Auto Repair Salt Lake City, Tires Salt Lake City: Trusting Your Auto Repair Shop

Consumer confidence in auto repair shops may be higher than you assume. According to a new survey by the Consumer Reports National Research Center (based on 1,699 random, nationwide telephone interviews of adult car owners surveyed from November 3-7, 2011), vehicle owners put a lot of faith in their chosen car repair shops:

·         -83% of those involved in repair decisions saying they are confident they’ll get the right car maintenance and repair work done for the right price;

·         -85% were satisfied with the quality and pricing of their auto repair facility;

·         -91% trust their car repair shop;

·        - Over 50% completely trust their auto repair shop;

The survey also found:

·        - 37% take their cars to independent repair shops;

·       -30% take their car to dealerships;

·         -11% take their cars to national brand repair chains;

Maintenance and Repair:

The survey found that, on average, owners plan to keep their current car for another five years (at a time when the average car in America is 9 years old). The survey showed that 98% of  car owners depend upon proper maintenance and repair to keep their vehicle operating properly:

·         -77% take their car in for regular maintenance and repair;

·         -21% are “do-it-yourself” maintenance and repair car owners

Even with a high level of trust, consumers do their research before bringing the car to the shop, and many wish they had more information available. The survey showed 56% wished they had more information going into the auto repair shop.

That is why we put primary emphasis on informing our customers of the “whys, hows, whats and whens” of your car maintenance and repairs. Hillside Tire is the first tire and auto service business in Salt Lake City to obtain the “Gephardt Approved” designation. Being “Gephardt Approved” means consumer advocate Bill Gephardt has investigated our business, trusts us and is proud to endorse us. In fact, Bill Gephardt has been a customer of Hillside Tire for over the past 5 years. Bill backs his endorsement with his own money by providing “up to $1000 money back” guarantee, if we fail to live up to our promise.

Watch our video, as Jeff explains our commitment to your complete satisfaction with your tire and auto repair needs at Hillside Tire and Service. We want to be the best auto repair shop in Salt Lake City.

We look forward to earning all of your tire, auto repair, and maintenance business for years to come. We have 5 locations throughout the Salt Lake Valley to serve you - Cottonwood Heights, West Valley City, West Jordan, Sandy and Draper.

Timing Belt Replacement And Repair: What You Need To Know

There are so many belts in a car engine, it is hard to keep up with them all. One of the most important belts in the engine is the timing belt. This news video on timing belts from 2006 shows how critical replacing a timing belt is to your car's engine operation. Without this belt operating properly, it can throw off the entire operation of the engine. The timing belt's purpose is to turn the camshafts exactly half as fast as the crankshaft.

Earlier cars and trucks had chains instead of a belt. The chain is preferred by many owners because it seldom needs to be replaced. The only problem with the chain is the noise it creates. For this reason, many manufacturers design the belt, and ask you to replace it periodically.

Since your timing belt is hidden within the engine, the labor costs just to “check” it are unreasonable. That is why it is just better to change them regularly, before they break. How often timing belts need to be replaced will depend on the type of engine. Some belts will only turn one camshaft, while others may turn as many as four. The more camshafts the belt has to move, the quicker it will wear out. The standard school of thought is: for vehicles before 1998, replace your timing belts around 90,000 miles (45 seconds into the video, the engine has 93,000 miles, and look at the timing belt damage). For vehicles after 1998, replace the belt is recommended around 105,000 miles.

Many people like to put this off beyond this time period because of the expense involved. This is a mistake, because not replacing the timing belt can lead to several other mechanical nightmares, which will cost far more to repair. Broken timing belts, because they operate the camshaft, can create further damage to engine valves.

Signs of a bad timing belt include a change in the engine's performance. This includes such things as stalls, backfires or running roughly with a lot of vibration. Squealing noises and smoke are two other obvious signs you may be having a problemwith a timing belt in your engine. Let us inspect your car to determine the causes.

Some enginetiming belts operate the water pump as well. Our offer to replace your water pump does not mean we are trying to take you for a lot of money. It is generally a precautionary measure. With the belt off, replacing the pump is very simple, there are no added labor costs. You actually save on the labor, since the water pump has to be removed anyway.. Just ask us what the history is on the water pump in your model car. If the water pump generally does not fail, it is a procedure you can do without.

