Category Archives: Automotive

Automotive Service To Winterize Your Vehicle 2 Components Overlooked!

To winterize their vehicle, most people are aware of the major parts or components of a vehicle that should be inspected during an automotive service, such as oil changes, tires, transmissions, and brakes. However, there are 2 other components that often get overlooked until they fail, leading to an inconvenient and costly automotive repair.
What are these 2 components? Belts and Hoses!

Your cars belts and hoses are essential to the interior heating system, electrical system, and engine. Dont take the routine replacement intervals of these small parts for granted or neglected during an automotive service, because they can fail unexpectedly and leave you stranded by the side of the road. This is especially annoying and even dangerous in winter driving when the temperatures are below freezing.
What is their purpose?

* Timing Belt This belt keeps the crankshaft and camshaft mechanically synchronized to maintain engine timing. Whether its the serpentine, V-belt or fan belt (the belts on the outside of the engine), they all transmit power from the front of the engine to accessories that need to be driven, such as the heating system, air conditioning, and the charging system and fans.
* Hoses Radiator and heater hoses carry coolant to and from the engine, radiator and heater core. They carry heated water to your cars interior heater which keeps the interior of your car warm when it is freezing outside.

Typical symptoms of wear and tear that are indicators to schedule an automotive service as soon as possible are

* You start to see fluid leaks on your garage floor
* The dashboard light flashes
* You hear squeaking noises coming from under the hood during start-up, or while driving.

Are you looking for expert automotive service? To keep your car rolling down the road, contact our ASE Certified Technicians today by calling (406) 248-2838, or go on-line to www.pricesprecisionauto.com for more information. They will be happy to help you with your car tune up services. Our Tech-Net professional auto repair shop in Billings, MT, also serves vehicle owners in the areas of Shepherd and Laurel, MT.

Car parts and Automotive equipment – How the Oil Pump Works

Automotive enthusiasts are well aware of the importance of each specific car part as it pertains to the overall working vehicle. However, men and women who are new to the world of automotive equipment may be curious as to how some of these important automotive parts pertain to the automobile’s inner workings.

One of the most important car parts in circulation is the oil pump. In most cases, the oil pump is located above the oil pan inside the engine. The oil pump is actuated by gears located on the end of the crankshaft or on the end of the distributor. As the engine turns, the gears inside the oil pump rotate and the pump cycles oil.

One of the most important components of this all encompassing automotive equipment is the pickup tube. In most cars, the pickup tube is located at the end of the oil pump and sits in the oil pan. As the pump operates, the spinning of the gears creates a vacuum that lifts oil out of the oil pan and distributes it throughout the engine.

The oil in the car’s engine is designed to both cool and lubricate the automobile’s inner workings. However, if the oil of the oil pan is too low, the pickup tube will be unable to distribute oil, thereby causing the engine to overheat and bind.

Another vital component in the automotive arsenal, as it pertains to the oil pump, is the screen filter. The screen filter is one of those all-important car parts designed to keep the engine running smoothly without contamination. In simple terms, a screen filter is a mesh screen designed to filter contaminants in sludge out of the oil before they can reach the engine and cause harm to the automobile. The screen filter is important for maintaining valid oil pressure. Over time, automotive screen filters can become clogged with debris and sludge. For this reason, regular oil changes are important for maintaining a healthy engine.

Mechanics and enthusiast seeking automotive equipment and car parts to complete oil pump installation will find it beneficial to shop online for some of the best prices and highest quality equipment on the market. Shopping online for automotive equipment is simple. All one needs is the year and model of the car in question and a list of each of the required car parts. Not only will you save money and time, but you will also find the convenience of “at your door delivery” to be a huge bonus.

