Posted on: 12/1/2021
Photo from the Aurora AutoPros website Welcome to December, friends! It’s a beautiful month for giving and receiving, for renewing old acquaintances, and for sharing a bit of cheer with friends and family, or in some cases, with complete strangers. At Aurora AutoPros, we hold December the 7th in particular esteem this year -- because that’s the day Colorado Gives! Colorado Gives Day makes good things happen for more than 3,000 local nonprofits. What began in 2010 as a modest grassroots movement has blossomed into one of the most significant giving days in the US. In 2020, the annual statewide campaign raised more than $50 million in 24 hours; for local charities and nonprofit groups! This celebration of giving helps donors give where they live to the causes they care about most. Aurora AutoPros loves participating in Colorado Gives Day. We have made donations to Ready To Work Aurora, Comitis Homeless Shelter, and DAVA -- Downtown Aurora Visual Art ... read more
Posted on: 11/1/2021
Photo by Karan Shiwalkar on Unsplash Our vehicles are a conduit for our memories, like a time capsule we move about in; during our daily lives. We all have fond memories associated with our vehicles; some are sweet, fun, and some are crazy. Whether you are six or 60 years old, your vehicle would have all kinds of stories about you if it could talk! Our vehicles spend their days getting us to-and-from our dreams; they bring us to work every day, they bring our families together, and they take us on our favorite trips. Imagine the stories your vehicle could tell if you gave it the chance to speak. Here are some of the things your vehicle might say if it had a voice: It Would Tell Your Love Story - American love sto ... read more
Posted on: 10/15/2021
Photo by White Field Photo on Unsplash We blinked, and suddenly it's October! Here in Colorado, the mornings are brisk, and the leaves have gorgeous hues of gold, red, and orange. Many households take advantage of this season to decorate for Halloween and take their vehicles in for a checkup! Fall is the season to have your vehicle checked and schedule any needed repairs before the frigid weather arrives. There is no such thing as an ideal time to be stranded on the side of the road, but in freezing temperatures, it can be worse than inconvenient – it can be downright dangerous. To help you avoid winter woes, we want to share the top three ways you can prepare your vehicle during Autumn for the coming Winter months. Tires ... read more
Posted on: 9/9/2021
Are Your Brakes Trying to Tell You Something? If your brakes are trying to tell you something, you should pay attention. A properly operating brake system helps ensure safe vehicle control and operation and it should be checked immediately if you suspect any problems, says the non - profit Car Care Council. “While an annual brake inspection is a good way to ensure brake safety, motorists should NOT ignore signs that their brakes need attention,” said Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council. The Car Care Council reminds motorists to look for the following warning signs that their brakes need to be inspected : • Noise: screeching, grinding or clicking noises when applying the brakes. • Pulling: vehicle pulls to one side while braking. • Low Pedal: brake pedal nearly touches the floor before engaging. • Hard Pedal: must apply extreme pressure to the pedal before brakes engage. • Grabbing: brakes grab at the slightest touch to the pedal ... read more
Posted on: 8/6/2021
Heat Causes More Batteries to Fail Than Cold! “When most motorists think of dead batteries that cause starting failure, they think of severe winter weather, but summer heat is the real culprit,” said Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council. More car batteries fail in the summer than in the winter! Summer’s hot temperatures can destroy a car’s battery. Heat causes battery fluid to evaporate, which then damages the internal structure of the battery. The Car Care Council advises vehicle owners to have their car battery tested periodically, including in the summer and replaced, if necessary, to avoid being stranded during that summer vacation. At Aurora AutoPros, we can perform a battery service that includes cleaning the contacts and cables, as well as test the strength of the battery. This service increases the life of your battery and saves you unnecessary hassles. There is never a good time for your car to break down or not start, so prevention is the ... read more
Posted on: 5/12/2021
Summer presents plenty of traffic safety concerns that, if ignored, can turn a dreamy ride into a nightmare. Motorists should keep these summer driving safety tips top of mind before hitting the road. Driving vacations are expected to be at an all time high this summer! • Whether traveling 5 or 500 miles, every driver should carry important items like a mobile phone charger, a flashlight with extra batteries, a first aid kit, drinking water, extra snacks and food, booster cables, emergency flares or reflectors, windshield wiper fluid and a basic toolkit with a tire pressure gauge and adjustable wrench. Despite the importance of these items, more than 40 percent of motorists don’t carry such an emergency kit, one of the most valuable summer driving safety tips. • Sun glare can be a serious hazard. A sweet pair of sunglasses will ... read more
Posted on: 5/12/2021
As Colorado temperatures rise, drivers will be eager to crank the A/C for a cool, comfortable ride. Some of those drivers will be furrowing their brows, wondering why the air is not getting very cool or taking a long time to cool. Signs that the A/C needs serviced are: Warm air blowing from the a/c vent Warm air blowing means the A/C system is not operating correctly. Air-conditioning systems are sealed circuits, and any loss of cooling ability calls for an inspection of the entire system. The cause could be due low freon level due to a leak somewhere or a component has failed, like the A/C compressor or the cooling fan. An engine running hotter than normal can also affect the performance of the A/C system. (This is another reason you should get your vehicle inspected at regular intervals!) ... read more
Posted on: 4/8/2021
For many of us, when we first started driving, brakes meant “pedal”, and some even knew there were pads and rotors. But lots of car owners learn about brake fluid when their mechanic recommends the brake fluid flush. Unlike blinker fluid (not a real thing!), brake fluid is very real and very important to the braking system! Brake fluid is hydroscopic, meaning it attracts moisture. The unwanted moisture/water in the brake fluid can boil (boiling point of water is lower than that of brake fluid), causing vapor to form in the hydraulic brake system. That vapor causes pockets of air in the brake lines and results in a spongy brake pedal = brake pedal responds more slowly. And moisture acts to corrode metal components (brake lines, calipers, the master cylinder and others) within the braking system -, possibly causing an eventual failure. If you notice a need to start braking earlier than you used to, odds a ... read more
Posted on: 3/15/2021
The pandemic has caused many areas of life to look and function quite differently than they did before 2020. One of the organizations that has been hit the hardest during the pandemic is the DMV. Locations across the country shut down at the beginning of last spring, and while most have reopened, they are generally operating under an appointment-only basis in order to keep social distancing intact. As you might expect, being shut down for months caused a long backlog of appointments, which means the current state of visiting the DMV is still far from normal. This state of affairs has left young aspiring drivers who are eager to take all of the steps necessary to get their licenses, as well as seasoned drivers looking to renew theirs, unsure of how to proceed. While each individual DMV location will vary slightly in how it’s moving forward, here are a few general and Colorado-specific things to keep in mind during this chaotic time: Expect Long Wait Times for a DMV Appointment o ... read more
Posted on: 2/13/2021
Most car owners know that regular oil changes are necessary. But many people don’t realize that all vehicles have multiple systems that require fluid changes/flushes! Systems with moving components require lubrication to perform their tasks. These systems are: Engine Transmission Braking system Cooling Differentials Transfer case Power steering ____________ (by the time you read this, engineers have likely invented MORE systems that need special fluids!) Specially designed fluids provide the right conditions for optimal performance. Over time, these fluids break down. If routine fluid maintenance is ignored, eventually those components lack adequate lubrication to keep moving as designed - and that leads to expensive repairs (BOO!). Flushing and replacing the various fluids at the recommended intervals OR when an inspection indicates can save time, money, and inc ... read more