Preparing Your Vehicle for the Worst
What should I do when my vehicle breaks down?
Ok, the worst has happened. Well, not the worst! A simple breakdown isn’t nearly as bad as a collision, but it can absolutely ruin your day. Knowing the difference between a minor issue and a major issue is important, and you want to have a good idea of how your vehicle feels when it’s in prime condition.
When you notice your vehicle starting to have problems, pull over before they worsen. Especially during the summer months when our temperatures regularly exceed 100 to 110 degrees. Pay attention to your vehicle’s temperature gauge and pull over if it’s spiking. Look for smoke coming out of the hood or exhaust and any strange sounds or feelings your vehicle produces.
If your vehicle does break down, pull over immediately if possible. If it is not, remove yourself from the vehicle and get to safety. When it is safe, return to the vehicle and push it to the side of the road, call your trusted auto repair center, and they will assist you.
How can I prepare my vehicle for a breakdown?
You can do a few things to prepare your vehicle for a breakdown. Here are some of our suggestions!
- Always have a spare tire
- Always have a jack & wrench to install your spare tire
- Make sure your vehicle’s fluids are topped off and healthy
- Pay attention to strange sounds and have them investigated
- Pay attention to strange smells and have them investigated
What are some things I should watch out for on the California Central Valley roads?
The California Central Valley has some unique obstacles you should consider during your drives. Our area is home to a huge amount of agricultural fields, being one of the fruits and veggie baskets of the United States!
Those same fields produce a lot of pollen, and our rural roads can be prone to water runoff and potholes. Make sure to look after your vehicle filters, especially your air filter, and be extra careful when navigating the agricultural areas. People tend to drive very fast down the backroads, and some are littered with potholes.
Stay safe on your summer road trips, and spend plenty of time with your family. Breakdowns happen to everyone; at some point, things go wrong. But if you follow some of these tips and make sure you have an auto repair center you trust, things shouldn’t be too bad!
Call Dick’s Automotive in Clovis, CA, when you experience a breakdown, and we will be there for you. We can set you up with a vehicle tow and assist you in the next steps. Don’t hesitate to contact us today, and please schedule an appointment via our website. Also, visit us on our Facebook page and get involved in our community!
Surviving a Breakdown
My Car Broke Down, What Do I Do?
We all know that at some point, our trusty vehicles will face hard times. Breakdowns are inevitable, and most of us have our own horror stories with them. Now, there are some things that we can do to help reduce the impact a breakdown has on us, and there are some things to consider as we move forward. This month, let’s look at what to do when our vehicle breaks down and how we can help prevent that in the future.
Who Do I Call?
Before you panic, there are plenty of people and companies out there willing to help. If you can’t drive your vehicle at all, call your insurance company. Any insurance company worth its weight will help you arrange a tow service to a trusted repair center of their choice. Of course, you can decide where your vehicle goes, but many insurance providers have repair vendors that they contract with.
We also suggest that you consider a AAA membership. AAA has different membership tiers, all of which come with their perks. Many of them include towing services, sometimes for more than 100 miles! Take it from us; this can really help reduce the burden and stress from a breakdown.
What Can I Do To Avoid A Breakdown In The Future?
This is where preventative maintenance and a healthy relationship with your trusted auto repair center of choice come in. It is so much easier to prevent a breakdown if you have a better picture of where your vehicle currently stands.
By that, we mean bringing your vehicle to an auto repair center and having them examine it for where you might want to invest some preventative care. Auto repair centers have some amazing ways of giving you a deeper picture of your vehicle, one you can’t easily see at home.
Some of the services and tools that an auto repair center might use include:
DVI – Digital Visual Inspections or Digital Vehicle Inspection (depending on who you ask) lets mechanics interface with you directly. Allowing them to attach detailed reports, photos, videos, and suggestions for future vehicle repairs. It gives you an ultra-deep and personal understanding of your vehicle’s current health.
