Aurora Auto Repair

New Year’s REVolutions! By Reneé Leon For a slight twist on the typical New Year's Resolution, I’ve replaced the “S” with a “V” to REV up 2024 and perhaps shake things up with a personal uprising! Rev up your self-care – try walking, meditation, and get more sleep! Rev up your brain training – read more, LESS screen time; let your mind quiet and see how much time you have for new projects. Rev up your community connections – go to a city council meeting, take in some local theatre, or check out a local school or organization that “calls” to you. Rev up your engines – take advantage of our gorgeous state and enjoy a day trip to one of many cute mountain towns, enjoy a winter hike/snowshoe adventure; having a well-maintained vehicle gives us the ability to shake things up! We are REVVING things up at Aurora AutoPros, too! From new team members to exciting training an ... read more

Holiday CHEER or FEAR?By Renee Leon Aaaah the Holidays! Is it a time of cheer and togetherness or a time of anxiety and hardship? For many people it’s all of that and more. Depending on a person’s situation and their perspective, the holidays can be stressful. For many people, the holidays come with a pile of expectations and added tasks, not to mention the overwhelming commercialism! If this is how you or a loved one experiences the holidays, I’d like to offer some simple tips that I’ve learned from my dad, Jim. I’m not an expert in managing my anxieties yet but I do try to keep some of his advice in mind as I move through the holidays. Tip #1: Practicing Presence Rather than future-casting what someone may say, feel, or react, allow yourself to take a deep breath and notice the moment you are IN. You can’t predict or control what others will say or do so consider letting those concerns go and stay in the HERE ... read more

3 Simple Tricks to Reduce Solicitations By Reneé Leon I am not alone when I admit that I use my phone at some point during nearly every waking hour of the day. Is that a brag? Definitely not but it is an honest statement. From meditation and fitness to family meal planning, veterinary appointments to office tasks, my phone is a part of it ALL. When I get a random phone call trying to solicit my business, I’m less than thrilled. Try these 3 Simple Tricks to reduce invasive solicitations! Credit and Insurance Solicitations I saw this tip from our Mortgage Broker, Dave King, and HAD to pass this on! Consumer Credit Reporting Companies (Equifax, Innovis and TransUnion) are permitted, by law, to sell consumer’s information to solicitors after they apply for a new card, auto loan, mortgage, or other lines of credit. As a result, consumers can get bombarded with numerous unwanted phone, text, and email solicitations. Follow the steps b ... read more

Examples of Community Leadership (and why it MATTERS)By Reneé Leon Let me take you on a short trip down Aurora AutoPros memory lane. We opened in 2013 and shortly after were invited to consider membership at the Aurora Chamber of Commerce. Being a social person, I was immediately appreciative of the various learning opportunities and networking events at the Chamber. A few years later I was thrilled to get a scholarship to participate in Leadership Aurora, a 10-month community engagement program designed to develop an awareness of the Aurora community, create a network of informed leaders, and encourage greater involvement in the community.  The program begins with a mandatory two-night retreat in mid-September and culminates with a graduation program in early June. For this year’s class retreat, the board who runs this program asked me and 2 other alumni (Jason Altshuler with My Electric Home and Jennifer Evans with Advantage Secu ... read more

Digital Assets – Social Media, Photos, and Online Accounts – What happens when you’re gone?!?! By Reneé Leon Earlier this year I was chatting with a customer while she waited for her oil to be changed. She shared that she was amid a challenging task – a loved one had passed and our customer was trying to manage online accounts. She was struggling to gain access because the passwords weren’t readily available/known. She encouraged me to plan now to save my family from added challenges when I’m gone. I’m sharing this info with you, too, and perhaps we will all get organized this year! As technology continues to advance, it has become increasingly important to consider what happens to our digital assets after we pass away. End of life digital planning involves taking steps to ensure that our digital presence is properly managed, and our digital assets are passed on to our loved ones. Here are 5 steps for end-of-life digit ... read more

