Losing a belt on the road can turn a small problem into a big one instantly. At Downtown Automotive in Siler City, we know efficient and cost-effective operation begins with preventative maintenance.

At Downtown Automotive in Siler City, we know you’re busy. We also know that while there are certain issues with your car, truck, or SUV you can ignore for a while, some of them shouldn’t wait. While serious issues are often obvious, sometimes they aren’t - ball joints are one such case.

On modern vehicles, the PCV system (Positive Crankcase Ventilation System) is essential to ensuring your car or truck is ready to go when you are and remains a long-lasting, reliable vehicle. It’s much more than just emissions control - your PCV system serves multiple purposes and is quite interesting! How does it work, and what are those purposes?  Here at Downtown Automotive in Siler City, NC, we have those answers for you!

At Downtown Automotive in Siler City, routine maintenance and repair isn’t the only thing we do. For custom parts installation, you can also count on us. Common modification enthusiasts do is swapping to a short-throw shifter; but what actually is a short-throw shifter, and what does it do?

At Downtown Automotive in Siler City, NC, we know buying a used car, truck, or SUV can be a gamble. While there are no guarantees, there are key points of inspection that tell us a lot about the condition of a vehicle and how it has been maintained. There are some important points of the inspection we verify when checking out a used vehicle.

At Downtown Automotive in Siler City, NC, we believe it’s important for you to know how different systems in your car, truck, or SUV operate. Whether you want to know what to watch out for, or you’re just curious about how things work, we’re here to supply the answers.

At Downtown Automotive in Siler City, NC, we know how annoying a faulty fuel gauge can be. Never knowing how much gas you have in your car, truck, or SUV, and constantly running the risk of stranding yourself on the road somewhere, takes its toll after a while. Luckily, we can fix that.

At Downtown Automotive in Siler City, we change many tires that should’ve been replaced long ago. Your tires can go for miles and miles, but there always comes a time to replace them. So how can you tell when the right time is?

Vehicle belts aren’t that different than the belts that hold up your trousers. They need to fit properly and stay in place, and if they break, sag, or wear out, you’ll probably wish you were wearing a different belt that day. The same goes for the belts in your car. Your engine compartment is a punishing environment, and while all auto belts are made of materials designed to be both flexible and tough, even the toughest materials will eventually wear out due to the extreme temperatures under the hood.

Tire rotations are a part of vehicle maintenance. The purpose of rotating your tires is to make them last as long as possible, prevent your suspension from wearing out prematurely, and keep the drivability of your car in the best possible condition. So when should you get a tire rotation?

Modern vehicles are becoming increasingly complex, and as a result, computer diagnostic systems are becoming a necessity rather than a convenience. At Downtown Automotive in Siler City, NC, our state of the art technology and trained technicians are ready to diagnose any transmission issue you may be experiencing with your car, truck, or SUV.

At Downtown Automotive in Siler City, NC, we do our best to keep you on the road. A huge part of being able to do that is proper vehicle maintenance; when was the last time you changed your oil?

At Downtown Automotive in Siler City, the history of cars is a huge topic of interest to us. Here’s an interesting piece of automotive trivia, from us to you.

If you drive a lightweight car, truck, or SUV, the torque converter you have installed is probably just fine. For those of you with more heavy-duty applications, like high horsepower setups or towing rigs, the stock converter may not be enough. At Downtown Automotive in Siler City, NC, we can help with that.

If you drive a Jaguar, BMW, Land Rover, Porsche, Subaru, or other luxury or performance vehicle, the last thing you want to do is start your engine to be met with the sound of a screeching drive belt. Fortunately, we at Downtown Automotive in Siler City, NC have you covered.

Your tires are obviously important. However, it’s often underappreciated how much of a difference they make in the ride quality of your car, truck, or SUV, and what they can tell you about the condition of your vehicle. At Downtown Automotive in Siler City, NC, we like to keep you well informed on what your vehicle is telling you, and how to keep it in good shape. Your tires have a lot to do with that.

Your Vehicle Identification Number, or VIN, is essentially your car’s fingerprint. In its entirety, it is specific only to your car. Each car has its own unique VIN number and can be decoded to provide manufacturing and identification information on any vehicle on the road. Date of manufacture, manufacturer, vehicle type, where it was made, and options such as engine and transmission type, whether a car is a two or four-door, and a multitude of other specifications can be gleaned from a VIN number. Essentially, a VIN number will tell you exactly what a car is and where it came from, without even having to see the car.