Code Readers & Scanning Tools – While many people own a small code reader that they use at home, not a lot of people have the education to interpret the data they present. It is one thing to have the tool, but it is another thing to have the tool and the lifetime of experience to put that data to use!
Pre-Purchase Inspections – What’s worse than a breakdown? A breakdown in a used vehicle you just bought! We all know what a “Lemon” is (a car you buy, not knowing that it is actually in terrible condition), but it can be very difficult to actually spot what makes a ”Lemon.” A pre-purchase inspection includes a vast list of checkpoints and procedures that ensure you know exactly what you are buying; this will help you avoid a breakdown in the future.
So, stay safe on the roads and find yourself an auto repair center you can trust to help keep you safe. Breakdowns happen; we can’t avoid that, but we can minimize how often they happen by staying on top of our vehicle’s health and wellness!Bring your vehicle to Dick’s Automotive in Clovis, CA, and we will help give you an idea of where your vehicle currently stands. We can perform in-depth testing and provide you with a service schedule that should keep you on the road for many years to come. Don’t hesitate to contact us today, and please schedule an appointment via our website. Also, visit us on our Facebook page and get involved in our community!
Breathing New Life Into an Old Vehicle
How Can I Make An Old Vehicle Feel New?
Our vehicles are like our family members. They accompany us on all of life’s trials and tribulations, they see our successes, and they see our failures. Through it all, they get us from point-A to point B; over time, it takes a toll on our old friends. They deserve some attention and maybe a second shot at feeling young again.
As our vehicles age, their components wear down; for a myriad of reasons. Oxygen plays a negative role in a vehicle’s life. Steel oxidizes over time and loses its structural integrity. If you combine that with a lifetime of weather damage, water stress, and bouncing around, our old friends have seen better days. There are a couple of simple things you can do to breathe some new life into your old vehicle.
Replacing Your Filters & Fluids Will Breathe Life Into Any Vehicle.
Most of us know that it is important to replace our filters and fluids. However, simple upkeep like this gets overlooked, and it is even more important as your vehicle gets older, and interior components begin to wear down. You want the filters to keep harmful particulates out of your older vehicle components and fluids to remain clean and smooth. Doing so will help keep your older vehicle in its best condition and even breathe a bit of new life into it.
An Interior Detail Makes Your Car Feel New Again.
How many of us have gone our whole lives without ever paying for interior detailing in one of our vehicles? It makes so much sense that we should clean and care for our vehicle’s interior, but it is an easily overlooked expense when it comes time to pay for work. The exterior gets all of the attention, but we are here to tell you, it is worth it! A high-quality interior detail can include professional cleaning, polishing, buffing, vacuuming, and even shampooing! Shampooing your seats will have them looking (and smelling) like you remembered when you first bought them.
Take care of your old friend the same way they took care of you all these years. Consider it as a spa day for your vehicle; they are sure to be feeling great after these treatments. When it’s time to look after your filters and fluids, make sure you take your vehicle to a trusted auto repair shop.
Don’t hesitate to rely on Dick’s Automotive in Clovis, CA, when you need help breathing new life into your vehicle. The California Central Valley trusts us as their go-to family-owned and operated auto repair center in Clovis, CA. Please contact us today and make sure to schedule an appointment via our website. Also, visit us on our Facebook page and get involved in our community!
Day Trip Dates in The California Central Valley
February is all about spending time with the ones you love and showering your family with affection. With Valentine’s day just a couple of weeks away now is a great time to start planning something special. The Central Valley is full of all sorts of hidden gems that are just a short drive away; let’s find some of them together.
The California Central Valley is famous for its humble beginnings and hard-working people. A land built on the backs of blue-collar individuals with a dedication to friends and family. What better way to continue that tradition than to gather them up and visit some of the places that make us so special? Here are three amazing day trips in the California Central Valley:
Kings Canyon National Forest – One of the most beautiful places on the planet and quite under-visited, compared to Sequoia National Forest and Yosemite. Known as “The Land of The Giants,” you’ll find some of the biggest redwood trees on planet earth, towering waterfalls, pristine conifer forests as far as the eye can see, and charming mountain towns featuring fantastic food and drinks. This is not to be missed, and we suggest you make it #1 on your list!
