When you are having trouble with your car or truck starting and you open the hood up to take a peek to see this....you'll see what an overly corroded battery looks like. This happens naturally over time on vehicle battery terminals.  If you are like 99% of normal Siler City drivers, you don't check your oil or your battery so you don't keep an eye on the amount of corrosion that's building up on your car or truck battery.  Here at Downtown Automotive, we do and there are solvents that we can use here in the shop during a battery maintenance service that will help slow the corrosion process but nothing that can prevent it 100%. Way before it gets to this point, we will be suggesting you consider replacing the battery. 

The interval for the tire rotation could depend on a recommendation from either the tire manufacturer or the vehicle maker. The interval is typically around 5,000 miles but could range from 3,000 to 8,000 miles. So why do tires need to be rotated and how do you know when the right time is for your vehicle?

If you drive a car, truck, or SUV that runs on gasoline, there's a good chance you’ve run it low on fuel a few times (or more than a few times,) and maybe even run out of gas completely a time or two. At Downtown Automotive in Siler City, NC, we like to provide information applicable to you. Running a vehicle low on fuel is something we’re all guilty of, and most of us don’t think twice about it. But, can it be bad for your car?

Everyone knows to get routine tire care every so often. Tire rotations, alignments, and even replacements are necessary to ensure your tires stay in competent condition and don’t pose any harm when you’re driving. At Downtown Automotive, it’s important to us that your tires perform well and are safe to be on the road. Routine maintenance is sometimes not enough to get the most out of your tires. Here are just a few tips and steps to extending the lifespan of your tires, so they can continue to take you wherever you need for as long as you need.

As your vehicle ages, it not only gains sentimental value but a number of maintenance measures arise as well. Vehicles from previous decades have the potential to keep their value and functionality for many years. But how can you make that possible? Here are some tips from Downtown Automotive to keep your older vehicle running and on the road for a long time!

If you want to avoid nasty and unexpected surprise maintenance costs, sticking to a regimented schedule of preventative maintenance is something you are going to want to get used to. The reason being is simple – frequent maintenance will keep your vehicle in good health, ensuring you get the most out of all those expensive-to-replace parts. While it might sound counterintuitive, the best way to reduce maintenance costs is to stick to a prescribed maintenance schedule.

If you drive a performance or luxury vehicle, there are important points to remember in preserving not only your car or SUV, but it's resale value as well. Luxury and performance vehicles depreciate more quickly than other cars. Many who own these cars like to have the newest and the best of the best. In that way, the odds are stacked against you when trying to get a good price for your car. Fortunately, Downtown Automotive has some steps you can take to ensure you get the most for your car when it’s time to sell. 

If you own or operate any type of vehicle, you understand the importance of resale value. Some owners keep the same vehicle until it’s time for the scrap yard, but by and large it makes more sense to sell a vehicle and replace it at a certain point. From Downtown Automotive in Siler City, NC, here’s how to make sure you get the most cash possible when it’s time for your vehicles to hit the auction block or when you're ready to sell it to its next owner.

At Downtown Automotive in Siler City, NC, we understand that driving style affects your vehicle’s performance and reliability. You probably know that frequent, hard acceleration is bad for your engine and transmission, but what about speed?

If you drive a vehicle with more than a few miles on it, there’s a good chance you’ve noticed an occasional drip underneath it that leaves spots wherever you park. Identifying what is leaking from your car will help you determine whether or not it’s a cause for concern, and what to do about it.

There are seven liquids a car can possibly drip: oil, gas, brake fluid, transmission fluid, gear oil, water, and coolant. How do you tell the difference? This article aims to help your know-how.

If you drive a performance car or SUV, you want to take every measure possible to ensure it stays in good shape and running well. For many drivers of precision-engineered vehicles like BMW, Audi, Porsche, Subaru, etc., warming up the engine is a part of taking care of your vehicle. But is it necessary?

Windshield wipers are one of those things you never think about until you need them, and by then it’s too late. There’s a good chance you haven’t changed windshield wipers in a long time, so it might be a good idea to inspect them before rainy weather catches you off guard. Downtown Automotive in Siler City, NC has compiled a few windshield wiper tips here for you.

At Downtown Automotive in Siler City, we know that a huge part of the ride quality of your car, truck, or SUV is how well it keeps road and engine noises out of the passenger compartment. Few things are more annoying on a long commute or road trip than the drone of tires on pavement, the constant sound of your car battling the air outside, loud semi-trucks, and so on.

It’s not always easy to recognize when your vehicle is suffering from a simple problem that requires a little maintenance and TLC or there is real engine damage as symptoms can be overlooked and seen as “normal.” While not all sounds and smells may threaten the life of your vehicle or truck engine, there are some obvious warning signs that require a vehicle inspection here at the shop right away.

At Downtown Automotive in Siler City, we know how annoying a dead battery can be. Here’s some information on the subject, that will hopefully help you understand your battery issues a little better.

The climate control system in your car works hard to keep you at a comfortable temperature. If you’re having heater issues, trust the performance car specialists with us at Downtown Automotive in Siler City, NC to get you comfortably back on the road.

If your car has climate control, then it also has a cabin filter. Cabin filters are simply air filters for the interior of your car, truck, or SUV. All air entering circulation through the climate control system first passes through this filter, to prevent your AC or heat systems from accumulating debris or blowing them out of your vents. The result is cleaner, quieter, and longer-lasting climate control systems, which keep the inside of your car as comfortable as possible. 

Getting your vehicle washed and waxed on a regular basis is one of the easiest ways to preserve its paint and keep it looking nice. It makes you feel good when you’re driving in a clean vehicle. Removing other environmental contaminants such as salt, tree sap, and bugs also goes a long way to make your vehicle’s paint last longer. 

Once your new tires are mounted and balanced, you’ll want to keep them in good shape. To get the most out of your tires, inspect them regularly and keep up with maintenance - the difference between a tire that lasts 100k miles, and one that lasts 10k, mostly comes down to how well it’s been taken care of.

Everyone from mechanics, to your uncle that works on cars, has at some point given you advice concerning engine oil. The fact of the matter is that while we are familiar with words like “synthetic” and “oil weight,” many people don’t know exactly what the terminology means, or why common knowledge about oil exists in the form that it does. At Downtown Automotive in Siler City, NC, we keep things clear and simple. The more you know about your vehicle, the better equipped you are to keep it maintained, and we know a thing or two about vehicles. We have compiled a short list of common myths for you, most of which you’ve heard, but maybe never second guessed.