Van Nuys Auto Repair & Service Center

I frequently remind customers, especially those with teenagers or young adults, to make sure the kids make regularly scheduled checkups for their vehicles, especially during the hotter months. Hot weather can damage your car’s battery. Younger drivers are less likely to pay attention to how the car is functioning and more likely to drive a car into the ground. And, because they generally don’t take their parents’ advice, no one is checking the fluids, hoses, oil levels, gaskets, etc. A few weeks ago, my assistant told me I had a call from Cynthia. I wasn’t familiar with the name but when she mentioned she asked for Uncle Jack, I had a better idea of what this was about. You see, I tell my customers that if the ... read more

For many, summer vacation is over, but the intense heat will continue to plague us and our cars. More people on the road means more traffic and more time that your vehicle is idle. Brakes take a beating in the heat.   Just ask Diana. She walked into the shop last week and was visibly frustrated. She had just returned from a trip out to Bakersfield. On her return route, she pressed down on the brakes and realized something was off, so she brought “Bessie” (her nickname for her 2009 Camry) into the shop.  I met her as she pulled up in the driveway.  Waving me down, I heard Diana say, “Jack, there’s something wrong with Bessie.” It took me a moment to remember that Bessie was her car and not a family member. After offering her some cold water, it was hot out that day, I asked her to tell me what had happened. “Well, I was driving home from a client in Bakersfield. It was a quick two-day visit. I was about ten minutes away from m ... read more