Gilroy Garlic Festival – Get your garlic cravings out of the way for the whole year with this one! Just a 2-hour drive outside of Fresno, and you’ll find a town and festival dedicated to some of the best garlic on the planet. You’ll find all sorts of unique garlic treats and products that you won’t find anywhere else. Specifically, look for the garlic ice cream… that’s right…” garlic ice cream.” We guarantee that you won’t be seeing this one soon after you leave, haha!
Forestiere Underground Gardens – Ok, we snuck this one on the list! It isn’t technically a “day trip,” it is only about 15-20 minutes from Clovis, CA, but man, is it worth it! The gardens open again in mid-March; we suggest that you start planning your trip now because you won’t see anything like it outside of Fresno! A true underground garden built by one of Fresno’s most beloved residents. Baldassare Forestiere dug his underground wonderland out of pure hardpan with nothing but his willpower and strength, creating an underground labyrinth of old-world fruit trees and other plants. You gotta check this out!
Now, before you head out on one of these amazing day trips, let’s take a look at the vehicle! Nothing puts a stop to a day of fun faster than a breakdown. So make sure you have a team to back; so you and your family can spend your much-needed time together without any issues. Bring your vehicle to your trusted auto repair center of choice and get it ready for the fun ahead.
Don’t hesitate to visit Dick’s Automotive in Clovis, CA, when you need help getting ready for your day trip. Dick’s Automotive has been a fixture of the Clovis and Fresno communities for decades, focusing on high-quality work backed by integrity. Please contact us today and make sure to schedule an appointment via our website. Also, visit us on our Facebook page and get involved in our community!
You and Your Vehicle in the New Year
When you look back on 2021 and think of all the things you accomplished, how do you feel? This is the season of new beginnings and New Year’s resolutions, and why should we extend that to our vehicles? Everybody’s goals are different; this is a great time to sit down and plan out how to meet yours! Let’s not forget that our vehicles are the things that drive us to and from those goals; the better they function….the more we can do!
It’s all too easy to forget about our vehicles as we go about our days. The constant pressures of work, school, and family life put a big burden on our time. While this is okay in the short term, minor problems become prominent as the months add up. That is why we propose a three-step process to get ourselves back in line and set a future goal. We want to finish this year stronger than we started, so let’s get started!
- What Works and What Doesn’t? – This is the most critical step in the process; what isn’t working? Take a spin around your vehicle and see what could use improvement. Check your tire tread and ensure the tires look good. Check the windshield wipers for functionality. Check your oil and see if it needs service. Beyond that, have you noticed any squealing, grinding, sudden stops, or strange acceleration issues? You might have an issue with your brakes or transmission; you want to check that right away!
- How Can We Improve? – After we take care of the basics and look into the more serious things, what can we upgrade or improve in the coming year? Again, this is a great time to look at your tires and brakes! Consider investing in a quality set of both; it will pay off in the long run and keep you safe in the surprise Central Valley downpours.
- Dream Goals! – Now that we got the boring stuff out of the way, let’s dream big! What are the dream goals you have for your vehicles in the future? Have you always wanted to raise your truck? Maybe you want window tinting; to beat the Clovis heat this summer? Or, perhaps you want that brand new vehicle you have always dreamed of owning?! Whatever your desire is, take some time and plan to achieve that dream! Everything is attainable; you have to figure out the route to get there!
So, dare to dream this season and begin the steps to get you where you want to go. We know how stressful life can be, especially with this ongoing pandemic and all of the headaches that it brings. However, nothing makes a bad situation better, like achieving a goal you set long ago. Make sure to find an auto repair center that you can trust to help you with those pressing issues; as you find them.Come to Dick’s Automotive in Clovis, CA, when you need an auto repair center to help you meet your New Year’s vehicle resolutions. Dick’s Automotive is a family-run business serving the Clovis and Fresno community with high-quality care and service. Don’t hesitate to contact us and schedule an appointment today. Also, visit us on our Facebook page and say hi!
