Skip to main content

Archive for October 2012

Tire Rotation and Balancing at Buddys Auto in Abingdon

Posted October 25, 2012 3:00 AM

Tires do a lot of work for Abingdon drivers. They transfer engine power and braking forces to the road; they handle steering control; and they cushion all those bumps and jolts while driving around Abingdon. They also support the entire weight of the vehicle, including you and your passengers. With such important work to do, you want your tires to do their job well. And since replacing tires is fairly pricey, you want them to last as long as possible.


There are three keys to long, even tire wear for Abingdon driving:

  • Proper tire inflation
  • Proper wheel alignment
  • Regular tire rotation and balancing

The front tires on a car take the brunt of the steering forces. As they push through turns, the shoulders of the front tires wear down more quickly than the rear tires. Rotating front and rear tires allows them to all wear at about the same rate. That's especially true of front-wheel-drive vehicles whose front tires steer and put the power to the road.

SUVs and pick-ups, especially four-wheel-drives, also tend to wear their tires more unevenly than cars because of their suspension and drivetrain set-up. Your owner's manual will likely contain a schedule for tire rotation. It's usually every 5,000 miles/8,000 km or so.

Also, there are different rotation patterns for different vehicles. Buddys Auto will know which is right for your vehicle. That brings us to wheel balancing. When wheels are balanced, they spin on the axle evenly. When they are out of balance, they wobble a bit. That makes the tires wear unevenly and may transmit a vibration to the car. Your friendly and knowledgeable Buddys Auto service advisor puts weights on your wheels to balance them out so that they turn true and smooth.


Tires are a big investment for Abingdon drivers. They're designed for keeping you safely on the road in Abingdon. The cost for regular rotation and balancing is more than made up in extended tire life. And, can you really put a price on your safety and that of your passengers?

 Buddys Auto
3711 Philadelphia Rd.
Abingdon, Maryland 21009
(410) 679- 6300



Keep Your Abingdon Car Breathing Free: Engine Air Filter

Posted October 12, 2012 11:00 AM

Hey Abingdon - this is something really amazing: Your vehicle uses 12,000 times as much air as fuel when you drive it. All of that air has to be filtered to keep your engine clean.

That's like 100 gallons (380 liters) of air every block! The engine air filter is just another example of a very important but inexpensive part that has to do a tremendous amount of work. And when it works, everything goes well. But, when it doesn't, well, it can lead to problems. Of course, your vehicle manufacturer recommends how often to change your air filter. But like most service intervals, where and how you drive your vehicle in Maryland affects when your filter needs to be changed.

Dusty conditions around Abingdon or polluted city driving means you'll need to change your filter more often. Our trained professionals at Buddys Auto can check your filter for you. In fact, it's often a routine part of an oil change.

When you think about it, a clogged air filter won't allow as much air through as a clean filter. Your vehicle needs this air to efficiently burn its fuel, giving you better fuel economy and performance.

Dirtier filters don't work as well as clean ones. A filter can only hold so much; after that, it allows dirt to pass right into your engine. Air filters come in all shapes and sizes. They also come in different grades. There are high performance air filters available for most vehicles. These high performance filters cost a little more, but they increase horsepower and may improve fuel economy to boot.

So it's important for Abingdon drivers to make sure and have their air filter checked. If it needs replacing, it doesn't cost very much at Buddys Auto in Abingdon and it should easily pay for itself in better fuel economy before your next oil change.

Buddys Auto
3711 Philadelphia Rd.
Abingdon, Maryland 21009
(410) 679- 6300




 



Keep It Flowing with a Fuel Filter Replacement at Buddys Auto

Posted October 5, 2012 1:00 AM



The function of the fuel filter is pretty self-explanatory. It filters your fuel. The fuel filter is in the fuel line somewhere in between the fuel tank and the engine. Both gas and diesel vehicles around Abingdon use fuel filters.

For more information about your fuel filter, visit Buddys Auto at 3711 Philadelphia Rd. in Abingdon, Maryland 21009.
Please call (410) 679- 6300 to make an appointment.

Generally speaking there's not a lot of dirt in our Abingdon area auto fuel supply, but there is enough that you want to screen it out. The problem actually gets worse the older your vehicle becomes. That's because dirt, rust and other contaminants will settle out of the fuel and onto the bottom of the fuel tank. After your vehicle is five years or older, it can actually have a fair amount of sediment built up.

That just means that the fuel filter has to work harder as your vehicle ages. It'll get clogged sooner and need to be replaced more often.

A symptom of a clogged fuel filter is that the engine sputters at highway speeds or under hard acceleration. That's because enough fuel is getting through around town, but when you need more fuel for speed, enough just can't get through the filter. Obviously, that could be dangerous if your car or truck can't get enough power to get you out of harm's way.

For just that reason, fuel filters have a bypass valve. When the filter is severely clogged, some fuel can bypass the filter all together. Of course that means that dirty, unfiltered fuel is getting through to be burned in the engine.

This dirt can then clog and damage your fuel injectors. Now injectors are not cheap to replace, so you don't want to cause them damage just because you didn't spend a few bucks to replace a fuel filter.

You know, in a way, the fuel filter can be the poster child for preventive maintenance. It's a little part, it's simple and it's cheap to take care of. But if it's neglected, it could lead to thousands of dollars in repair bills.

