Expert Advice

Most people in the Washington DC area are aware that automotive manufacturers have recommended service intervals. Following a preventive maintenance schedule is very important. The engineers that design our vehicles have tested the various systems and components to meet durability and safety standards.

Which item is most often stolen from vehicles in Washington DC? Is it:

One might say the most challenging part of being an automotive service technician in Washington DC is diagnosing a problem before it can be fixed.

All modern vehicles come with fuel injection systems, so it’s a topic auto owners need to know something about. The mighty fuel injector is a valve that delivers the gas or diesel fuel to the right place, in the right amount, at the right time; to be mixed with air and burned in the engine.

Why are wheel bearings essential for Washington DC car owners? It’s simple: your wheel bearings keep the wheels on your vehicle. In today’s Metro Motor post, we’ll discuss more about wheel bearings and how you can make sure they can do their very important job while you drive around the DMV.

Hello DC car owners, let’s talk about your often-unnoticed but extremely essential PCV valve. The energy from exploding fuel is what powers your engine. But some of the vapors from the explosions escape into the lower part of the engine, called the crankcase. The crankcase is where your engine oil hangs out. These gases are about 70% unburned fuel.

Weight is the enemy of fuel economy. Everyone in DC knows this makes sense.

Some of us in the DMV area carry a bunch of unnecessary weight, and I’m not talkin’ what you see in the mirror.

Guys: sports equipment and tools. Ladies: well, just take a look around the passenger compartment and trunk. I think my car has about forty-five pounds of French fries on the floor.

When it comes to their vehicles, some auto owners don’t have a maintenance mindset. They know they need to take care of their cars, but it just seems really hard to get them to remember to do it. Unfortunately, drivers too often learn a hard automotive lesson when a little routine maintenance would have prevented a significant breakdown.

There are a surprising number of small, inexpensive parts that can lead to expensive engine damage when they fail. It doesn’t seem right. Fortunately a lot of those things can be taken care of in routine maintenance, such as fuel filter service.

Because new cars are more expensive, Washington DC residents are driving their old cars longer. The average car is now over nine years old and 68% of vehicles on the road have more than 75,000 miles/120,000 kilometers. As cars age, their performance drops, they have difficulty idling for long periods, and are more sensitive to weather extremes.