Van Nuys Auto Repair & Service Center

Car accidents happen for three primary reasons. Poor or neglected vehicle maintenance, driving distractions and simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Poor or neglected car maintenance would include, worn wipers affecting visibility, worn tires affecting road traction especially during bad weather, worn brakes affecting stopping on demand, worn belts affecting potential loss of power steering, lights (failed alternator), overheating causing engine failure. You can eliminate up to 90% of these failures by simply having a professional mechanic inspect your vehicle at least twice a year. Distractions needless to say fall in numerous categories, namely texting, phoning, eating and applying makeup while driving. Can these things be done before or after getting behind the wheel? Absolutely! So why not Just do it and live a longer, healthier and happier life

I am not in the employment or recruiting field. But I have been working---in some form or another---coming up on 40 years. I have interviewed, been interviewed and read about the new work force coming out of our colleges. At the same time, I see all the inspirational advice coming from the experts, the thinkers and the influencers. Well, here is some homespun logical advice from a dad. A quick set up. My overachieving college senior daughter “texted” me frantically this morning concerning a critical job fair today at her school. Apparently, she had “blown” it. She had nothing to wear and did not conduct in depth research on the 250 companies who would recruiting today. All is lost. You see, as an “overachiever” and I mean it---an overachiever---straight “A’s” scholarships, Phi Beta Kappa, she really knows nothing about what is required in the working world. To be sure, her skill set will transfer nicely and she will be wildly successful one day. But, our high powered kids never had t ... read more

  Jesus Llamas, an impressive rising senior at Cleveland High School in Reseda interned at AutoAid this summer for 6 weeks. Jesus was introduced as a young student of business and entrepreneurship. His focus was on learning as much as he could about starting, running and promoting a business as though it was his own. His interest in cars, service and auto body shined through with his eagerness and enthusiasm to start each day. Jesus showed up early, stayed late, followed instructions, offered suggestions and helped with social media, a subject still foreign to me. He designed Thank You cards, researched automotive related blog sources, helped in the body shop, attended Chamber of Commerce events, watered the plants and did everything he was asked to do without hesitation and a hunger for knowledge.This young man is going places! On behalf of myself and the staff at AutoAid Auto Body and Repair we wish him the best of luck and success in all his endeavor ... read more

Most CA drivers know that their vehicles need regular preventive maintenance like changing the oil and filters, rotating the tires and refilling the washer fluid. But did you know that your air conditioning system needs routine maintenance as well? Taking care of your air conditioning system can extend its life and prevent costly repair bills. Why is it vital for Los Angeles car owners to get routine maintenance on their air conditioning system? First, the refrigerant contains an added lubricant. As the refrigerant circulates through the air conditioning system, its parts are lubricated. This constant lubrication keeps the parts functioning well. But over time, this lubricant is used up, and without it, the parts will eventually seize up and fail. Van Nuys folks should understand, however, that the air conditioner will continue to pump out cool air even without the lubricant, so you won’t know the system is sick until it actually ... read more

Most Van Nuys drivers worry about a breakdown or a tire blowout on a busy CA freeway but don’t worry too much about failure of their air conditioning system. A breakdown at the side of the road can be a miserable and dangerous affair during Los Angeles rush hour, but so can a long ride in a hot sedan. A lot of Van Nuys drivers judge their vehicles’ air conditioning systems as “non-essential” and so may neglect them in favor of repairs and maintenance that keeps the sedan running. But preventive maintenance of an air conditioning system is simple and inexpensive, while auto a/c repair can be very costly in Van Nuys. Tarzana car owners should have the refrigerant in their air conditioning system checked regularly to ensure it is adequate and clean. Air conditioning systems often fail because air and water have contaminated the refrigerant. Air reduces the e ... read more

Every teens dream is to have car keys and a drivers license, for parents it might be the worst nightmare. For other parents it might be due to safety and cost for maintenance on the vehicle, and for some it might be the cost of buying the vehicle. If you're a parent that agrees to the three categories above then this is the list for you. These are the top seven low cost and safe vehicles for teens as stated by Bankrate. bit.ly/VFFKGk There is no guarantee that your teen will like it but you will, and hopefully they will thank you in the futrue for doing so.   1. 2013 Toyota Corolla LE (MSRP $18,180) 2. 2013 Kia Forte EX 5-Door (MSRP $18,300) 3. 2013 Ford Focus SE (MSRP 19,295) 4. 2013 Volkswagen Golf 2.5 (MSRP 21,095) 5. 2013 Hyundai Sonata GLS (MSRP 20,995) 6. 2013 Subaru Legacy 2.5i Premium (MSRP 22,495) 7. 2013 Chevrolet Malibu LS (MSRP 21,995)   Blog Post by: Jesus Llamas  

Have you noticed an increase in price when you get a flat fixed in Van Nuys or your tires rotated? It might be the result of your TPMS, or Tire Pressure Monitoring System. The federal government began requiring a TPMS system on 2008 model year passenger vehicles and light trucks. Some 2006 and 2007 models may have them as well. The system has a warning light that is mounted on the dashboard that will go on if one of the tires becomes severely under inflated. Why the new requirement? Because underinflated tires are the number one cause of tire failure. Tire blowouts cause dangerous and sometimes fatal accidents. Underinflated tires also need longer stopping distance and can skid, both of which also present dangers on CA roads. Many flat tires can also be prevented by proper tire inflation, and though this may seem an economic consideration, Van Nuys drivers who have changed a flat on the side of the road recognize that this has serious saf ... read more

Our vehicles are not massage chairs. While we may enjoy a good vibration in an overstuffed recliner, us Van Nuys auto owners generally want as smooth a ride as possible in our vehicles. One way to achieve this is to keep a vehicle’s wheels in balance. When a tire is mounted onto a wheel, it is usually out of balance. This means that as the wheel spins, there is a slight wobble to the path of the tire. For best handling performance and safety on the road, Van Nuys motorists want to minimize this wobble as much as possible. So we balance our tires. To balance a tire, your family AutoAid & Rescue tech spins it on a machine or drum to determine where it is off-balance. He then attaches weights that counter-balance the uneven weight. Most Van Nuys motorists are surprised at how much balancing improves the smoothness of their ride. High-quality tires generally hold their balance well. But over time, wear and tear take their toll and tires can become unbalanced. Va ... read more

From mainstay essentials to notable newcomers, here's the 2014 edition of our 50 Best iPhone Apps list. http://time.com/136073/50-best-iphone-apps/

If your summer vacation plans include a road trip, the last thing you want is to have unexpected car trouble to leave you stranded at the side of the road, ruining all the fun. A pre-trip vehicle check is the best way to be car care aware and ensure that your car is ready to get you to your destination, says the non-profit Car Care Council. http://tiny.cc/RoadReady14