial resident population ages, everything that helps older eyes is welcome.Most new vehicles sold in Colorado come with halogen headlamps. A decade ago, halogens were exotic and expensive. Now that they are standard equipment, the price has come way down. Many luxury cars are equipped with high intensity discharge, or HID, headlamps. You have probably seen them on some Centennial roads; they're very bright and have a bluish tint.From behind the wheel, there is no do ... read more
Posted on Friday06July 2012
Today, we are talking about your PCV valve. Unburnt fuel is forced into the crankcase as your engine runs. The PCV (positive crankcase ventilation) valve vents this unburnt fuel and oil vapors from the crankcase and sends it back into the air intake system to be burned in the engine. A clogged PCV will not allow these vapors to escape. This can dilute and contaminate the oil, leading to damaging engine oil sludge. It can also cause vehicle engine corrosion, something we see occasionally at Davis Automotive Repair. At high speeds on Colorado freeways, the pressure can build up to the point that gaskets and seals start to leak. Back in the old days, vehicles were simply installed with a hose that vented these gases out into the atmosphere. But starting in the 1964 model year, environmental protection laws required that these gases be recycled back into the air intake system to be mixed with fuel and burned in the vehicle's engine.This is much better for ... read more