10 Holiday Gifts for the Car Lover in Your Life
The holiday season is here, and it’s time to get your car lover the gifts they wait for all year!
Shipping delays and shortages will be worse this year than last, so now is the time to start thinking about what to get your loved ones.
Finding the perfect gift for the vehicle fanatic in your family can be challenging. It can get confusing between the myriad options out there and not knowing precisely what they might like. So, we thought we would help you out by making a list of 10-holiday gifts for the car lover in your life.
- Dash-Mount – Not only is this a useful and affordable gift option, but it can also help keep your loved one safe on the road. It is all too easy to grab your phone and look directly down at it when using your GPS. A good dash-mount will position the phone in a safe location, making your GPS experience much safer.
- GPS – If you have a family member that loves the outdoors and wants access to detailed GPS maps, far off the beaten path. You can’t go wrong with a physical GPS. Garmin makes excellent options that are more detailed than what your phone GPS provides; beyond that, they don’t lose reception.
- Keychain Accessories – There are tons of cool keychain accessories out there. Some examples are door openers, window breakers (for emergencies), and customized keychain nametags. Google “keychain accessories” and look through all the cool stuff available.
- Emergency Kit – A roadside emergency kit can contain MREs, road flares, survival blankets, flashlights, batteries, and so much more. This is the perfect gift for anyone that likes to prepare.
- Key Finder – There is nothing more frustrating than losing your keys with no way to find them. Brands like “Tile” make key finders with embedded GPS locators you can access from an app on your phone. Say goodbye to the endless mornings searching for your keys.
- Trunk Organizer – This is perfect for the person that likes to have everything in its designated spot or for someone who has trouble finding things when they need them. Trunk organizers are a great way to keep your vehicle sorted.
- Tire Inflator – Tools and gadgets have come a long way in the last 5-10 years. We now have access to affordable wireless tire inflators that are the shape and size of your household drill.
- Car Care Kit – Armor All makes a great “Premier Car Care Kit” that will satisfy the vehicle lover in your family. The kit costs around $40 and contains everything you need to detail the inside and outside your vehicle.
- Car-Guy Shirts – Nothing says “car-guy” like some vehicle merchandise. Find out what your loved ones’ favorite vehicle brands are and find some cool swag for them to wear.
- Vacuum Cleaner – Portable vacuum cleaners are now available in models that run off our vehicle’s power sources. You can charge them with your cigarette lighter and USB ports, and they run wirelessly. This is a great gift for someone who cares about the appearance of their vehicle’s interior and wants to keep it looking brand new.
Hopefully, some of these options get your gears turning and help you decide on a fun gift for the car lover in your life. Don’t wait too long to order; shipping delays are here, and item shortages will likely worsen. Take some time now to order your gifts so that they will be here in time. Beyond that, visit your local certified auto repair center if you need help getting to the holiday party this year.
So, before heading to the holiday dinner, visit Dick’s Automotive in Clovis, CA! Contact us to schedule an appointment today to meet our passionate crew of master technicians! Also, visit us on our Facebook page and say hi!
How to Handle Thanksgiving Travel
Thanksgiving in the California Central Valley conjures up images of autumn leaves by the roadside, persimmon cookies in the oven, and cinnamon-scented candles in a family home. The holiday season is a time to snuggle up and enjoy each others’ company. Winter weather sneaks up on us in California; it’s best to get a handle on it ahead of the Holiday season!
The colder months in California’s Central Valley remain relatively dry most of the time, but winter conditions can and do creep in! The abundance of farmland surrounding us means we are susceptible to washed-out roads and flash floods in farming areas. All that tilled earth makes for an excellent mud soup recipe, haha! So before you head out to spend time with family, check out our ideas on how to handle Thanksgiving travel!
