Boulder Auto Repair

People in Boulder have been hearing a lot about higher oil change intervals these days. Maybe you’re wondering: What are the key issues? Some new vehicle manufacturers in Boulder are now recommending much higher oil change intervals than they have in the past. As much as 5,000 to 8,000 miles or more. This practice came under scrutiny when four of the largest new car manufacturers announced that owners like those in Boulder were experiencing engine damage resulting from these higher oil change intervals. The manufacturers’ standard oil drain service for particular vehicles was scheduled at around 7,500 miles. People following these recommendations were experiencing engine damage. It turns out that oil sludge was building up. This caused small oil passages to clog and engine parts to fail. What causes oil sludge? It’s a factor of time and mileage. There are hot spots in every engine that cause oil burn off that leads to ... read more

Remember snow tires? They were basically just regular tires with big, knobby lugs to get them through deep snow. They were loud and rode hard, and Boulder drivers couldn’t wait to get them off the car. Then along came television advertisements for “all-season” radials. CO motorists ran out and bought some and we thought we were done with snow tires forever. Tires have come a long way since then. Modern winter tires sold in the Eldorado Springs area are much better designed for the wide range of dangerous conditions that come with CO winter weather. They are made with a rubber compound that helps them stay flexible in cold weather. Regular tires become hard and stiff at Boulder temperatures below 45°F, which reduces their traction. That’s an important concern in winter, especially with snowy or wet Boulder conditions. But it also means that Boulder auto owners are better off with winter tires in cold weather even when it’s dry. The tread design on wint ... read more

Unless you live in Death Valley, you really don’t hear much any more about cars overheating. That’s because cooling systems in vehicles have been much improved. That doesn’t mean you can’t overheat your family car engine, though. Without proper preventive maintenance, you could still find yourself on the side of the expressway in Boulder waiting for your family car engine to cool down. When you service your cooling system at John’s Auto Care, your technician will check the condition of the coolant. It can become corrosive over time, which can damage a radiator — leading to an overheated engine. Changing the coolant periodically is good car care. Your family car owner’s manual can give you guidelines on how often to replace it. If your engine overheated, your cheerful service professional will also check your coolant system for leaks. Che ... read more

So what is the most distracting food to have in the car while driving around Boulder?Is it:A Hamburger;Coffee;A Soft Drink, orGummy Bears?Well, you may be surprised to learn that all but the gummy bears are in the top ten most distracting foods when you are driving, but if you chose ‘coffee’, then give yourself an extra two points; coffee is the number one food distraction for drivers in Boulder and around the country. Food distractions cause 25 percent of all car accidents; over a million and a half each year! You’ll notice that all of the top ten distracting food items are messy. Messy foods are the type of food you might spill (very distracting!), then try to clean up (a safe-driving impossibility!). If you gotta eat on the run, take five-then drive. You’ll thank yourself later for two reasons, one being that you can actually relax for just a moment in our fast-paced world, and the other is that you won ... read more

Some of us Boulder drivers just love tires. All those little rubber hairs on new tires and the smell is wonderful. Boulder motorists live in a great time for tires. No matter how you drive between Boulder and Eldorado Springs, where you want to go or the look you’re after; there is a tire for you. The same is true about wheels. The hardest part for Boulder motorists is choosing from the thousands of wheels available at CO tire shops. The team at John’s Auto Care may not be able to help with that, but we can help you get some things in mind before you consult with your Boulder tire professional. Let’s start with function and think about how you drive. For example, maybe you have a large SUV but you don’t drive off-road around Boulder, so an off-road tread isn’t important. Also, because you are not out bouncing over rocks in the CO backcountry, you don’t need a high profile tire to protect your rims. So that means you can probably go with the low-wide ... read more