West Seattle Auto Repair

School is back in session. Here are a few tips to ensure our children make it to their destinations and back safely. The most important rule is to SLOW DOWN and don’t be distracted while driving. Follow school buses at a safe distance, they make frequent stops. Yellow flashing lights indicate the bus is preparing to slow down and stop to load and unload kids. Slow down and be prepared to stop. Remember that children react differently than adults. They act impulsively and are easily distracted; they are not aware that their size can prevent drivers from seeing them and don’t understand what it takes to stop a moving vehicle. Children arriving late for the bus, or anxious to meet an awaiting adult, may dart out into traffic without looking or unexpectedly jump out from between parked cars. WA State law mandates the following rules for passing stopped school buses: Two-Lane Roads: All vehicles mu ... read more

Oil consumption is very common for Mini Coopers. Many Minis consume as much as one quart of oil every 700-1200 miles. Given the extended oil change interval on these cars, it is not unusual to lose 4-5 quarts of oil between oil changes. Mini Cooper S While there is an oil pressure sensor, there is no oil level sensor on the Mini. The oil pressure sensor light will not come on until the engine is nearly out of oil. It is critical to check your Mini’s oil regularly and not let the oil level become low. We are happy to check oil level at any time during our business hours, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. If you have a question about your oil level, please feel free to stop by at any time. Mini Cooper S photo by flickr user bark

Saab in Motion The Washington State Auto Dealers Association (wsada.org) printed “Green Driving Tips” in the Seattle Times (Sunday, June 17, 2012). WSADA says the following habits may increase your fuel economy by up to 33%! Keep rolling in traffic . It takes up to 20% more fuel to accelerate from a full dead stop than from 5 mph. Look down the road to anticipate stops and coast as much as possible. Drive your car to warm it up. Today’s vehicles do not need a warm up period before driving. Even on the coldest morning, running your engine for 30 seconds is all your need before your vehicle is ready to drive. Avoid unnecessary idling. When a vehicle is idling, you are getting zero miles per gallon plus you are increasing engine wear and air pollution. Avoid rapid starts and stops. Ease into accelerations and brake smoothly, especially around corners. Combine trips. Avoid making multiple short trips ... read more