Scottsbluff Auto Repair

It's important for Scottsbluff drivers to know battery basics. First, let's talk about which is harder on a battery – hot or cold NE weather. Most Scottsbluff area drivers think it's cold weather because that's when we call on our batteries to have enough power to start a cold vehicle engine. However, heat does more damage to a battery than cold. Truth is, our batteries start to die a little from day one. Keeping a full charge slows the process, which is hard with short Scottsbluff trips because the alternator doesn't have time to fully recharge the battery from starting the engine. Scottsbluff drivers can top off the charge with a computer controlled battery charger – say, once a month in the summer and every three months during the winter.As far as how long a battery will last, statistics show that 70% have given up the ghost within four years. By that time, they aren't capable of taking a full charge like they u ... read more

Hello Scottsbluff drivers! Need a new battery? There is a good chance that you do – 70% of batteries need to be replaced within four years. As your battery discharges and then recharges as you drive around Scottsbluff, bits of the surface of the battery plates disintegrate. As this process continues over a few years, the alternator has to work harder to supplement the battery charge. Over time, enough of the battery is damaged that it can no longer hold a charge and it needs to be replaced. This also speeds up wear on the alternator.Your Twin City Auto service advisor can help you determine the right vehicle replacement battery for the way you drive around Scottsbluff, as well as the NE climate and durability needs.Contact Twin City Auto for information on battery replacement.Give us a call. Twin City Auto 1802 E Overland Suite #4 Scottsbluff, NE 69361 308

Your vehicle is important to you, and keeping it running properly is important to your lifestyle. That's why you're smart enough to have it serviced regularly at Twin City Auto in Scottsbluff. And even though it may just be routine maintenance, you want it done right by automotive professionals.It's also very important to your Scottsbluff service center to keep you happy and on the road. You might be surprised at the amount of money our Scottsbluff auto service center spends annually to make sure our friendly and knowledgeable technicians are properly trained.Twin City Auto offers a variety of automotive services for many kinds of vehicles. We need to be current on the latest techniques and parts so that we can give you quality service. Our Scottsbluff service centers subscribe to data services that list the high quality parts and fluids recommended by your manufacturer.And each service has a checklist of standard procedures. Twin City Auto technicians follow these procedures so ... read more

The timing belt in your engine controls the opening and closing of the intake and exhaust valves. Scottsbluff drivers need to replace it on a schedule to avoid failure.Timing belts are very difficult to get to, requiring quite a bit of labor to access. Timing belt replacement is one of the more expensive maintenance services, but the cost at Twin City Auto to correct an engine damaged by a broken timing belt is much, much more.The timing belt has a tensioner to help maintain proper belt tension. The tensioner should be replaced along with the timing belt and any idler pulleys at the vehicle manufacturer’s specified service interval. Your Twin City Auto service advisor can help you with the timing belt.Give us a call.Twin City Auto1802 E Overland Suite #4Scottsbluff, NE 6936130

The government mandates a lot of equipment on cars in Scottsbluff, NE: emission devices and control computers, safety equipment like airbags and crash worthiness requirements. All of this is great for the Scottsbluff motoring public, but it does add quite a bit to the price of a new vehicle.Because new vehicles are more expensive, people in the Scottsbluff area are driving their old vehicles longer. The average vehicle is now over nine years old. Two thirds of vehicles on the road in NE have more than 75,000 miles (120,000 km) on them. As cars age, their performance drops, they have difficulty idling for long periods and are more sensitive to weather extremes. Fortunately today's cars are up to the challenge – but they need a little help to keep on goin'.Give Twin City Auto a call at 308.635.7404 to schedule your next maintenance.Some owner's manuals don't specify service requirements at higher mileage. That doesn't mean it doesn't have to be done ... read more

