Maintaining your vehicle at home is a satisfying way to keep your motoring costs down. With the right knowledge and products even someone who isn't very mechanically inclined can take care of many of the smaller issues in everyday driving. Sometimes, however, car issues can be too specialized or complex for the average motorist to take care of by themselves and it becomes time to take your car to the pros. Below you'll find three major warning signs that you need to get to a mechanic ASAP, as well as some of the potential causes behind them.
Engine and Drivetrain Problems
Let's start at the beginning. If your car won't even turn over and start up, then the rest of the problems on this list won't come into play. The simplest cause of this issue is a dead battery, which you can remedy with jumper cables, and the instructions that come printed on their packaging. If jumping the car doesn't work, you may have a larger problem with your ignition system. It's advisable to take your car into the shop at this point because finding the root of the problem will likely involve removing a few parts from your engine. Whether it's dead spark plugs or electrical problems, it's better to have it dealt with by a professional. Likewise, engine surging where the revs rise and fall can mean a problem with your fuel injectors, which are fairly deep within your motor. It's unwise to drive around with a surging engine, as this burns more gas and can cause unintended acceleration. Drivetrain issues are another major issue requiring professional attention. Everybody fears the dreaded transmission repairs, so if certain gears won't engage or they shift at the wrong times you should definitely take your car to the qualified mechanics here at EuropAsian Auto Pro's.Vibration While Driving
This issue can be caused by damaged drivetrain components, but can also stem from misaligned wheels or unbalanced or flat tires. If you feel any vibration or shuddering as you drive along, you should get to a mechanic as soon as you can. At its worst, this issue can lessen your control over the car, potentially causing accidents. This will also wear out your tires more quickly than if everything was straight and true. Unwanted vibrations put stress on important (and costly) components like suspension and brakes while decreasing gas mileage, so it's smart to take your car in as soon as these issues develop.Poor Braking Performance
Your brakes are vital to keeping you safe on the road and should definitely be cared for by a professional, unless you're absolutely sure you know what you're doing. Common signs of issues with your car's braking system include squeaking or squealing when the brakes are applied, or the brakes feeling spongy and failing to slow your vehicle properly. Squealing brakes are caused by the brake pads wearing through the pad surface to the metal underneath. At this point the metal behind your brake pad is coming into contact with the brake rotor. This can be disastrous and produce unwanted heat, reduced stopping power, and cause you to have to buy new rotors as well as the relatively cheap pads. Spongey and weak brakes can mean there's a problem with your master cylinder, which converts the mechanical pressure of you pressing the pedal into hydraulic pressure to apply the brakes. In either case, it's best to have your brakes seen to by the professional mechanics here at EuropAsian Auto Pro's.
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I was in negotiations to purchase a classic Mercedes Benz and after speaking with the owners of EuropAsian Auto Pros (Nathan and Claudia), I was convinced this was where I needed to have the pre-purchase inspection done. And I am glad I did: The seller had assured me the car had no issues "nothing broken, seats not ripped" and that "everything was functioning as it should." As soon as the car arrived, Nathan did a detailed inspection of the car's exterior and interior and called me immediately to fill me in on what he discovered. The car would easily need repairs totaling at least $10k, just to fix the cosmetic issues, a new set of tires and repair of the wheels, which had serious issues (two were out of round and all had the finish peeling off). Upon further inspection of the car it was determined the alignment had serious issues as well. Under the hood, one of the valve covers had a moderate leak (I had asked the seller if there were any leaks, specifically the valve covers, rear main seal and coolant system and he said "no leaks anywhere"). Long story short - Nathan gave me a thorough assessment of the car's condition, which was 180 degrees from what the seller told me. Based on the report, I decided against purchasing the car. It turned out to be a "barn find" restoration project instead of the driver it was represented as. Thank you Nathan and Claudia for the excellent communication and service. I highly recommend EuropAsian Auto Pros if you want to work with experienced people who will shoot straight and give you peace of mind.