How to Maintain a Clean, Organized Car Interior During the School Year: 5 Simple Tips by: Renee' Leon August marks the start of school for a lot of Colorado schools and with it comes the need to haul more SCHTUFF. Books, folders, bags, and food need to be remembered and available. Students/parents/teachers need to be on time prepared. As the school year progresses, having a chaotic commute vehicle can be unpleasant and unhelpful. Here are 5 SIMPLE TIPS for maintaining a clean and organized car interior during the school year: 1) Stash the Trash Keep an easy-to-access trash bag (ideally reusable) in your vehicle and empty it regularly. If we eat in the car, everyone must pack out their trash and as much of the dropped morsels as possible. Don't do it later. Your nose will thank you. If you have little kids, you can consider a weekly car clean up contest! The person who picks up the most trash/treasures WINS! Plus vacuums are fun for some littles... 2) Junk in the Trunk (Okay ... read more

Facing A Health Crisis: 7 Advocating Tips (from An Attorney)! by: Renee' Leon When someone we love is facing an unfamiliar health crisis it means that those closest to them are called upon to provide support. Support can look like many things – rides to appointments, meals, holding a hand, and sometime financial assistance. Another important role is being an advocate. The person facing the scary health stuff is often unable to fully comprehend and remember what the medical team finds, suggests, and prescribes during an appointment. A dear friend of mine, an advocate by trade (she’s an attorney), recently found herself needing to use her skills in just this way. These are her 7 Advocate Tips to follow: 1) Educate yourself, and not just a Google search. Talk to people who have been through something similar. Learn as much as you can about the health condition and treatment options. This will help you make informed decisions and ask the right questions ... read more

Summer Gatherings: Perfect Time for Important Discussions! by: Renee' Leon I know, I know! June is Pride month, Father’s Day, and Vacation time! AAAAND that often means gathering with close friends and family. Which is PERFECT! Rarely is there an ideal time to discuss end of life care and wishes and sadly, many people delay the conversation until it is too late. Use June as a time to understand one another’s wishes.  Estate planning is a process that is best done in advance of extreme stress and in manageable bits. It’s also very helpful to enlist a professional! Consider the following outline for adult children talking to their parents: Pick a relaxed moment to open the discussion. Ask if they’ve thought about end of life or medical emergency wishes; be sincere about you desire to follow their wishes. Listen openly. Offer support and assistance; stress the importance of clear planning to avoid family conflicts. From determining beneficiaries to ... read more

​MAY-be Time to Gather and Celebrate!  by: Renee' Leon Thank goodness spring is finally here! The trees are re-leaved. 😊 May is a beautiful month in Colorado with LOTS of opportunities to celebrate and gather. On Sunday, May 14th we celebrate our maternal figures, all month people will gather and congratulate high school and college graduates, and Memorial Day is Monday, May 29th when we remember those who have died in service to our country. MAY I suggest flowers or plants for all these occasions? Mother’s Day  Flower: choose pink or white carnations; they symbolize a mother’s love Plant: lavender is a symbol love and devotion Plant pun suggestion: “I’m very frond of you.” Graduation Flower: in Chinese culture, the sunflower is thought to bring good luck, prosperity, and safety Plant: a ... read more

​10-year anniversary: STRUGGLE LEADS TO GROWTH Ten years ago, I was informed by my incredible husband that he, Edgar, was determined to open his own shop. He asked me to join him stating that it would be best if we did it together. But if I declined, he was going to do it anyway. Not much of a choice, right? WE could do it or HE would do it – either way it was HAPPENING, so I stepped up. For the entire first year I experienced involuntary muscle spasms every night (my body trying to process the stress). After that first year, I was willing to admit to Edgar that HE WAS RIGHT, and while I know he loves to hear those precious three words, he has never stooped to saying, “I told you so”. Edgar knew a lot about fixing cars and helping customers but together we learned the business side of the automotive industry. Over the years we’ve learned a lot - some lessons harder than others – and can truly be grateful for them all because we now know ... read more