Nitrogen Filled Tires

September 30th, 2011

Nitrogen in your tires – should you do it?

People seem to be under the impression that tires filled with nitrogen have some magical quality that prevents them from leaking. Nitrogen molecules are larger and will not seep through rubber, however, nitrogen filled tires are still prone to leaks from punctures, cracked or corroded rims, and old valve seals. Tire pressure should always be checked regularly. Giving people the false impression that nitrogen filled tires don’t need to be checked is misleading and dangerous. Don’t waste your money – check your tire pressure monthly.

Challenging Stereotypes

April 18th, 2011

 

Show is at the Round House April 20th Doors open at 7:00pm. Hope to see you there!!!!

Sandy Says #1

April 4th, 2011

A question we get all the time is “when do I change my winter tires?”

Sandy says, “Remember the number 7.”

If the temperature is consistently above 7 degrees Celsius, put on those all-season tires!

When the temperature is consistently below 7, it is time to put your winter tires on.

Tire Safety

March 31st, 2011

When I was a teenager I was in a truck that rolled over on a gravel road.

Years later I came to understand how it happened: the rear wheels lost traction in the loose gravel, swinging the back end around. Once the wheels were sideways to the direction of travel, the truck rolled.

For the last couple of years industry specialists have been saying that if you have two newer, better tires and two not-so-good tires on your car, the better tires should go on the rear.

If you have poor tires on the front of your vehicle and they lose traction on water, oil, gravel or any other hazardous conditions, you experience a condition called under-steering*. That is, the driving direction doesn’t fully react to your steering control and so you increase your steering to correct the condition.

Conversely, if those bad tires are on the rear and they lose traction, you will experience the condition of over-steer. The vehicle is over-responding to your control and you would need to steer less in order to correct the situation. With the back end of your car swinging out of control, do you think you would be able to “lighten up” at that moment? We are just not used to this situation and our natural reaction to steer “more” which would cause us to lose control of the vehicle.

And that is exactly what happened to our truck: the driver was steering like crazy to try to keep the truck on the road and instead, we rolled. Check out this YouTube Video from Michelin Tires – Tips:

* “Simply put, oversteer is what occurs when a car turns(steers) by more than(over) the amount commanded by the driver. Conversely, understeer is what occurs when a car steers under the amount commanded by the driver.” (Wikipedia)

Drive-By-Wire: Manufacturers Use Same Sensors

June 21st, 2010

The problem that the automotive industry is facing at the moment is not a mechanical problem with brake or gas pedals but a drive-by-wire sensor problem. Since many car manufacturers use the same sensor makers, this problem can occur across car manufacturers.

What everyone needs to know is how to shift your car from Drive into Neutral. Even without your car being drive-by-wire, there are times when this action can prevent major accidents.

For instance, if your front wheels start to skid it is recommended that you shift your car into Neutral to gain control. Try practicing in an empty parking lot by driving slowly and, when it is safe, carefully shift into Neutral.

If your car starts revving on its own while driving normally, do not shut your vehicle off until you have safely pulled over, put your emergency flashers on and shifted into Neutral. The engine may rev up but you should be able to safely pull over and stop your car.

Learn more about electronic throttle control.

Do you have any stories or questions about drive-by-wire systems? Leave us a comment or call Nic’s.

Pre-Trip Inspection

January 26th, 2010

I have always, even before having the garage, been a firm believer in getting your car checked over before hitting the highway for a road trip.

My daughter gave me a winter storm-watching trip to Tofino for Christmas. I was all set to go when I thought “you should stop by the shop and check your car before you go.” So I did and was I ever glad! Fluids all good, clean and full. Tire pressure – right rear tire pressure very low. I looked and there protruding from my tire, staring at me was a wood screw. So on went my overalls and I jacked up the car, repaired tire, and reinstalled it. Now I was good to go. Thank goodness I checked and thank goodness for ferry reservations.

The trip was great, but I can’t help but wonder where that tire would have lost all its air if I had not fixed it.

For information on what you should check before that road trip, have a look at the link below.

Samarins

Do you have stories of pre-trip car care? Leave a comment or e-mail Nic’s Garage.