Prepare a Road Kit – A road kit is a bag, container, or loose collection of items that keep you prepared in case of an emergency or unplanned event! It does rain in the central valley, and sometimes we aren’t prepared for the situation. Some ideas of things to have in a road kit include: flashlights, batteries, space blankets, flares, paper towels, Fix-a-Flat, ice scrapers, etc.
Check Your Spare Tire – This is a great time to take a look at your spare tire and make sure it is ready for you if you need it! Check your spare tire’s pressure and fill it to the proper PSI; if it needs it. If you don’t have a spare tire, consider purchasing one, so you can be prepared for the road ahead. Nobody wants to get stranded with a flat, sitting on the side of the road, missing the thanksgiving turkey, haha!
Check Your Lights – Our lights are easy to overlook in our daily routine, but it is never more important than on those long road trips to visit family and friends! Inspect your headlights, fog lights, brakes lights, turn signals, and interior car lights. If any of them are out, make sure to replace them before you and the family head out this Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving is full of fun, food, and fantastic time with family and friends. However, nothing puts a stop to all that faster than getting stuck on the side of the road waiting for a tow truck to change your tire! Keep you and your family safe this holiday season by double-checking some of the things we listed here, and consider having your vehicle inspected by a trusted auto center before the trip!
If you need help getting your car ready for the Thanksgiving get-together, visit Dick’s Automotive in Clovis, CA! We pride ourselves on providing the best quality service in the Clovis/Fresno area, and we would love to help you and your family safely hit the road. Contact us to schedule an appointment today, and we will make sure you and your family hit the road safely this Thanksgiving!
Why Preventative Maintenance Matters
I am sure we have all heard the saying “Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance”. Well, that saying applies to your vehicle’s preventive maintenance, too! You can save yourself a lot of stress and money by staying on top of your vehicle’s basic needs.
Just like us, our vehicles have an anatomy of systems– wiring instead of arteries, suspension instead of muscles, and a chassis instead of bones. Both are a physical structure that keeps us and our vehicles moving forward. Our bodies heal with rest and energy, but cars have no such self-repairing ability. Preventative maintenance is necessary to keep your vehicle performing under pressure!
Keeping your vehicle fed, watered, and cleaned is important in maintaining its health year-round! Just like we take care of animals and ourselves, we want to take care of our vehicles the same way. Your vehicle runs on a complicated network of fluids, belts, hoses, and physical machinery that all work in concert to get you where you need to go. Here are four reasons preventative maintenance should matter to you:
- It keeps you safe – Staying on top of your brake maintenance, tire maintenance, and fluids will keep you and your family safe! Rainy conditions can sneak up on us in the Central Valley, so make sure your vehicle is ready for all the weather conditions it might encounter.
- It saves you money – It all comes down to saving you money in the end! The closer you pay attention to keeping your vehicle healthy day-to-day, the less likely you are to have those major expenses in the future. You might feel like you are saving money at the moment by not fixing the little things as they pop up. However, those little things become big when they ultimately lead to systems crashing, transmission issues, and actual collisions in the worst-case scenario!
- It gets you where you need to go – Importantly, preventative maintenance makes sure that your vehicle keeps doing what it is supposed to do, transferring you from Point-A to Point-B. In the end, our car is there to get us places; if it isn’t taken care of, we ain’t goin’ nowhere, haha!
- It keeps your vehicle healthy – Keeping your vehicle’s fluids clean, topped off, and regularly changed makes sure that its internal processes function properly. Beyond that, making sure its belts and hoses are properly maintained prevents you from incurring major expenses in the future!
Preventative maintenance might seem like a pain in the rear, but it helps you avoid pain in the wallet later on! We suggest that you stay on top of the regular things. Check your tire pressure, check your tire tread, keep an ear out for brakes squeaking, and have your hose and belts examined. Hopefully, this list helps you consider preventative maintenance in the future and why it is so important!