Tools Used To Conduct Automotive Marketing Research

Marketing research is conducted by almost very automotive industry to understand market trends and potential customers. A major purpose of marketing research is to find answers for questions and thus to acquire new or updated knowledge. Today’s automotive manufacturing firms conduct comprehensive marketing research to enhance management decision-making by using relevant, accurate and timely information. Automotive marketing research has thus become a crucial part in management decision making.
Automotive marketing research has been conducted to:

Identify customers

Understand needs and requirements of customers

Find out how and where the customers want the products or service

Discover at what price customers will purchase products

Finding answers for these questions helps automotive manufacturing firms to formulate appropriate product development strategies. Information gathered from marketing research need to be analyzed and used while designing and manufacturing new products or before making any modification to existing product line.
Lack of time and strict time schedule always restrict manufacturing firm to conduct automotive marketing research before launching a new product. Mostly, manufacturers develop products without understanding the actual needs of customers; this might result in the fail of products in markets and thus impart huge loss to manufacturing firm. However, service of marketing research companies can be effectively utilized to carry out marketing research. These companies conduct marketing research and find answers for research problems on behalf of their clients.
Marketing research companies collect data from potential customers by conducting or participating in:
Car clinics – Car clinics are the most effective automotive marketing research tool used by marketing researchcompanies to collect data. These companies conduct car clinics in various parts of countries to collect useful information from large numbers of show attendees.
Drive studies – Marketing research companies design and execute open course drive studies and closed course drive studies to collect feedback related to comfort, ride and handling, and powertrain issues. These kinds of feedback are highly valuable for new product development.
Auto show research – Automobile event research is one of the cost effective tools used to collect information on display evaluations, new product designs, feedback on concept vehicles and new technologies etc.
Online research – marketing research companies conduct different kinds of online surveys to collect information related to topics like new product development, pricing research, styling studies, customer satisfaction and so on. They mail a well designed questionnaire to potential customers and thus seek answers to various research questions. Online research is one of the cost effective and efficient automotive marketing research tool used to collect feedback from large number of customers instantly.
Along with the above tools, marketing research companies also collect information over phone. All these automotive marketing tools have high relevance in obtaining accurate and updated customer feedback. Moreover, information thus collected provides a complete knowledge on the likes and desires of potential customers. This knowledge helps a manufacturing firm to design and develop new products by incorporating new features. Launching products with required features helps manufacturing firm to achieve competitive advantage and also to improve sale.

Musings On Automotive Transmission Maintenance And Repair In Tampa

Automotive transmission is one of the most expensive of the various car repair procedures a vehicle will be needing in its service life. Any auto service mechanic can tell you this. Its cost is not even close to what you may have spent on your auto AC repair. If you think that engine repair and brakes repair are so much more expensive than auto AC repair, just wait till you learn how much you will have to shell out for automotive transmission repair.

Early and frequent automotive transmission repair is something that any vehicle owner will want to avoid. This can be done by complying with all the required automotive transmission maintenance procedures. You can ask for assistance on proper compliance with all these automotive transmission maintenance procedures and tune ups from a trusted professional auto service shop. Doing this, however, does not mean that you can totally avoid car repair henceforth. The need for repair will still occur, but not as often. The auto service shop and its mechanic you choose should, therefore, be capable of helping you not only through automotive transmission maintenance and diagnostics but also for any necessary repair in Tampa.

A vehicle owner should also learn how to make transmission diagnostic tests regularly. One such test is the visual inspection for leaks. The ground or garage floor beneath the vehicle should always be checked for the presence of puddles or wet spots. Colored liquid can be a sign of danger. Dark or reddish liquid could mean dangerous leakage of the automotive transmission fluid. This could lead to failure of the transmission system and should immediately prompt the vehicle owner to bring the vehicle to the auto service shop in Tampa.

The vehicle owner should also check on the state of the transmission fluid. This is done with the use of the vehicles dipstick. The dipstick should first be wiped clean on a cloth rag, though. It is then dipped into the transmission fluid. The transmission fluid that adheres to the dipstick should then be allowed to drip on clean white paper. The ideal result is clear red fluid free of sediments. A dark color or the presence of metal fillings or flakes as well as a burnt smell means the fluid has oxidized. This means the transmission system should be checked at an auto service shop in Tampa.

