Euro Asian Garage Volvo Saab

Things That Car Mechanics Won’t Tell You

Kennedy Cummings II — Sat, 12 Dec 2015 06:08:04 +0000

Many people are wary of taking their car to mechanics because they are worried about being charged for unnecessary services and extra work that is not required. Anyone who is having problems with their vehicle and require the services of a mechanic should look at this useful guide to things that car mechanics don’t want their customers to know.

Coolant Flushes And Fuel Injector Cleans

Many mechanics try to persuade their customers to invest in costly power steering fluid and coolant flushes, telling them that they will improve the performance of their engine. The majority of fluids are designed to last for an extended period on the road, often up to 100,000 miles, and any there is no benefit to cleaning fuel injectors. Any of these practices are a waste of money.

Changed Parts

Sometimes, mechanics will tell customers that they have changed parts when in fact the original part has never been removed. One way to avoid this is to ask for the removed part to be returned as evidence of the change.

Quality Parts

Customers should be sure to check that parts are from the genuine manufacturer. Some mechanics are now using cheap generic parts from China.For more advice about things mechanics don’t want you to know, see http://www.rd.com/advice/saving-money/13-things-your-car-mechanic-wont-tell-you-slideshow/.

How to choose the right repair shop

Kennedy Cummings II — Fri, 13 Nov 2015 08:07:03 +0000

Whether you drive a Bugatti Vayron or a hand-me-down banger, choosing the right repair shop can have a big impact on the future performance of your car. With something this important to your day to day life, you don’t want to leave anything to chance, so here’s a brief guide to choosing a repair shop you can trust.Before browsing for a single shop, do some preparation work. Go through your owner’s manual again, paying close attention to the suggested service schedule and anything else to do with maintenance. Once you’ve got that out of the way, start looking around for a repair shop to suit your needs as soon as possible. It’s an unfortunately common occurrence for drivers to break down, and in a blind panic choose the first unprofessional service that they see advertised. You’ll probably want to check out some objective consumer websites for impartial feedback, as well as simply asking around your friends and family. Even in the digital world we live in, word of mouth is one of the best ways to find a good service.If you find a repair shop with a near spotless reputation, this will usually be a decent business, but if you want to go the extra mile this ASE article suggests steps you can take in the shop itself. Wherever possible, get them to carry out some small, inexpensive kind of maintenance work to check if they’re all they’re cracked up to be. When you’re in the shop, a great way to judge a business is on their customer service. Professionally run repair shops will almost always have courteous and polite staff, who demonstrate specialist knowledge from the moment you walk in.

Tools That Make Life Easier At The Repair Shop

Kennedy Cummings II — Fri, 09 Oct 2015 21:04:38 +0000

When you first start doing car repairs, it can be difficult to decide what tools to buy. To get you started, we asked a pro mechanic for some tips on the tools he finds most useful in his repair shop.Here is his top 9:

WrenchesA good set of wrenches is well worth spending a little extra on, they will last you for years.
Set of ratchetsMake sure you have the three most commonly used sizes. Metric is used more often than imperial.
Tool chestAs you accumulate a collection of tools, you need a good tool chest to keep everything organised and secure. A well-designed tool chest will save you both time and money.
WelderWhen carrying out rust repairs a welder is essential for fitting new panels.
CompressorThis provides compressed air to power all the air tools you might have. If you plan to do any spraying, it will also feed fresh air to air-fed masks, so ensure you buy one with enough capacity for your requirements.
Air drillThis piece of equipment is more efficient than a hand drill and will save you time, manpower and money.
Air wrenchThe quickest way to remove wheels, am air wrench will speed yup wyou workrate.
Spray gunA spray gun is essential for a professional finish to bodywork.
LED magnetic rechargeable lampA good source of light makes any inspection job easier and a magnetic lamp can be attached to any suitable surface, such as the underside of the bonnet.

Aftermarket vs OEM car parts

Kennedy Cummings II — Fri, 02 Oct 2015 08:03:40 +0000

If you decide to take your car to a registered dealership to get some repairs done, you’ll know that you’re getting parts which fall into the Original Equipment Manufacturer or OEM category. Independent shops, however, will most likely fit your car with aftermarket parts. Like most people who aren’t experts in mechanics, you’re probably wondering what the difference is, and whether you’ll really be getting your money’s worth with either option. There are many pros and cons, as listed in this Edmunds article. Here, we’ll run through a few of them.Aftermarket parts, that is any kind of component which isn’t supplied by the car company, are generally much less expensive than the OEM option, but as with everything this can vary from brand to brand. Although the myth would have you believe otherwise, aftermarket components are not necessarily inferior to OEM parts, and can even be of superior quality! This of course varies greatly, and one of the main downsides to aftermarket parts is the sheer choice you’re given. An expert may be able to choose the best possible part in a matter of minutes, but unless you have the time for some extensive market research you may find yourself completely lost.This ties in with the main positive point of OEM parts; you ask for the part at the dealership, and you’ll be handed the part without having to consider your options. Though this may be a turn-off for some drivers, OEM also means a better chance of you getting a high-quality part, which will probably work exactly as the last one did. On the downside, OEM parts are almost always more expensive, when you may be able to get a superior aftermarket part for the exact same price.

Why you should choose a Saab

Kennedy Cummings II — Tue, 29 Sep 2015 08:02:58 +0000

Though it may not be the most prominent car brand in the world, Saab have produced some truly high-quality models during the great run it had. Many people are attracted to the company’s distinct underdog charm; during a large part of its history it seemed to be going through quite the struggle against competition from other, more affluent brands. To many of us, Saab chose to exist outside of the heavy conventions which dominated the auto industry, inventing and innovating in its own unique direction.