“You have made me have faith in people again!”

January 7th, 2010

As many of our customers know, I have a huge spot in my heart for single parents and try to help them with their vehicles, having many stories of my own about my car breaking down as a single parent. In fact one of the reasons I started my garage, was the feeling I would get when trying to explain what I thought was wrong with my car.

“What does it smell like?” asked one mechanic. “How do I know? It just smells bad and wrong, not like fresh bread or pizza,” I answered. After opening the garage I would try and broach that question with some frame of reference; does it smell like plastic burning or melting – electrical or (one of our favorites!) plastic bag caught on the catalytic converter.

Over the years we have fixed and given away many vehicles to try and assist single parents in getting themselves to work, or getting their kids to school, sports, and other extracurricular activities. Most recently a single parent needed to get her daughter to Children’s Hospital for treatments. Her daughter has a condition “Brittle Diabetes” which I knew nothing about until Sue called. Her car was broken. It was misfiring and stalling; she couldn’t get more than a couple blocks at a time.

This last year’s recession had slowed our garage down considerably and we were working hard just to keep the wolves at bay. So when Brianna told me about Sue, I sort of – okay, I ignored it. Not something I am proud to say now. A week passed and I answered the phone only to come ear to ear with this upset woman. “You were suppose to call me back.” “I have never spoken to you before,” I answered. “Oh,” she said realizing who I was. “Well, your daughter was supposed to have you call me.” “Yes, and she told me, but we have been short staffed and I haven’t had a chance.” True and not – we had finally gotten busy at the same time as one mechanic went to school, Murphy’s Law. Sue explained what was happening, I told her that we would have to start with reading her engine computer’s codes and we could do that on Saturday. “Okay, where are you located?” she asked. I told her North Vancouver and I could hear the disappointment in her voice. “I guess it will have to wait, I don’t have enough money for gas.”

She came in on Wednesday, we were swamped, but Dilly read the codes (garage lingo for communicating with a customer’s car from our scanner to start the diagnosis) – misfire in cylinder 4. She pulled the spark plug for cylinder 4 and it looked good, nice and brown, no signs of anything wrong. (Another blog topic – spark plugs, the story they tell.) A common problem with Sue’s type of car and these symptoms is the ignition coil – a very expensive part on this engine. We checked for parts $275 used. “I cannot afford that,” she said. Slowly I went to bring her car out of the garage so she could take it. I started it, it stalled, started again, stalled, started it again, put it in reverse to get out of the garage and at the alley it stalled again. “How am I going to let her drive like this?” I wondered.

I pulled the car up out front, took the floor mat and seat cover into the front office, and set them down. With out saying a word I turned and walked out the door, her keys in hand. On a hunch, I went next-door.
“Hey Sal, do you happen to have a coil pack for a Chevy 2.4 Quad Four?”
“Does it look like this?”
“Yes, how much do you want for it?”
“Try it, see if it works first.”

I went back to the front office took the floor mat and seat cover, drove Sue’s car back into the garage and installed the new/used coil. I started it up, no stalling, and no check engine light. I drove it back out front again and went back to see Sal next-door.
“It works, yay! So, how much do you want for it?”
“Well, what are you charging the customer?” he asked.
“I’m actually not charging her, she is a single parent with little money,” I tried to explain. “Then I am not charging you,” he said, waving me out.

Returning to the front office, I handed Sue her keys – “It’s your lucky day girl.”

The next week there was a card in the mail that touched my heart and made me realize how much value our garage has – fixing cars and being part of a caring, great community. It said:

Sandy – You have made me have faith in people again! Thank You So much from the bottom of my heart. You saved the day – Sue xo

Nic’s Video on Canpages.ca

December 4th, 2009

Canpages has a great short video about Nic’s Garage with Sandy explaining the aims and ideas behind her business.
Nic's Garage Video on Canpages.ca
Click on the pic to see the Nic’s Garage video at Canpages.ca.

Nic’s on Google Maps

September 2nd, 2009


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1160 3rd Street West, North Vancouver, BC
Phone 604-929-3313

Nic’s Garage blog is on-line

September 1st, 2009

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