Using the wrong type of transmission fluid is another cause for damage of the transmission system. Automatic and manual transmission systems each have their own special automotive transmission fluids that can not be used interchangeably. When doing transmission fluid change for the vehicle, the vehicle owner should make sure that the proper automotive transmission fluid is being used. This will be taken care of by a reputable auto service shop in Tampa.

The responsibility of the vehicle owner extends to observing the vehicles performance while driving. If the transmission gears lag in response and exhibit any noises, vibrations and jerks, the transmission system may already be worn down. It is time to have the vehicle checked at an auto service shop in Tampa.

The vehicle owner should always drive the vehicle properly in order to care for the automotive transmission system. Overheating should always be avoided because it results in burnt transmission fluid that creates oxidation deposits blocking the transmission system, warped metal parts, hardened rubber gaskets and seals, and leakage of transmission fluid. In effect, overheating threatens the entire transmission system. Overloading the vehicle and stop and go driving in hot Tampa weather should be avoided because they cause overheating.

A vehicle owner should always be aware of proper automotive transmission maintenance to lessen the need for towing services from tow trucks and car repair in Tampa.

Winkler Automotive Wins Prestigious Customer Service Award

George Winkler’s goal of providing the area with the most complete and trusted independent automotive repair shop when he opened the doors to Winkler Automotive in 1982 was validated once again with the recent awarding of the “Excellence In Customer Service Award” from the Washington, Maryland, Delaware Service Station and Automotive Repair Association (WMDA).

The prestigious honor, from the region’s primary trade association for the industry, was bestowed upon Winkler and his staff at the organization’s recent Annual Convention & Mega Show in Ocean City, Md.

“This is the biggest honor we have received since we opened 30 years ago, and we couldn’t be more thrilled and proud with the recognition,” said Winkler. “We know the type of customer service we provide, and this is our No. 1 mission, but to be recognized for it is very special, and a tribute to our magnificent staff.”

The honor even attracted interest from Maryland state comptroller Peter Franchot, who personally wrote Winkler a note of congratulations, which read in part “you must be pleased that your work and professionalism have been recognized with this prestigious award.”

Franchot went on to add “you are making a significant contribution to our great state of Maryland and I thank you. As Maryland’s chief regulator of motor fuel and tax collector, I understand the countless contributions that your industry provides to our state and its families.”

Winkler Automotive, located in Gaithersburg at 401 East Diamond Avenue, is AAA approved, and all its technicians exceed rigorous standards to be ASE certified. And Winkler Automotive performs maintenance and repair service on all makes and models, including European, American and Japanese cars, trucks, SUVs, vans and minivans, along with extended warranty work on all.

The Washington, Maryland, Delaware Service Station and Automotive Repair Association, (WMDA) was established in 1937 as a trade association serving independent business men and woman of service stations, repair facilities, convenience stores, and other related businesses. WMDA provides automotive and management educational training programs throughout the year for owners, managers and technicians with the primary objective of innovating and educating.

The WMDA award now hangs proudly in the waiting room of Winkler Automotive, and also serves as a reminder to the Winkler staff of its commitment to customer service.

“I always stress to my staff to put themselves in our customer’s shoes,” noted Winkler. “People trust us, and when it comes to having your car serviced, that’s most important.”

About Winkler Automotive
Winkler Automotive of Gaithersburg is an AAA approved and ASE certified auto repair shop now celebrating its 30th year. Since 1982, Winkler Automotive has been committed to providing the best, most honest and most reliable car care service in the area, offering customers complete satisfaction and one-stop shopping, as well as an alternative to expensive dealerships. Winkler Automotive performs maintenance and repair service on all makes and models, including European, American and Japanese cars, trucks, SUVs, vans and minivans, while extended warranty work is also accepted. For more information and web specials, visit www.WinklerAutomotive.com, or call (301) 258-2774 and ask for owner George Winkler.