Imfoto / Shutterstock.com

Because of Saab possessing this distinct, almost heroic air to it, many of us car enthusiasts were absolutely distraught when the company finally folded in 2011. Although there may not be any further innovation, there are still many brilliant pre-owned Saabs on the market, each with their own variety of reasons to own them!The 850 Saab Sport, which ran between the 60s and 80s, was one of the gems of its time, helped along in its fame by the performance of Swedish rally driver Erik “On the Roof” Carlsson. These two-door models had a certain quirky charm to them, especially for the time when they were put into production. The bulbous style, and remarkably relaible two and four-stroke engines made them one of the most iconic European cars of the 20th century.If you were looking for something a little more up-to-date, it’s hard to go wrong with the Saab 9-4X, which was produced in 2010 and 2011. For those of us who were already into the brand and worried about its future, this gorgeous 4×4 offered a little glimmer of hope, which was unfortunately snuffed out just as soon as it emerged. The 9-4X had incredible dynamics and driver comfort, all for a remarkably low price, as if it wasn’t lucrative enough just from being a 4×4! Driving this car just once will make it an even bigger mystery that the company went bankrupt.

Why you Should Choose a Volvo

Kennedy Cummings II — Fri, 18 Sep 2015 07:58:22 +0000

As any motorist knows, when it comes to choosing a new car there are numerous brands and models to choose from and they come in all shapes and sizes. Many different models have their pros and cons, which can make the decision process even more difficult. However, Volvo always comes highly recommended. Here are some of the reasons you should choose a Volvo for your next car.

Teddy Leung / Shutterstock.com

Reliability combined with Driveability

Volvo is famous for its reliability, meaning that this is one brand that drivers can really put their faith in. Volvo constantly wins awards for safety and has long been one of the most popular family vehicles on the market. Many families also choose to present a Volvo to their children as a first vehicle, as the combination of reliability and safety makes this the perfect vehicle to learn to drive in.

The Perfect Model for Any Type of Driver

One of the great things about Volvo is that this leading manufacturer has designed and released a wide range of different styles of cars that are ideal for just about every circumstance imaginable. The cool coupe cars are great for fun loving younger people who really want to turn heads, while the sedans are the perfect family vehicles and are designed with safety firmly in mind. Other styles of Volvos that are available to choose from include SUVs, hatchbacks and much more.

Great Used Volvo Deals

Because Volvos are built to last, this makes the perfect used vehicle. A quick search will reveal thousands of used Volvos on the market for drivers to choose from, and just about every style and specification can be selected. This means that budget conscious drivers will be able to get the experience of driving a new Volvo at the fraction of the cost and they can be sure that their used vehicle will still be able to go the distance and offer many years of top performance driving.

Contact

Kennedy Cummings II — Sun, 13 Sep 2015 08:55:15 +0000

[contact-form-7]

The Swedish car makers Volvo and Saab

Kennedy Cummings II — Fri, 11 Sep 2015 07:57:50 +0000

Nobody expected it – Sweden’s car industry is still departing strong. With Saab and Volvo being iconic brands, well known all across the globe, their headquarters being just 50 miles away from each other – Saab is stationed in Trollhättan, Volvo’s headquarters are in Gothenburg, those two could not be more alike and yet different. Before Volvo was sold to Ford and Saab to General Motors, both car makers were part of giant Swedish truck makers but this time is now long gone.

The Differences

With a long history and a bunch of ups and downs – mostly for Saab – both brands have been through a lot.Let’s sum up some important milestones:

ABC Photo / Shutterstock.com

• Volvo was founded more than 80 years ago, namely in the same year when their first car, ÖV4 (nicknamed Jakob) left the factory in Gothenburg, in 1927• Saab’s way to automobile manufacturing took a bit longer, being founded in 1938, in Tröllhattan Sweden, as an aircraft manufacturer. They only started in 1945 to work on automobiles, Ursaab being Saab’s first prototype of that kind.• General Motors bought 50% of Saab in 1989 for an astonishing $600 million and the other half in 2000, for $125 million more.• In 1999, Ford bought Volvo for the unbelievable amount of $6.45 billion.• In 2010 Volvo produced 375,000 cars.• Saab produced 32,000 cars in its final year before shutting down (2011).

Maxim Lysenko / Shutterstock.com

• In 2010 the Chinese Zheijiang Geely Holding Group Company bought Volvo from Ford.• In 2012 a Chinese-Swedish investment group Nevs bought the company Saab. The new owners wanted to focus on electric cars, trying to revive the brand. In 2014 Saab has halted production at its plant in Trollhättan, because its owner, the Chinese-owned National Electric Vehicle Sweden, could not pay the bills.

Are the Swedes Finished?

Now, in 2015, the situation is at a real low for one of those two, with Saab having become one of the first automotive casualties of the global financial crisis. All Eyes are on Volvo now, being the very last bastion of Sweden’s once so proud automobile industry.Volvo is eager to impress and astonish all of us. All quietly the company has been developing new platforms and engines in the past years, planning to soon reemerge even stronger than before.The release of the all-new 2016 XC90 SUV model is just around the corner and it will be the best Volvo in years. By 2018, the company will have eight other all-new models on the market, replacing their entire line.This might be the last chance to prove that Swedish cars have more to offer than just a unique personality.