Posted on 4/25/2021
Let's face it. Vehicles are complicated machines, each having thousands of parts. And since they're subjected to heat, cold, vibrations, bumps and much more, these parts wear out and need to be replaced. When your service advisor says you need a new part, you may have many options. Let's say you need a new muffler. One choice would be to get exactly the same part that was installed when the vehicle was manufactured. The advantages are that it will perform the same way as the one it's replacing and will likely last about the same amount of time as the original. Some mufflers are made by the same companies that supplied the automaker when your vehicle was new (they call that an OEM part—Original Equipment Manufacturer). And often those are the same as the part you'd buy from a dealer. A reputable vehicle service facility will know which ones these are because they replace mufflers all the time and do their homework. The good news is there a ... read more
Posted on 4/18/2021
You may have heard at one time or another about something called a timing belt or timing chain in your engine. And you may know that if they fail… well, let's just say that there can be some major engine damage. So obviously, we want our timing belts and chains to be in tip-top shape. One part that helps keep them running the way they should is the timing cover. As you can probably guess, it's something that covers the belt or chain. The timing cover protects both belts and chains from dirt and road debris. Timing belts also need to be lubricated so their covers allow them to be lubricated as well. They have a gasket that insures a good seal for the engine. If that gasket breaks or develops a leak, then engine oil can escape, and loss of lubrication is never good for an engine component. Other symptoms of a failed timing cover are leaking coolant, a metallic sound coming from the front of your engine or your Check Engine light coming on ... read more
Posted on 4/11/2021
You've just arrived at the store shopping and you're ready to head home. You put your key in the ignition and… oh, no! The ignition won't turn! What do you do now? Don't panic. There are some things you can do to get going again. The first thing to do is see if you have a locking steering wheel, an anti-theft feature that was introduced around 1970. Sometimes it sticks. Move the steering wheel side to side while you try to turn the key and you might be able to get it to release. Another thing to check is to see if your vehicle is in gear. Most vehicles will only allow you to start the ignition if it's in park or neutral. If you have an automatic transmission vehicle and it is in park, try jiggling the shift lever and try the key again. Sometimes the safety mechanism doesn't properly make contact or gets a little sloppy. If both of these don't work, it could be your vehicle's battery is dead. Some newer electronic ... read more
Posted on 4/4/2021
A big part of the service we provide at Twin City Auto for our Scottsbluff customers is education. We want you to feel confident with your service decisions. And we're always open to questions from our valued Scottsbluff area customers. Even though we try to be proactive in our Twin City Auto automotive education, we sometimes get busy fixing vehicles and need a reminder. Please, just ask. We've found our Scottsbluff customers like the service reminders. They've grown to trust that our recommendations are based on the vehicle manufactures’ published maintenance schedules and that Twin City Auto is not just pulling them out of the air. We know that people in Scottsbluff live a busy life with a lot more to think about than wondering if it's time to replace the PCV valve on their vehicle. Part of our Twin City Auto service process is checking the vehicle manufacture's schedule to make sure we don't overlook service. We hope NE drivers appreciate ... read more