Greenwood Village Auto Repair

Centennial area auto owners often ask the question: “Will using premium gas make my car run better?” The answer is simple. But first, let’s talk about premium gasoline; what is it, exactly? Different grades of gasoline have different octane ratings. Regular gasoline has the lowest octane rating and premium the highest. Most gas stations around Denver, 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 altitude differences. Engines require different octane ratings because of design differences. For example, turbocharged engines usually require premium gas. There’s a sticker on your gas tank filler lid that tells you the minimum octane rating your automobile manufacturer recommends. For help identifying the type of gasoline your engine needs, come by Davis Repair in Centennial: ... read more

So you have some exciting plans for your Colorado weekend. You’re going to take some of your 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. However, there is something even more essential than the cleanliness of the interior for your little road trip: you want to make sure that your truck maintenance is up to date. Think about it – heavy expressway traffic on the way out of Denver. There’s hilly terrain as you get to the lake. Some dirt roads – and it’s going to be pretty hot this weekend. And all the time you’ll be towing around several thousand extra pounds. That all adds up a lot of severe strain on your engine, brakes, and transmission. Let’s just consider the transmission. It’s going to be working overtime, spending more time in lower gears. The internal transmission temperature is going to be much higher than norm ... read more

When it comes to their vehicles, some Centennial drivers don’t have a maintenance mindset. You know you need to take care of your cars, but it just seems really hard to get in the habit of scheduling maintenance. Centennial drivers generally accept that many things in life require regular care, but haven’t applied this knowledge to maintaining your vehicles. For example: your lawn. You water it every other day and mow it every week. You weed the flower beds and rake the leaves. There are other things that Centennial residents are diligent about. Going to the dentist twice a year. Clothes to the dry cleaner. Flu shots. Taking your kids to their doctor for a checkup before school starts. So Centennial drivers really are maintenance minded. They just have to learn to apply that mindset to cars. I mean, if you never brush your teeth or go to the dentist, you’ll become painfully aware of your neglect when you get a big cavity ... read more

Local Denver roadside emergencies can range from a flat tire downtown to being stranded in a snowy ravine for three days. Admit it, our potholes are brutal! So you may want to consider a basic emergency kit to keep in the car at all times and a travel kit tailored to a specific trip. Your close-to-home kit for around Greenwood Village would have some basic items to work on your car: everything you need to change a tire, gloves, a couple quarts of oil, some antifreeze, and water. A can of tire inflator is a great temporary fix for minor flats. You’ll also want jumper cables or a booster box, flares, a flashlight, and some basic hand tools. Now for your comfort and safety: a first aid kit, drinkable water, high calorie food (like energy bars), blankets, toilet paper, cell phone (and emergency power pack), towel, hat, and boots. Keep some change for a pay phone, emergency cash, and a credit card. People who live in areas with frequent severe weather ... read more

4th of July weekend is here! Warm weather, long weekend and the road are calling, but before you hit the road for an Independence Day weekend trip, make sure you take a few minutes to check these: 1. Oil When the oil level drops too low (or just gets dirty), your engine is not lubricated properly and will wear quickly. If the oil is dark and old, be sure to change it before leaving. If you’ve changed it recently and the level is low, make sure to add the proper amount and check for leaks. 2. Tire Pressure Driving with low tire pressure reduces your fuel efficiency and increases the likelihood of a blowout. Imagine dealing with a blowout on E-470 at 75 mph in traffic… no thank you! Check your owner’s manual and make ... read more

Most auto owners don’t even think about their car air conditioning system unless it fails. That’s because many Centennial and South Denver motorists don’t really understand that auto A/Cs need periodic service. Let us share some of the reasons why they fail. First, like every machine, your car, truck, or SUV’s air conditioner parts need – you guessed it – lubrication. The lubricant is actually mixed in with the refrigerant (that’s the stuff that makes the air cold). Remember that even if the air conditioner is still blowing out cool air, the oil that lubricates the parts may be used up: and unlubricated parts can fail in any vehicle. Here’s a tip for Centennial motorists: Run your air conditioner every so often, even during our freezing Colorado winters. This circulates the lubricant to help keep the seals from drying out. The air conditioner actually removes some of the mois ... read more

Davis Repair is excited and proud to announce our participation in the Green Garage Challenge, which is a program in conjunction with the US EPA Energy Star program. With this program we get a load IQ smart meter so the program administrator can monitor our electrical use. If we go over our 10% savings target the administrator will notify us so we can evaluate our energy usage for that day. We are always looking for ways to reduce our environmental footprint. After we get training we will be able to offer customers an inspection and a green seal for their vehicle

Part of the engineering that goes into designing a vehicle includes testing its components to ensure that they meet durability and safety standards. Because of this, manufacturers have a good idea how long the parts in your vehicle will last under normal driving conditions. For this reason, they give us guidelines to follow regarding how often to inspect the various parts and systems on our cars, trucks, and SUVs. Vehicular components are required to meet certain standards. The government mandates some of these standards, while others are set by the auto industry. Recommended car maintenance schedules are designed to help motorists maintain these standards. Disregarding routine maintenance or procrastinating on preventive maintenance will result in lowered performance and reduced safety for any vehicle. Maintenance schedules are designed to ensure three areas of vital automotive performance for vehicle owners: protection of the vehicle itself, fuel economy, and safe ... read more

Imagine you’ve left Centennial 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 quickly. 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 wanted it. The dogs are all working as hard as before, but you’re covering less ground with the same effort. You’re wasting kibble. The same is true of your truck when the wheels are out of alignment. That wheel that’s pulling to the side is dragging down the rest of the vehicle; so you push a little harder on the gas pedal to keep up your speed. You’re wasting gas. So have your wheel alignment checked at least once a year. It is vital to get it checked right away if you feel the car pulling to one side. Sometimes we all bump a curb o ... read more

Centennial drivers’ current vehicles have over a century of engineering behind them. They have evolved into complex and powerful machines. Developments in their engines, however, have coincided with advances in many other vehicle components, including the fluids. It’s essential for Centennial car owners to always use the right type of fluid for their truck. Your service advisor and your owner’s manual are resources for auto advice on exactly what types of fluid your vehicle needs. Improper fluids can damage your vehicle and void your warranty. Some of the fluids that have changed significantly in recent years are cooling system fluid, brake fluid, transmission fluid and motor oil. Each of these comes in many varieties now, and it’s vital to know exactly which one your truck needs. Cooling systems were once made of iron, steel and rubber. One coolant could be used to protect all of the ... read more