Category: Car Care Tips

Is Idling Bad for the Engine? Living in Montana, you probably don’t jump into your vehicle in the dead of winter, crank it over, and take off down the road (unless you’re running very late).  Instead, most people will start the vehicle and often go back inside to finish their coffee and gather their things for the day.  Vehicles run better when they’re warmed up first; in fact they need to be warmed up… right? The truth is, not really. ...

You can Drive Almost Forever if You Maintain How long do you think a vehicle will last?  Most people would say that a vehicle will conk out somewhere between 150,000 and 200,000 miles.  At this point the age of the vehicle means that it’s often not worth the money to do major repairs.  Long before that time comes, however, many people will trade in their rigs in order to have something newer, perhaps more reliable, safer, and all around more...

Showing Your Affection this Valentine’s Day Valentine ’s Day is just a week away.  You probably have big plans for that special person in your life (or maybe you’re bemoaning Singles Awareness Day).  But have you stopped to think about all that your vehicle does for you?  It works hard for you every day without complaining.  Skidding to a stop, smashing onto the horn, and the occasional fist pounding on the dash; it accepts you for who you are (we...

Most Vehicles are Subject to It There are certain words that you really only encounter when you’re working in certain industries.  For example, if you work in the insurance industry, you probably use the word “indemnification” quite often.  If you’re not in the insurance business, you likely have never used it, nor will you ever use that particular word. When you work in the auto body restoration business, you come across a lot of jargon.  Sometimes it’s pretty common stuff...

A Maintained Vehicle Stays on the Road The average age of a vehicle on the road today is 11.5 years.  The average driver puts on a little over 13,000 miles each year.  Given those numbers, half of the vehicles on the road have more than 150,000 miles on them.  There’s a good chance that if you’re reading this, then you are driving a vehicle that is a high mileage vehicle (a vehicle with more than 100,000 miles on it is...

Don’t Get Dinged, Follow these Steps Most of us will go years, perhaps decades, without getting into a wreck.  If you’re a safe driver, you’re not likely to be involved in a crash.  But many of us won’t make it through one year without our vehicle getting dented or dinged. Sure dents and dings are frustrating.  And they’re not really going to cause problems (unless they break the paint).  But they’re unsightly, lower the value of the car, and take...

How You can Void Your Vehicle’s Warranty Buying a new vehicle is exciting!  One of the best perks is that repairs, and often even general maintenance, are under warranty.  When something goes wrong, there is no additional cash outlay for you. But why keep that vehicle pristine?  Why enjoy the perks of a warranty when you can void that warranty with reckless behavior?  We have come up with a list of the 5 easiest ways to ensure that your warranty...

Don’t Skip the Winter Prep! Winter in Montana is just about here… even though we technically have over a month until winter truly starts.  Soon each night will be below freezing, snow storms will come through, and the roads are going to be slick to drive on.  Is your vehicle ready? As your choice for auto body repairs in Billings, we want to make sure that you’re being as safe as possible on the roads.  So we have put together...

Peeling Paint has a Few Causes Your car’s paint isn’t just there to look good; it protects the vehicle from the elements.  So when the paint starts to chip, fade, or peel, it can be irritating to say the least.  But why is this happening?  And what can you do about it? If you recall from our last post, the paint is actually three layers: the primer, the paint, and the clear coat.  Different causes of paint damage and failure...

Swirl Marks in the Paint Happen Have you ever spent an hour or two really cleaning up your rig?  You vacuum it out, throw out those old Taco Bell wrappers, clean the windows until you can’t even tell the glass is there.  You wash the exterior, then give it the old spit polish.  You step back and admire your handiwork only to realize that something looks funny.  Upon inspection, you notice the paint has swirl marks.  You’re certain that you...