Auto Repair Tempe

Most motorists are aware of the dangers surrounding tires that are poorly inflated or flat, but many aren't aware of the hidden dangers of an old or worn tire. The danger doesn't immediately present itself making motorists more inclined to keep their tires. The older a tire is, the higher a risk for the tread to separate unexpectedly. Often, during the worst of times resulting in auto accidents, which may involve injuries or even death. For years, it was common knowledge for people to buy tires based on the tread usage. Many diagrams and pictures can be found in vehicle maintenance books as well as the Internet depicting the use of a penny to determine the condition of the tire itself. Unfortunately, few realize how the structural components of a tire will deteriorate over time regardless of outside appearances. An old tire, regardless of how new it looks can potentially pose a safety hazard. For some motorists, they may never have to worry about old tires. If you drive betwee ... read more

Ask any driver here in the Valley Of The Sun what the most important feature is on their car and many would probably answer, "My air conditioning!" It might be hard to argue that point. :) A lot goes into delivering ice cold air when you push that A/C button, or hot air for that matter. That's when the HVAC system in your car kicks in. Most HVAC concerns occur when you least expect it, and often at the most inconvenient times. No heat to defrost the windshield? Roasting in the summer heat? The vehicle's heating, ventilation and air conditioning system is composed of three sub-systems that all work together to provide conditioned air to the vehicle cabin. The heating part takes heat from the engine coolant and transfers it to the incoming air. The ventilation part moves and directs the air within the cabin. And the air condition part cools and dehumidifies the air within the cabin. When they're working normally they keep you comfortab ... read more

For decades, Chrysler worked on an alternative engine design that might have provided a very flexible alternative. It ended without fanfare in 1979, and was never picked up again - as far as we know. Richard Benner, Jr., wrote: "Mike Eberhart (who works here at Chrysler St. Louis) is the guy who takes the vehicle around for shows all over the U.S. He gives rides in the vehicles (I have ridden 3 times) and for anyone who says they did ride it it, if they did, they sign into a log that's kept here at the St. Louis Museum of Transportation, who owns the vehicle. Mike just has it on loan to work on and transport it. He did much of the work himself to get it running and in the condition it is in." One turbine-powered car, not made by Chrysler, was entered into professional racing at the Indianapolis 500; the turbine itself was a standard aviation unit, and the car involved nearly won, but a bad wheel bearing took it out of the race. Turbine powered cars were then excluded from racing thro ... read more

What? Didn't we just cover the reasons you might want to buy an SUV last week? You bet we did. In the interests of fairness, we thought it might be valuable to offer an opposing viewpoint this week. Today's opposing viewpoints come from Jim Kenzie of Motoring TV from an episode back in 1997. Jim says you can call them crossovers or call them SUVs - just don't call them yours. That has been and continues to be, the consensus from the Motoring TV team since the show's earliest days. SUVs have come a long way, but most of the reasons Jim Kenzie laid out as to why not to buy an SUV way back in 1997 may still hold water today. "There are some safety advantages of vehicles like this," Jim said of the then-current crop of SUVs on the market. "First of all, they are heavy, and, all else being equal, a heavy vehicle is safer than a light vehicle." Jim also states the higher vantage point afforded by most SUVs gives drivers a better vantage point. But from four-wheel drive that does nothi ... read more

There’s more than the make and model to consider when it’s time to buy a new car. For consumers who'll be financing the purchase, there are generally two options, leasing, and buying. A lot of people find leasing confusing because of all the clauses and limits of liability, hidden charges and sometimes terminology that isn’t easy to understand. Most of us will purchase between 6-10 cars over our lifetime, but for those who lease, rather than buy, they'll have the use of upwards of 60 cars during t same time period. Notice the word, "use" in that sentence. It's appropriate because when leasing a vehicle you never actually own it, you're only paying to use it. Things To Consider Before Deciding To Lease Before even considering the pros and cons, consumers should be asking themselves about their particular needs, wants and circumstances to see which option, both short and long term, will be best for them. Things to consider are: Will the vehicle be used ... read more

This is some rare and exciting footage of the world's first car's engine igniting & running. Regarding this car, Wikipedia states: Have a look! (After watching this you'll be glad starting your car only takes the turn of a key!)

Toyota revealed a hydrogen fuel cell-powered electric vehicle at CES 2014, along with the announcement that it'll be hitting the market sometime this year! In this video we hear from Toyota's Fuel Cell Group senior engineer Jared Farnsworth about the project, including fueling the vehicle, testing the vehicle, and the obstacles that stood in their way while developing the tech. For more on this car and it's technology visit it's site: http://www.toyota.com/fuelcell/ When you need service on your Toyota, or any other domestic or foreign car, give us a call here at Elite Auto Repair in Tempe! (480) 455-5331

Tesla has sure made some impressive strides in all-electric vehicles, with sleek styling and 200+ mile ranges between charges. But, this cutting edge tech comes at a fairly high price. That may not be the case in the near future. It seems Tesla is developing a new, smaller electric vehicle to add to it's lineup starting in 2017. It will be called the Model 3. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has hinted that this new vehicle would retail for approximately $35,000 US. There hasn't been much released about the performance of this model other than it would have a range of 200+ miles between charges, similar to the current Model S. No official images of the new car's design are available as of yet, but I think it's safe to say we'll see more of the sporty Tesla style

A part of car ownership involves vehicle maintenance and the occasional shopping trip to replace obsolete auto parts. Whether the parts aim to maintain the function of the vehicle, or you're looking to improve the appearances of your vehicle, shopping will present a whole new challenge if you can't determine the difference between OEM and Aftermarket Parts. Many often wonder if it's worth sticking to genuine vehicle parts or if there are some benefits other than cost to purchasing aftermarket parts from a different manufacturer. While it's normal to wonder about such things, it may be comforting to know most of the parts you'll ever have to replace on your vehicle were probably outsourced to another company to begin with. It's rare and sometimes even expensive to produce auto parts in house. Take it from Henry Ford, who was known to outsource the production and purchase of parts such as tires, springs, and even generators. Yes, even for his beloved Model T cars. Depending on the aut ... read more