With high fuel prices in Scottsbluff, NE, comes lots of gas saving advice. Some of it, like what you hear on   is great.  When you get one of those e-mails that's going around telling you how to save gas, try to think it through.Does it really make sense? Does it defy the laws of physics?Do some research on the internet or ask your Scottsbluff, NE, service advisor at Twin City Auto.There aren't any magic pills you can drop in your gas tank, and the government hasn't suppressed a device you can clamp on your fuel line to make your vehicle run on air. Not even in Scottsbluff!So next time you get one of those e-mails, check it out with an automotive professional. You'll get more bang for your buck with an oil change or an engine air filter replacement.We're here for you at Twin City Auto, so give us a call at 308.635.7404 for good honest advice about your vehicle. Twin City Auto 1802 E Overland Suite #4 Scottsbluff, NE ... read more

The serpentine belt is aptly named since it snakes around under your hood. It may lack its namesake's fangs, but it sure packs a wallop when it breaks.The serpentine belt powers a lot of engine systems. It runs the alternator, which charges the battery; the water pump (on some vehicles), which cools the engine; the air conditioning, which cools the driver and passengers; and the power steering pump, which allows for easier steering. When the belt breaks, all of these systems shut down.Okay, so maybe you can live without air conditioning and power steering for a while, but your battery can't live very long without an alternator, and when the cooling system goes down, your vehicle engine will overheat. That's why Scottsbluff drivers should never wait to get a serpentine belt replaced.Serpentine belts are fairly inexpensive at Twin City Auto in Scottsbluff. And they look downright cheap when you compare them to the cost of an overheated vehicle engine, a tow truck, time lost on the road ... read more

The cooling system in an engine has five components: the radiator, the radiator cap, the hoses, the thermostat and the water pump. The water is literally the heart of the system. Just as your own heart keeps your blood circulating through your body, the water pump keeps coolant circulating through your engine.The water pump is driven by a belt, chain or gear and only operates while the engine is running. It has a limited life span and sooner or later will have to be replaced. You can check your owner's manual to find out how long your water pump should last. Some can fail at only 40,000 miles (64,000 kilometers), but almost all of them fail by 100,000 miles (160,000 kilometers).Water pumps don't gradually wear out; they fail. In other words, they're either working or they're not. A failed water pump has to be replaced.Water pumps can fail in two ways: they can spring a leak or their bearings fail. Leaks can come from a cracked pump but usually develop at the gasket whe ... read more

Organization is the key to managing a busy life in NE. So setting up an annual calendar for vehicle care can keep Scottsbluff residents on top of preventive maintenance. But you can't just write “oil change” every few months on the calendar. Modern vehicles have many systems that are vital to the safe operation of a vehicle, and they all need to be inspected. Scottsbluff residents can't afford to overlook any of them.The following is a list of preventive maintenance services that are often overlooked by vehicle owners in the Scottsbluff area. They are not presented in any particular order.1. Twin City Auto Power Steering Service. Moisture gradually builds up in your power steering fluid, which can lead to corrosion in your steering system. The fluid also gets dirty, which can gum up your steering system. The fluid needs to be replaced periodically.2. Twin City Auto Wheel Alignment. Wheels that are out of alignment will cause ... read more

The transmission system in your vehicle allows you to change gears. Lower gears are power gears. They get your vehicle moving and get it up hills. Higher gears get the vehicle up to speed and get it rolling faster. If you have a standard transmission, then you have to do the work of shifting gears yourself. But with an automatic transmission, the vehicle shifts gears on its own. It automatically starts out in low gear and automatically shifts to high gears as it gets rolling. Again, it will automatically shift to a lower gear to climb hills or when you need a burst of speed.How does it know when to change gears? Today's automatic transmissions are computer-controlled. The computer gathers information about what the vehicle is doing and changes the gears as needed.Automatic transmissions are becoming more sophisticated all the time. More gears, or “speeds,” are being added. Almost all vehicles have at least four speeds. Five or six is common. Some are even increasing to sev ... read more