FALCONER AUTO REPAIR

At I-86 Truck & Auto Repair, we hear a lot of car talk. And occasionally we hear someone repeating a myth that's been debunked for years. Here are a few of the most common: Premium Gas Will Make My Car Last Longer If you have a high-performance automobile, your manufacturer may recommend premium fuel. If not, you are needlessly spending more at the pump. Using An Independent Shop Will Void Your Warranty Some dealers claim this to be true because they want to continue to profit from your automobile purchase. Your warranty is valid wherever you get your maintenance done. We invite you to entrust your automobile to us at I-86 Truck & Auto Repair. We perform affordable, quality auto warranty service and repair. Always Replace All Four Tires At The Same Time If a tire is damaged beyond repair, it's fine to buy one tire that i ... read more

The automotive service team at I-86 Truck & Auto Repair is passionate about keeping vehicles properly maintained so they can perform at peak condition for as long as possible. Some of our clients' vehicles have 200k+ miles, are still in exceptional condition, and have many more serviceable years left in them. And, by the way, they welcome the fact that these dependable rides were completely paid off years ago. Sadly, we also occasionally see newish vehicles that have been utterly thrashed and abused. We often remind our customers (for good reason) that skipping maintenance services like oil changes has some pretty serious consequences, but we don't stress the importance of interior care nearly enough. In today's post, we turn our attention to caring for leather auto upholstery. Leather is quite durabl ... read more

Is the distinctive new car smell manufactured? In the Model T days, new automobile smells probably weren't engineered. Now, carmakers have fragrance chemists responsible for creating a car's signature fragrance. (No wonder new cars are so expensive!) These scientists, sometimes called "car sommeliers." are like any other team of auto engineers. They design, they create, they test. It's a complex process. "The Audi Nose team analyzes more than 500 different components from the interior of each model separately, as well as the scent of the complete car." https://www.metro.us/news/nose-teams-and-the-science-behind-new-car-smell/tmWjiv---6cEyu8mysDyrs Sometimes, Auto manufacturers change the fragrance for a different country. According to Ford, Chinese auto buyers are no ... read more

Way back in 1971, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) mandated a standard tire identification number (TIN). The purpose of the standard identification was to more easily notify owners when a tire was recalled. The NHTSA requires tire manufacturers to mold the unique TIN on at least one sidewall of each tire. This applies to both newly manufactured and retreaded tires. The TIN furnishes a wealth of information. Provided, of course, that you know what those numbers and letters mean. Let's break it down. Keep in mind that not all of these codes are required by law, so not every tire will have every item described here. Here is a sample TIN with all the numbers and letters explained below. P235/65R15 94H M+S DOT 2M 1812Metric or Tire Type [P] The first letter s ... read more

Most people know the factors that impact auto insurance rates: driver's age, model year, and accident history. There are some lesser-known scenarios that influence how much you pay. Here are some surprising things we found when we looked into it. Whether You Have A Farm When you apply for your auto insurance policy, you are asked how you use your vehicle. This affects how much you pay. Those who use their auto for business are charged more. If you are planning to use your vehicle on your farm, you will pay the lowest rates. If you're contemplating the purchase of a 100,000-acre dairy farm (aren't we all?), this may sway your decision. Whether You Are Widowed or Divorced It's common knowledge that when a driver gets married, his or her rate drops. (Especially his.) If you become single again ... read more

Automakers have always found different ways to incorporate new technology into their cars or advance technology themselves. One of the hot innovations right now, and one that is poised to revolutionize auto transportation forever, is the electric motor. We’ve seen vehicles that have used hybrid technology that combines gas and electric motors, but now we’re seeing autos that are going fully electric. Plus, the mileage range of these new EVs is getting long enough for car buyers to seriously consider purchasing an all-electric vehicle. Auto manufacturers are now in a race to design the "Volkswagen Beetle" of electric cars, in other words, a competitively-priced daily driver for the masses. Let's look at the main players. The Trailblazer You can't highlight electric cars and not give prominence to ... read more

When you fire up your motor day after day, year after year, you might never give a thought to these small marvels of precision engineering. Until, of course, they start to fail and you notice issues. It's pretty impressive, however, that spark plugs can fire flawlessly for thousands of miles in such a harsh and volatile environment. What It Does The spark plug emits precisely-timed arcs of electrical energy (voltage) to ignite the atomized air/fuel mixture in the combustion chamber, literally, "firing up" your engine. After your motor is running, it continues to fire through each combustion cycle. The spark plug also pulls excess heat from the combustion chamber and transfers it to the cooling system. What is the "Heat Range?" You may have heard the descriptions "cold" and ... read more

Dogs Are People Too! Cat Lover On Board. I Like Big Mutts And I Cannot Lie! My Cats Are Smarter Than Your Honor Student. These are some of the bumper stickers you might find slapped on the autos of pet lovers. But there are probably some really handy pet accessories inside of those cars too. Here are a few that can keep you and your pets safe and comfortable and avoid some of the wear and tear pets can cause your vehicle. Upholstery Protection Seat covers are the optimal upholstery-saver for the pet owner's car, truck, or van. Most covers are for back bench seats (if your vehicle has front airbags, no pets should ride in the front seat without the airbags disabled), but some slip nicely over bucket seats. There are even pet covers to fit in the cargo area of SUVs. All of them are easy to remove for c ... read more

Today's post is for Falconer dog lovers who bring their furry friend along with them in their automobile but do not use any type of restraint device. If this is the case for you, you are not alone. (I am sure many of us motorists are culpable.) In a recent survey by AAA and Kurgo (a pet supply company), only 16% of respondents reported using an auto safety restraint for their dog. Key results from the study: 56% of survey participants had driven with their pet in a vehicle at least once a month over the prior year. 29% reported to being distracted by their pet while behind the wheel. 65% of dog owners admit to engaging in potentially distracting behavior while driving with their dog. Reported behavior while driving with dogs: Petting dog (52%). Using hands or arms to restrict  ... read more

Whether you are purchasing or maintaining a vehicle, the quality of your brakes should be at the top of your list of concerns. How do brakes work? When you apply the brakes, you are driving a plunger in the master cylinder. This impels brake fluid through a system of hoses. Brake fluid (hydraulic fluid) can't be compressed, so it has enough power to engage a braking unit secured to the wheel. With a disk brake, the brake fluid comes from the master cylinder to a caliper. The caliper pushes a piston which squeezes two rotors (or disks). The rotors are secured to the wheel. Drum brakes use a wheel cylinder, brake shoes, and drum to stop the wheel. Brake fluid is forced into the wheel cylinder. The wheel cylinder thrusts the brake shoes away from the drum. This causes the friction linings to press against the drum. The drum is secured to the wheel, therefore, the wheel stops rotating. Your brake system is pretty fantastic! It can bring a 4,000 pound ... read more