Staten Island Auto Repair

7 Times You Might Say, "Ugh, I Should Have Winterized My Car..." Posted December 02, 2015 by Bobby GagliniinShare23 Winter is nearly upon us. Misty memories of sun-drenched beaches and grilling by the pool will soon be replaced by drifting snowflakes and roaring fires. And while winter can often bring beauty to the landscape, it can wreak absolute havoc on the roads and on your car. While winterizing your vehicle might cost a little time and money, it’s 100% worth it. Truly. I mean that. “I should have winterized my car...” 1. It’s a complete whiteout, and you’re stuck in gridlock traffic. The roads are already covered in snow, and it’s coming down in buckets. You turn on your windshield wipers, and they screech and skid across your windshield, not removing any of the frozen ice. “Oh no, not now.” You try using the washer fluid, but it just turns the ice on your windshield blue&hellip ... read more

10 Inventions That Changed Cars Forever Posted July 02, 2014 by Ken KupchikinShare0 A car "shovel" meant to reduce the number of casualties among pedestrians (Paris 1924) Cars have revolutionized transportation and allowed mobility on an unprecedented scale. Without cars, we would be at the mercy of public transportation, horses, or our own two feet. The cars that we drive today, however, are a far cry from the original automobiles, which had few safety features, relatively simple engineering, and weren't very fast. Over the years, innovation has brought dynamic changes to the automobile, one breakthrough at a time. Here are the most pivotal inventions for the automobile: 1) Combustion Engine - The most important part of an automobile is the engine, powering the rest of the vehicle. Internal combustion engines power cars with the combustion of fuel and oxygen which occurs in a combustion chamber. Without this invention, we wouldn ... read more

5 Cars That Retain Their Value Posted August 18, 2014 by Ken KupchikinShare0 Everyone knows that once you've signed on the dotted line and gotten the keys to your brand new car, it's already worth less than what you paid for it at the dealership. Cars are considered "depreciating assets" and there are few people who would argue otherwise. With the exception of classic cars that end up being collectors items, car values usually go in one direction: down. But in this respect, not all cars are created equal and some retain their value much better than others. Here is a list of the best performers: 1) Honda Civic - Having owned several Civics myself, I can vouch for the great resale prospects that come with ownership. Since they're at the lower end of the price spectrum, there are more potential buyers out there, and a reliable, fuel-efficient, and durable car like the civic doesn't need to be listed for long before it's sold ... read more

Should I Ask A Mechanic To Inspect A Used Car Before I Buy It? Posted March 27, 2014 by Ken KupchikinShare0 Buying a used car is a process that most people hate for good reason. When buying used, you're basically at the whim of the seller and their willingness to truthfully disclose any issues with the vehicle, including prior repair work. I just bought a used car myself, but had the advantage of knowing the seller beforehand, eliminating much of the guesswork. If you're buying the car from a used car dealership, you should always determine what kind of a warranty program they're offering. When dealerships buy vehicles at auction, the reputable ones will fix any issues before selling to the public. It's best to look for a dealership with actual mechanic bays as they're more likely to offer a warranty and repair any issues you may encounter since they have mechanics on-site. When buying from a private seller, a good option i ... read more

The Craziest Places Mechanics Call Home Posted June 22, 2015 by Bobby GagliniinShare7 Where there are cars, there’s a need for someone who knows how cars work. Within our country, there are almost a million mechanics working on cars, trucks, boats, motorcycles, RVs and more. I was thinking about this the other day, and started wondering whether there were mechanic shops in the craziest, hidden and most desolate places in the United States. I’m a geography buff, so anything unusual landscape or climate-wise always intrigues me. For this particular example, I used the mechanics that we have listed in our Mechanic Advisor database, and limited it solely to auto mechanics. The findings were nothing short of awesome. 1. A and D Automotive & Jeep – Barrow, Alaska A fun fact about this shop…it’s also a car dealership. Oh, and it just so happens to be located in the northernmost populated settlement in the United States ... read more

Your Check Engine Light Is On...Now What? Posted April 27, 2015 by Bobby GagliniinShare0 Over 8% of drivers on the road today have a check engine light on. Unfortunately, the vast majority of those drivers won’t get it checked out for months. But hey, can you blame them? If everything seems fine, why waste a costly diagnostic to get it checked out? Or, perhaps there’s that desire to avoid the possibility of paying a lot of money to get it fixed? Well, it’s not always so easy to decide what to do. Let’s go through a common example. You’re on the highway, driving home from work and everything with your vehicle is ship shape. Then, your car beeps loudly, and your check engine light is on. Your first thought is probably, “oh no”, and your second is to look for or feel anything different in your car. This is a pretty good idea. See if your engine is overheating, feel if your car is driving strangely, or listen to an ... read more

5 Ways You Can Get Out of Paying For Auto Repair Posted August 26, 2014 by Ken KupchikinShare0 Every dollar counts these days, and finding new ways to save money can go a long way. Auto repair is an unpleasant, and typically unexpected expense, so getting out of having to pay for it is very appealing. While most people will gladly pay to make sure their car is safe on the road, some will try anything to avoid the repair bill. Here are some ways you can get out of paying. 1) Do it yourself - If you can perform repairs yourself, you will never have to part with your hard-earned money and pay a mechanic. However, unless you are very handy or have some sort of experience, you will be very limited in the repairs that you will be able to perform. Mechanics are trained in the intricacies of modern vehicles and have all of the tools to perform complicated repairs. But you can get out of paying if you just work on your car yourself. 2) Don't repair it ... read more

What Causes Traffic Jams? (4) Comments Add a Comment » By Natalie Josef September 25th 2012 Where I live, in the San Francisco Bay Area, traffic jams are as common as the fog. A few weeks ago, I drove up to Sebastopol from San Francisco and before I knew it, my leisurely drive had turned into stop-and-go traffic. The traffic was so bad, I had to turn around to head back to the city before I had reached my destination so I wouldn’t be late for another appointment. When I turned back and started heading the other way, suddenly I was in traffic again. I had seen the roadway on my way up and there had been no traffic—none at all—and now it was crawling along. And just when I was about to seriously freak ou ... read more