Replacing the timing belt is one of those precautionary measures to take. Pay a little now, to save a lot later. We will gladly inform you of the specific timing belt replacement for your vehicle.

At Hillside Tire and Service, we are your experts for all makes and models of auto repair in Salt Lake City. Come in to any of our 5 Salt Lake Valley tire stores: Salt Lake City (Cottonwood Heights), West Valley City, West Jordan, Sandy or Draper, and get to know us, like Bill Gephardt does,  through our auto repair service specials (see coupons). We also check your Braking System-at no charge! See us also for tires (we have tire discounts from manufacturer factory rebate specials going on right now), alignments, oil changes, inspections, emissions, and complete auto repair services.

Brake Noises: Grinds, Squeals, Groans, Hard Brake, Soft Brake-What Do They Mean?

Your brakes are more than just brake pads-they are your safety system when you drive. Just like making sure you are strapped in on a roller coaster ride, you want to make sure your brakes are functioning properly. The following is a guide to symptoms and possible causes of common brake problems, all of which can be repaired and fixed, to keep you driving safely on the road:

Hard Pedal
Requires extreme pressure to make brake function. Can indicate power brake trouble, restricted hydraulic lines, frozen calipers or wheel cylinders, or damaged brake linings.
Low Pedal
Pedal nearly touches floorboard before brakes function. May activate your brake warning light. Problems may require a simple adjustment, possible air in the brake fluid lines (requiring flush procedure) or leaks in the brake hydraulic system. Needs to be checked.
Pull
Car pulls to one side when brakes are applied. May be an under inflated tire, misadjusted brakes or brakes are in need of repair.
Grabs
"Touchy" brakes that grab with the least pressure. May indicate a problem as simple as grease or oil contaminated lining - or  a loose or broken component in the system
 Squeal
Brakes should operate with a minimal amount of noise. Some noise is normal but excessive squeal, screech, grinding, groaning, chatter, clatter or bang means your brakes need attention.
Vibration
Brake pedal, steering wheel or entire vehicle shakes, vibrates or pulsates when brake is applied. May indicate need to resurface disc brake rotors - or signal a loose component in the steering or , suspension system, or a tire related issue. This needs to be checked.
Drag
Sticking brakes, hot wheels or engine that seems to have lost power. Brakes may be failing to release; the condition can reverse itself, leaving you with no brakes at all.
Brake Light Is On
Emergency brake is on, low brake fluid, a serious drop in hydraulic pressure, or one of the brake sensors is malfunctioning. Your brakes may be need to be checked.

At Hillside Tire and Service, we are your brake experts for all makes and models. Come in to any of our 5 Salt Lake Valley tire stores: Salt Lake City (Cottonwood Heights), West Valley City, West Jordan, Sandy or Draper, and we will check your Braking System-at no charge! Get to know us, like Bill Gephardt does,  through our auto repair service specials (see coupons). See us also for tires (we have tire discounts from manufacturer factory rebate specials going on right now), alignments, oil changes, inspections, emissions, and complete auto repair services.

 

Another Happy Auto Repair Service Customer Of Hillside Tire Sends In Positive Reviews

Customer comments and observations are always welcomed and encouraged, as we strive to surpass your expectations about automotive tire and auto repair services. The following recommendation and compliments from one of our customers are sincerely appreciated by us, and are motivation to fulfill our mission of being your one trusted place for  all of your car care needs:

"Because my Isuzu Rodeo is different, I have had some difficulty getting service and auto repairs done correctly. I was so happy to talk with one of your technicians. He knew how, among other things, how to check the transmission oil, and also knew what temperature it needed to be. That doesn't always happen. Thank you again for your help today."

At Hillside Tire and Service, we are your experts for all makes and models of auto repair in Salt Lake City. Come in to any of our 5 Salt Lake Valley tire stores: Salt Lake City (Cottonwood Heights), West Valley City, West Jordan, Sandy or Draper, and get to know us, like Bill Gephardt does,  through our auto repair service specials (see coupons). We also check your Braking System-at no charge! See us also for tires (we have tire discounts from manufacturer factory rebate specials going on right now), alignments, oil changes, inspections, emissions, and complete auto repair services.

