Technology

Most people know that proper tire pressure means better gas mileage and a more comfortable ride. But what about proper wheel balance?

Automobile manufacturers and tire retailers install a weight on the metal rim of each wheel when you purchase a vehicle or new tires. Traditionally made of lead, these small weights are designed to help provide a smoother ride, better gas mileage and more even tire wear.

Maybe you’re not in the market to buy new, but you’d like to change the look of your car, truck or SUV. Or maybe you just bought a new or used vehicle and you’d like to add some personality. It’s easier than you may think.

Ten or 15 years ago, auto technicians would rebuild hard parts for customers right in the shop. Today, that system doesn't work, because consumers don't have time to wait and don't want to pay for the additional labor. Remanufacturing now solves these problems, and as such, it is one of the largest product categories in the automotive aftermarket. The entire remanufacturing industry generates approximately $65 billion in sales, with the automotive segment representing $37 billion of that total.

True or false: Until your vehicle is out-of-warranty, all maintenance services must be done at the car dealership or your factory warranty will be void. Although you may have answered “true,” the correct answer is “false,” according to the Car Care Council. It’s the law that independent repair shops can provide the services to maintain your new car warranty.

A new, innovative brake pad technology is keeping drivers happy and making the jobs of brake installers easier.

Noise, vibration and brake dust concerns have historically been the greatest causes of customer angst after a brake job. Today, however, advanced ceramic brake pads are alleviating these issues for a growing number of drivers and eliminating frustrating comebacks to repair shops.

When it comes to driving safely, it’s easy to take your vehicle’s ability to stop for granted – until you really need it.

According to brake expert Akebono, your brakes often reveal possible serious situations when they make noise, pull, judder – another term for vibrate – or feel soft. Addressing these symptoms promptly enhances your safety and may save time and money in the long run.

An indisputable fact of American life: our enduring love affair with our vehicles, some defining this as our freedom of mobility. Freedom becomes the active word.

Another fact of American life is our shortage of people to repair these 233 million vehicles. The Bureau of Labor Statistics' forecasts that repair shops nationwide face an annual shortage of about 35,000 auto technicians through 2010.

“My customer asked me how much he’d have to spend for a pair of shocks,” said a repair shop owner. “I told him there are ‘good, better and best’ prices, but I install only the good and, preferably, the best. Labor is the same.”

His customer agreed that the minimal cost difference did not justify opting for less than the best. What price is peace of mind? It’s a factor that plays a big part when investing in auto repairs. Once a component is installed you’re likely never to see it unless it fails.

Here are a few tips from professional suspension specialists at NASCAR for the average motorists when dealing with this important but often misunderstood component.

“If there’s a lot of body movement, it’s hard to control the car in turns and it moves a lot when you’re stopping, you’ve got a problem,” says a seasoned NASCAR veteran “You need to replace them right away. You pretty much have what you have, so when they’re used up you need to replace them.”  

There are many quality aftermarket shock absorbers to choose from, when it’s time for replacements.  

In-car cameras have added a new dimension to watching automobile racing on TV. TV cameras, firmly secured at locations around the track, follow drivers’ maneuvering for position and other drama that makes automobile racing the most popular spectator sport. Action in the pits gets its share of air time during NASCAR events, too.