The best way to keep your car out of the repair facility with major repair problems is to follow a basic vehicle care maintenance schedule. It is recommended that you make general visual inspections and stay on top of vehicle maintenance items. The skilled automotive technicians at Downtown Automotive in Siler City, NC can assist with basic vehicle maintenance and more complex repairs. Feel free to give us a call or come by at your convenience if you have any questions.

Sluggish. Squealing. Unreliable. Vibrating. If any of these descriptors fit your vehicle’s recent behavior, it just might be trying to tell you something – like it’s time for a tune-up.

Today’s vehicles differ significantly from their decades-old brethren that required a tune-up every 10,000 or 20,000 miles. With newer vehicles, it’s increasingly common for manufacturer-recommended service intervals to stretch to 100,000 miles before certain maintenance items, such as replacing the spark plugs, should be completed. 

Air filters are an important part of vehicle maintenance. What many people don’t realize is you actually have two filters; one for your engine and a cabin filter to filter the air coming into your car. Both of them function the same way but have entirely different purposes. They are often neglected, particularly the cabin filter, and yours may need to be changed right now. This guide, provided by Downtown Automotive in Siler City, highlights the importance of filters, symptoms of an overused one, and how to maintain them.

Did you know that airbags weren't mandatory safety equipment in passenger vehicles until 1997? Now, you'll find them in well over 100 million cars and trucks on the road. Since their invention, airbags, along with the seat belt, have played a major role in reducing the number of injuries and deaths in traffic collisions.

To some drivers, picking out the right tire is just as important – and just as much fun – as finding the right shoes is to a runner. For many people, they have found that shopping for tires is overwhelming because there are just so many choices. AT Downtown Automotive IN Siler City, NC, our technicians are ready to help you make that decision.

Your vehicle's engine needs clean air to burn the fuel – and it needs a lot of clean air. In fact, a typical vehicle needs about 216,000 gallons of air for every tank of gas. All that air passes through a filter that catches the dust and dirt. Eventually, the filter gets completely full, and because the filter can only hold so much, dirt starts getting through. At Downtown Automotive in Siler City, we ensure you get the best air quality in your vehicle and explain the process of where this dirty air is going to our area drivers. 

Your car’s fuel system works with the rest of the engine control system to deliver the best performance with the lowest emissions. Check your car’s fuel system regularly or immediately if you smell gas or suspect a problem.

What does it do? - The fuel system transfers fuel from the fuel tank and passes it through a fuel filter for straining before it arrives at the injectors. A pressure regulator controls fuel pressure to ensure good engine performance under a variety of speed and load conditions. Fuel injectors, when activated, spray a metered amount of fuel into the engine. Some vehicles use a return line system to return unused fuel back to the tank.

Your car’s fuel system works with the rest of the engine control system to deliver the best performance with the lowest emissions. Check your car’s fuel system regularly or immediately if you smell gas or suspect a problem.

What does it do? - The fuel system transfers fuel from the fuel tank and passes it through a fuel filter for straining before it arrives at the injectors. A pressure regulator controls fuel pressure to ensure good engine performance under a variety of speed and load conditions. Fuel injectors, when activated, spray a metered amount of fuel into the engine. Some vehicles use a return line system to return unused fuel back to the tank.

Does your clutch go flat, rendering your car useless until you fill the reservoir back up? Are you tired of the spongy feeling in your pedal, and the mess on your driveway? At Downtown Automotive in Siler City, NC, we can fix that for you.

Are you having trouble rolling one or more of your windows down? Worse yet, are you having trouble rolling them up? Either way, at Downtown Automotive in Siler City, we have the answers you’re looking for.

Do you need new brake pads? Most of the time, if you think you do, the answer is yes. While a lot of auto parts stores sell brake pads with lifetime warranties, don’t be misled...brake pads will still wear down.

Without a working battery, your car will not be able to start. If you perform proper maintenance, however, an average car battery can start your car reliably for roughly four years. Your vehicle's radio and headlights, plus a slew of other important functions, are powered by an electrical current generated by your vehicle’s engine but a vital part of generating electricity is having a place to store it while it’s not being used, which is where a car battery comes into play. The battery holds electrical energy while a car is off in order to help the engine turn over and create a spark to start internal combustion.  What you don't want is to have a bad battery!!

There are a few things that matter when mounting new tires on your vehicle. First, you want it done right. Second, you want it done fast. For both, Downtown Automotive in Siler City, NC has you covered.

Your vehicle's belts and hoses are essential to the cooling, air conditioning and charging systems, and the engine. Don’t take these routine replacement intervals for granted because they can break down and leave you stranded.

What is the purpose and importance of your belts and hoses? The timing belt keeps the crankshaft and camshaft mechanically synchronized to maintain engine timing. Whether 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 air conditioning, the charging system, and fans. Radiator and heater hoses carry coolant to and from the engine, radiator, and heater core.

In the old days, when your headlight burned out you just replaced the entire thing with a new glass bulb. Modern headlights are plastic assemblies, with a bulb inserted through the back. What this means, is that the plastic lens that light shines through never gets replaced, and eventually will begin to oxidize and deteriorate due to time, weather, and heat from your bulb. Today you will learn when it’s time to fix or replace your headlight assemblies, what options you have in doing so, and what the benefits are.

A good technician will give your vehicle a quick inspection whenever you have maintenance performed. Fluid levels, tire condition, dashboard lights, and a variety of other items typically are briefly explored whenever you bring your vehicle in for maintenance. At Downtown Automotive in Siler City, NC, we're good at noticing things that need repair, but the fact of the matter is that only you know your vehicle. You know when your vehicle feels off when its been serviced last (or that it hasn't been serviced at all,) and have at least some vague idea of what’s going on with your vehicle day to day. Here are some questions you can ask us next time you come by the shop:

There is a reason we check your brake fluid when you come in for a service check.  Maintenance pays big dividends and we want to avoid high repair costs for our Siler City drivers.  Did you know that brake service isn't just all about the brake pads, drums & rotors?  That we have found low brake fluid to be the cause of a large percentage of brake issues here at Downtown Automotive?  Seriously, brake fluid is an important part of your braking system and with your service intervals being less frequent on the newer vehicles 5,000-10,000 more miles this has become an issue!  Why?...

Brakes are one of the most important components of your vehicle. You need the confidence of knowing that when you press your foot to the brake, your vehicle is going to stop. That's why it's important to keep these tips in mind to help keep your brakes functioning properly. Schedule an appointment with us at Downtown Automotive for a brake service checkup today!

Brakes are one of the most important components of your vehicle. You need the confidence of knowing that when you press your foot to the brake, your vehicle is going to stop. That's why it's important to keep these tips in mind to help keep your brakes functioning properly. Schedule an appointment with us at Downtown Automotive for a brake service checkup today!

At Downtown Automotive in Siler City, we know that in order to keep your car in good shape, it helps to know how it works. Here’s a quick rundown of a system that’s very important, but you take for granted until there’s a problem; your brakes.