Van Nuys Auto Repair & Service Center

  With more rain coming, we welcome you to bring in your vehicle for a FREE rain essential courtesy check. We will check your tires, brakes (visual check), wipers, lights, defroster and battery. These components are critical to safe driving in the rain and flooded roadways.  Even though we offer Body and Collision Repair service and work with any insurance company, we would prefer you minimize the risk of an accident by knowing your vehicle is ready for inclement weather.  Please call or go on-line to make an appointment for this courtesy offer and share it with a friend. 

Driving is a daily task for most of us, and staying safe on the road is important. Your car is also likely one of your largest investments, so taking care of it should just be common sense. However, when you spend so much time in your car, it can be easy to overlook even the most basic safety and maintenance issues. These are great habits to get into so that your car will serve you well for years to come, and yet overlooking these simple tasks are some of the most common mistakes drivers make. Check Your Oil Frequently Everybody who drives knows that cars need an oil change from time to time. However, many drivers really neglect this fact. They know what needs to be done, but they don't do it. Why? While you might read that motor oil needs to be changed every 5,000 miles ... read more

  For one reason or another, your vehicle’s deterioration and/or failure to meet your daily needs may be forcing you to consider its replacement. To complicate this further, the consistent evolution of the auto industry to meet the ever-changing needs of the sometimes fickle American auto consumer in today’s precarious economy can make it difficult to clearly understand the ins and outs of buying versus leasing new vehicles. Making sense of the many factors involved in making a wise choice between buying or leasing a new car can be difficult. And in some cases, it may even be smarter to consider purchasing a quality used car. In an effort to make this decision easier for you, we are providing a comparison of these three considerations. However, before we do this, you must analyze your specific auto needs and financial abilities. Take some time to try to answer these two questions ... read more

The youngest Bulko boy, Max, decided to study ASL (American Sign Language) in High School instead of Spanish or Chinese. Much to my surprise his newly acquired skill came in very handy when a customer appreciated that someone on our staff could communicate with him using sign language. I'm very proud of Max for doing so well in his class, using what he's learned in a real life situation and for sticking to his guns when selecting a language unlike any other

Proper inflation is key to your tires' safe performance and even contributes to your vehicle's fuel economy. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports tires that are under-inflated by more than 25 percent are three times more likely to be involved in a crash related to tire problems than a vehicle with proper inflation. According to information shared by Schrader International from NHTSA and the U.S. Department of Energy, nearly 200,000 accidents are caused by tire-related issues each year, and 60 highway fatalities and 33,000 injuries are caused by under-inflated tires each year. If that's not bad enough, the Department of Energy estimates that 3 to 5 million gallons of gas are wasted each day -- more than a billion gallons of fuel each year -- because of under-inflated tires. In fact, motorists can improve gas mileage by approximately 3.3% by keeping tires inflated to the proper pressure. To alert drivers when their tire pressure is low, monit ... read more

If the predictors of the upcoming El Nino weather system are even 50% accurate in their forecast, it's important to be prepared and to know what to do when driving in extreme rainy weather. Avoiding accidents, stalls in deep water and hydroplaning can save you life. Here is a short video to help prepare

Recalls are a fact of life. In 2014, there were 803 recalls for problems with more than 63.9 million vehicles. Yes, it is up to auto manufacturers to let you know about a recall, but it isn't that simple. Consumers have to be on the ball, too. A recall is issued when a manufacturer or the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) determines that a vehicle, car seat, tire, or any equipment creates an unreasonable safety risk or fails to meet minimum safety standards. Manufacturers are required to fix the problem by repairing it, replacing it, offering a refund, or in rare cases, repurchasing the vehicle. If you were one of the people who didn't respond to a recall, then you may not have known about it. Or maybe you just didn't care. There are many reasons why vehicles don't get repaired. "Consumers have many different responses to recall letters," says Carroll Lachnit, an editor for car-shopping website Edmunds.com. "Some people just ig ... read more

  Did you know there was an estimated 9.5 percent increase in traffic fatalities in the first quarter of 2015? Or that there has been little progress in improving the fuel economy of vehicles since the early 1990s? Factoids such as these come through my e-mail pretty much daily and, while each one does not merit a full article, combined they do offer something interesting for everyone. Here are some recent news items drivers will find of interest. -- Despite advances in fuel-saving technologies in the last 25 years, the on-road fuel economy for all vehicles (cars, trucks, buses, and motorcycles) has improved by less than 1 mile per gallon during that time, according to a study by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute. Part of the reason is that it takes many years to turn over the fleet. The average age of a light-duty vehicle on the road is currently 11.4 years. So, man ... read more

      Thanks to my wife Debbie for the warm, wonderful and inviting Holiday Decorations at the Shop. Please stop by  for a Hot Cocoa, Cookies and Candy Cane. Or just to say Hello. Happy Holidays!                     

During November, many organizations will be sharing tips to ensure a safe environment for our children. While much of Child Safety Protection Month messaging promotes safety tips around the home, AskPatty reminds parents to always keep their children safely buckled up while riding in their car. It's especially important because motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of unintentional injury-related deaths among children ages 14 and under. As parents, we go to great lengths to ensure the children in our lives are safe. We childproof our homes and install car and booster seats to keep young children safe in our vehicles because we love them. Parents, it is NEVER okay to drive with an unbuckled child! Do you know when it's safe for a child to use a seatbelt? You might think so, but 9 out of 10 are doing it wrong! Here’s an easy tip: A child needs to be at least 57-inches tall and between 80 and 100 pounds to ride with just a seat belt. "Car seats, booster seats, a ... read more