Google Review Of Hillside Tire In Draper

Our goal to provide auto repair services to please and surpass you expectations was noticed by this customer who submitted this review on Google:

"I limped in off the freeway, with my car stalling on and off, with no obvious reason. My trip back to California was looking like one of those typical "disaster road trips". Thankfully, the manager Scott understood my sad circumstances. He and his mechanic worked past closing today (Saturday), just so I would not be stranded here until Monday. You guys are angels!! A Thousand Thank Yous! (No stalling problem anymore, either!!)"- MKL, Google Review

We appreciate your kind words, as we hope to continue delivering those great experiences to others who need tires or auto repair service in the Salt Lake Valley.

Being a Gephardt Approved Automotive Repair facility means consumer advocate Bill Gephardt will provide you, the customer, with his personal “up to $1000 money back” guarantee, if we fail to live up to our promise.

We are your experts for all makes and models of auto repair in Salt Lake City. Come in to any of our 5 Salt Lake Valley tire stores: Salt Lake City (Cottonwood Heights), West Valley City, West Jordan, Sandy or Draper, and get to know us, like Bill Gephardt does,  through our auto repair service specials (see coupons). We also check your Braking System-at no charge! See us also for tires (we have tire discounts from manufacturer factory rebate specials going on right now), alignments, oil changes, inspections, emissions, and complete auto repair services.

Why Hillside Tire and Service Is Bill Gephardt Approved

Long time consumer advocate Bill Gephardt writes about his endorsement of Hillside Tire and Service in the Salt lake City Valley. Read his comments of Hillside Tire's:

• Company philosophy;
• Forming relationships with new customers;
• How the partners run their business;
• How they treat customers;
• Why Gephardt trusts this company;
• Why he is proud to endorse Hillside Tire and Service as Gephardt Approved.

At Hillside Tire and Service, we are your experts for all makes and models of auto repair in Salt Lake City. Come in to any of our 5 Salt Lake Valley tire stores: Salt Lake City (Cottonwood Heights), West Valley City, West Jordan, Sandy or Draper, and get to know us through our auto repair service specials (see coupons). We also check your Braking System-at no charge! See us also for tires (we have tire discounts from manufacturer factory rebate specials going on right now), alignments, oil changes, inspections, emissions, and complete auto repair services.

Tire and Wheel Alignments: The 4 Basic Alignment Settings

A wheel alignment involves proper adjustment of  the angles of the wheels, so that they are perpendicular to the ground and parallel to each other. The purpose of these adjustments is maximum tire life, and a vehicle that steers straight and true along the road. This video shows what is involved in a proper 4 wheel tire alignment, and what the 4 main adjustments in a wheel alignment are: Camber, Caster, Toe-In and Thrust Angle.

• ·         Camber is the angle of the wheel, measured in degrees, when viewed from the front of the vehicle. If the top of the wheel is leaning out from the center of the car, then the camber is positive ,if it's leaning in, then the camber is negative. If the camber is out of adjustment, it will cause tire wear on one side of the tire's tread. If the camber is too far negative, then the tire will wear on the inside of the tread. Aftermarket camber bolts can be installed and properly adjusted when the OEM bolts do not have that adjustable range.

·        

• Caster is the angle of this steering pivot, measured in degrees, when viewed from the side of the vehicle. (Picture a shopping cart caster wheel). If the top of the pivot is leaning toward the rear of the car, then the caster is positive, if it is leaning toward the front, it is negative. If the caster is out of adjustment, it can cause problems in straight line tracking. If the caster is different from side to side, the vehicle will pull to the side with the less positive caster. If the caster is equal but too negative, the steering will be light and the vehicle will wander and be difficult to keep in a straight line. If the caster is equal but too positive, the steering will be heavy and the steering wheel may kick when you hit a bump. Caster has little affect on tire wear-and more affects steering and handling.

• The Toe-In measurement is the difference in the distance between the front of the tires and the back of the tires. It is measured in fractions of an inch, and is usually set close to zero, which means that the wheels are parallel with each other. Toe-in means that the fronts of the tires are closer to each other than the rears. Toe-out is just the opposite. An incorrect toe-in will cause rapid tire wear to both tires equally.