Those auto service schedules in your owner's manual are there for a reason. If ever you don't understand a recommended service, just ask your Abingdon service advisor at Buddys Auto. We'll be happy to explain.

Buddys Auto
3711 Philadelphia Rd.
Abingdon, Maryland 21009
(410) 679- 6300

 



Search



Archive

December 2011 (15)
January 2012 (4)
February 2012 (4)
March 2012 (4)
April 2012 (4)
May 2012 (5)
June 2012 (4)
July 2012 (4)
August 2012 (5)
September 2012 (3)
October 2012 (3)
November 2012 (5)
December 2012 (4)
January 2013 (5)
February 2013 (3)
March 2013 (5)
April 2013 (4)
May 2013 (5)
June 2013 (4)
July 2013 (5)
August 2013 (4)
September 2013 (4)
October 2013 (4)
November 2013 (4)
December 2013 (5)
January 2014 (5)
February 2014 (4)
March 2014 (4)
April 2014 (5)
May 2014 (4)
June 2014 (4)
July 2014 (4)
August 2014 (5)
September 2014 (4)
October 2014 (5)
November 2014 (4)
December 2014 (5)
January 2015 (4)
February 2015 (4)
March 2015 (4)
April 2015 (5)
May 2015 (2)
June 2015 (7)
July 2015 (4)
August 2015 (5)
September 2015 (4)
October 2015 (5)
November 2015 (17)
December 2015 (3)
February 2016 (2)
March 2016 (4)
April 2016 (4)
May 2016 (5)
June 2016 (4)
July 2016 (4)
August 2016 (5)
September 2016 (4)
October 2016 (5)
November 2016 (4)
December 2016 (4)
January 2017 (5)
February 2017 (4)
March 2017 (4)
April 2017 (3)
May 2017 (5)
June 2017 (4)
July 2017 (4)
August 2017 (4)
September 2017 (3)
October 2017 (5)
November 2017 (4)
December 2017 (3)
January 2018 (5)
February 2018 (4)
March 2018 (4)
April 2018 (4)
May 2018 (4)
June 2018 (4)
July 2018 (5)
August 2018 (4)
September 2018 (5)
October 2018 (1)
March 2019 (4)
May 2019 (2)
June 2019 (5)
July 2019 (2)
August 2019 (2)
September 2019 (3)
October 2019 (5)
November 2019 (4)
December 2019 (5)
January 2020 (5)
February 2020 (4)
March 2020 (5)
May 2020 (2)
June 2020 (1)
July 2020 (1)
August 2020 (5)
September 2020 (4)
October 2020 (4)
November 2020 (5)
December 2020 (4)
January 2021 (6)
February 2021 (4)
March 2021 (4)
April 2021 (4)
May 2021 (5)
June 2021 (4)
July 2021 (4)
August 2021 (5)
September 2021 (4)
October 2021 (5)
November 2021 (4)
December 2021 (4)
January 2022 (6)
February 2022 (4)
March 2022 (4)
April 2022 (4)
May 2022 (5)
June 2022 (4)
July 2022 (4)
September 2022 (4)
October 2022 (5)
November 2022 (4)
December 2022 (4)
January 2023 (5)
February 2023 (4)
March 2023 (4)
April 2023 (5)
May 2023 (4)
June 2023 (4)
July 2023 (5)
August 2023 (4)
September 2023 (1)
October 2023 (2)
January 2024 (2)
February 2024 (4)
March 2024 (1)

Categories

Air Conditioning (17)Alignment (16)Alternator (6)Auto Safety (6)Automotive News (8)Battery (20)Brake Service (4)Brakes (22)Cabin Air Filter (8)Check Engine Light (6)Cooling System (19)Customer Detective Work (1)Dashboard (3)Diagnostics (5)Diesel Maintenance (1)Differential Service (3)Drive Train (9)Emergency Items (1)Engine Air Filter (2)Exhaust (12)Fluids (16)Fuel Economy (10)Fuel Pump (1)Fuel Saving Tip: Slow Down (2)Fuel System (45)Headlamps (6)Inspection (10)Keys to a long lasting vehicle (4)Maintenance (52)Monitoring System (3)Oil Change (7)Older Vehicles (4)Parts (7)PCV Valve (2)Safe Driving (1)Safety (6)Serpentine Belt (6)Service Intervals (9)Service Standards (12)Shocks & Struts (9)Shocks and Struts (1)Spark Plugs (2)Steering (14)Suspension (3)Timing Belt (6)Tire Rotation and Balancing (3)Tires (10)Tires and Wheels (40)TPMS (3)Transfer Case Service (1)Transmission (11)Trip Inspection (4)Warranty (1)Water Pump (1)What Customers Should Know (81)Wheel Bearings (1)Windshield Wipers (9)Winter Prep (7)Winter Tires (1)

image-people-driving

OUR REVIEWS

image-quotes
reviewicon

Great mechanics, knowledgeable with the kindness of a small company. Honest mechanics how often can you say that!


partners

Federated Car Care
IDENTIFIX
Jasper
NAPA
ASE Master Technician
BBB Accredited Business
AutoPlus Auto Parts
Mitchell1
BG Products
wix
interstate
Car Care Aware