When considering preventative maintenance on your vehicle, there is nobody better for the job than Dick’s Automotive in Clovis, Ca! Our seasoned team of ASE-Certified Auto Technicians brings decades of experience keeping vehicles on the road to you and your family. Contact us today and schedule an appointment to check your belt, hoses, tires, fluid, and more. We look forward to meeting you and inviting you to be a part of the Dick’s Automotive family!
Brakes Equal Safety: Warning Signs You Won’t Want To Miss
Many of us purchase our vehicles based on their vehicle safety rating and how likely they are to keep us safe in the event of an accident. A crucial part of that puzzle is the type of brakes you have and their health. There are several different brake systems available today, and they all require some level of service at one time or another. You might be surprised that many people don’t know what to look for or listen for when diagnosing a potential problem with their brakes.
A lot of factors go into keeping your brakes functioning at their top level. Like a puzzle, the brake system is complicated and includes many interconnected parts that rely on each other to function correctly. The brake fluid, brake pads, discs, rotors, etc., all work together in perfect harmony to keep you and your family safe. Your vehicle’s brake system is complicated, and something as seemingly simple as topping off brake fluid can be much more tricky than you think. We want you to be safe on the road, so we compiled a list of some of the more common problems you might encounter with your brakes.
Here are some warning signs you will want to be on the lookout for before you head out:
- Brake Light On: This might seem obvious to most people, but we know well that clients often overlook problems as “a simple light that will go away on its own.” However, we strongly recommend that you take this seriously. It could be the first sign of a dangerous issue in the future!
- Grinding, Scraping, or Squealing: You might encounter either one of these issues. Both are clear-cut signals that you need to service your brakes or replace them as soon as possible.
- Slow to Stop: You press on your brakes, but your vehicle doesn’t respond the way it used to. It takes longer to stop, or worse, you might have to pump your brakes to get the car to stop. Again, it would be best if you had your brakes examined as soon as possible.
- Shaking or Jerking: Your vehicles may shake as your brakes begin to fail, causing a noticeable shaking of the steering wheel. You may also feel a jerking sensation as one side of your vehicle’s brakes fail while the others remain functional.
- Leaking Fluid: Any time your vehicle is leaking fluid, you want to have it looked at immediately, especially in the case of leaking brake fluid. Leaking brake fluid can be challenging to identify by simply looking at it, so we strongly suggest that you bring your vehicle to have our auto mechanics look at it.
Now that the weather is cooling down, many of us are looking for weekend trip ideas and ways to get away with the family. The California Central Valley’s best day trips, like Yosemite, Sierra National Forest, and Kings Canyon National Park, involve steep uphill and downhill drives. You might even encounter wet or muddy driving conditions, the types of driving conditions that can be very taxing on your brake system. We want to be sure that we know what to look for if something begins to go wrong in these moments.
So, before you and the family take that road trip to Yosemite, you are going to want to make sure that your brakes are serviced and functioning properly. Contact us if you have any questions regarding issues with your brakes, and we can schedule an appointment. Our ASE-certified auto mechanics at Dick’s Automotive will make sure you and your family hit the road safely!
Upcoming Specials
It’s time for our August blog, and we want to bring you an upcoming special you won’t want to miss out on! Here at Dick’s Automotive, we offer superior auto service and want you to leave our shop with your vehicle in perfect condition. For our upcoming special, we would like to offer 10% off any air conditioning servicing your vehicle may need.
If you have a newer car made in 2017 or beyond, your new A/C system runs on an expensive refrigerant (1234YA?) that costs $100 per ounce! We will take 10% off the labor to help you save some money but still have your system serviced with this discount. With the heat waves and expensive refrigerants, you don’t want to risk having a leak in your car’s A/C system.
If you want to take advantage of this special offer, we encourage you to schedule an appointment today or come by our shop at 1550 Tollhouse Rd, Clovis, CA, 93611. We want to inspect your vehicle to be sure your car is in perfect condition when hitting the road. Take advantage of this limited time offer and come by today for professional and courteous service!