• Thrust Angle is the direction that the rear wheels are pointing in relation to the center line of the vehicle. If the thrust angle is not zero, then the vehicle will "dog track", and the steering wheel will not be centered. To best center the steering wheel, you adjust the rear toe to the center line and then adjust the front toe. This is normally done during a 4-wheel alignment, as long as the rear toe is adjustable. If the rear is not adjustable, then the front toe must be set to compensate for the thrust angle, allowing the steering to be centered.

While Camber, Caster, Toe-in and Thrust Angle are the main settings that are always checked when doing a wheel alignment, they are not the only settings. As alignment experts, we can show you what is needed for your car’s proper alignment.  

At Hillside Tire and Service, we are your experts for all makes and models of wheel alignments and  auto repair in Salt Lake City. Come in to any of our 5 Salt Lake Valley tire stores: Salt Lake City (Cottonwood Heights), West Valley City, West Jordan, Sandy or Draper, and with a new set of 4 tires purchased, we will perform your computerized 4 wheel alignment at no extra charge! (see coupon). We also check your Braking System-at no charge! See us also for tires (we have tire discounts from manufacturer factory rebate specials going on right now), alignments, oil changes, inspections, emissions, and complete auto repair services.

Hillside Tire And Service Is Gephardt Approved

Former consumer advocate journalist reporter Bill Gephardt, known for his honest evaluation of businesses for consumers, has endorsed Hillside Tire and Service as an automotive tire and auto repair center you can trust.  See why Bill Gephardt endorses Hillside Tire of Utah, and why he would do business with them, in next week's blog.

At Hillside Tire and Service, we are your experts for all makes and models of auto repair in Salt Lake City. Come in to any of our 5 Salt Lake Valley tire stores: Salt Lake City (Cottonwood Heights), West Valley City, West Jordan, Sandy or Draper, and we will check your Braking System-at no charge! See us also for tires (we have tire discounts from manufacturer factory rebate specials going on right now), alignments, oil changes, inspections, emissions, and complete auto repair services.

Your Car Brakes And Vehicle Braking System: More Than Just Brake Pads.

Brakes are among the many important components of your car. They are not just parts-they are your safety system. No matter what kind of vehicle you drive, there's a lot riding on your car brakes. Understanding what they do will help you take the best care possible, meaning safe driving, and avoiding accidents. In this video, Hillside Tire and Service shows how the different parts of your car's brake system work together for safe driving.

In a disc brake system, think of a bicycle. When you apply the brake handle, it squeezes those small pads around the bike wheel rim, and slows you down. In a car. the wheel is attached to a smooth metal disc, called a rotor, that spins with the axle. Each disc brake has two pads, one on each side. When you press the brake pedal, the pads clamp down on the rotor and slow its rotation.

Brakes Are A System-Not Just Pads
When you step on the brake pedal, you are actually putting into operation 6 different system components:

• Brake Lines
• Brake Master Cylinder
• Brake cables
• Brake calipers
• Brake Sensors
• Brake Fluid System

A complete brake system check is essential when you replace any brake part, and periodic brake system checks is a great way to prevent unnecessary problems from arising later.

Just like bike brake pads, car brake pads wear down over time. Don't wait until you hear those distressing sounds. The brakes are already in very bad shape once you start hearing grinding, clanking or squealing sounds. If the surface is worn down enough the pads won't be able to grip the rotor properly, which makes them less effective.  It can also mean damage to the brake rotors, which can also be an added expense. If the pads become worn down to the point that bare metal is scraping and scratching the rotor's surface, you may end up paying for a new rotor.

Most of your stopping power comes from the front wheels-as much as 85% of the braking is done in the front. That means front brakes are replaced about 4 times as much as your rear brakes. So disc brakes will always need periodic checking and/or replacement. However, you can still use a few tricks to keep your brakes in good condition and extend their usefulness.

• Don't ride the brake pedal, use it only when you need it.
• Try not to keep the brake pedal pressed down when stopped.
• For manual transmissions, instead of braking all the way down from freeway speed, try downshifting instead.

At Hillside Tire and Service, we are your brake experts for all makes and models. Come in to any of our 5 Salt Lake Valley tire stores: Salt Lake City (Cottonwood Heights), West Valley City, West Jordan, Sandy or Draper, and we will check your Braking System-at no charge! See us also for tires (we have tire discounts from manufacturer factory rebate specials going on right now), alignments, oil changes, inspections, emissions, and complete auto repair services.