Skip To Content

Best Auto Repair, Houston

12510 Oxford Park Drive Houston, TX 77082

281-589-8984
Opening Hours
  • Mon 8:00AM - 6:00PM
  • Tue 8:00AM - 6:00PM
  • Wed 8:00AM - 6:00PM
  • Thu 8:00AM - 6:00PM
  • Fri 8:00AM - 6:00PM
  • Sat Closed
  • Sun Closed
CONTACT US

Archive for December 2020

Regular Schedule or Severe Service Schedule at Westside Automotive?

Posted December 27, 2020 9:40 AM

Today's Westside Automotive article focuses on severe service maintenance. Many Houston drivers are not aware of them and yet there are also very vocal advocates in TX who think that severe service schedules apply to everyone. Somewhere between a complete lack of awareness and the dire blanket statements lies a reasonable approach to severe service maintenance at Westside Automotive.

To back up a little, vehicle owner's manuals have schedules for preventive maintenance: things like oil changes, transmission service and so on. They say you should change your oil after a certain distanced traveled or after so many months. Houston drivers understand this very well. What they may not know is that there are actually two service schedules: the regular schedule and the severe service schedule. The mileage and time intervals are lower on the severe service schedule.

Now when you hear 'severe service,' you may think it doesn't apply to you because you don't feel your driving conditions are severe or extreme – it's just normal everyday driving in the Houston area. So let's list some of the conditions that classify as severe so that you can make the judgment on your own driving.

Before we start the list, here's a point of contrast that definitely is not severe driving. Driving down your nearest TX interstate at the highway speed limit on a 75 degree F/24 degree C day loaded only with your passengers. This is an easy trip for your vehicle: your engine is loafing along at low RPMs, no heavy loads to pull and moderate Houston temperatures. Now let's look at some severe service driving conditions.

Most trips around Houston are less than four miles/six and a half kilometers. When your vehicle engine cools down, moisture condenses in the engine. This water in the oil doesn't get a chance to evaporate on short trips because the oil doesn't get hot enough. A lot of short trips in your vehicle means a lot of water build up. And water in the oil leads to the creation of sludge which can damage the engine. Changing the oil more frequently keeps sludge from building up. By contrast, highway driving warms the engine up and gets the water burned off.

Here's another example. Most trips around Houston are less than 10 miles/16 km and outside temperatures are below freezing. This is the same reasoning, but in very cold TX weather it takes even longer for the oil to get hot enough to evaporate the water, hence 10  miles/16 km as opposed to 4 miles/6.4 km.

Next, you drive in very hot TX weather. The hotter it is outside, the more cooling the engine, transmission, brake fluid and so on becomes. The environment in which the fluids reside is more hostile, and the fluids simply break down faster. Therefore, the lower change interval.

Another: driving at low speed most of the time. Every vehicle engine has what's called its power band. This is a range of RPMs in which it's most efficient. Low speed driving doesn't keep the engine in its power band so it's working harder. This is one of the reasons that ratings are worse in downtown than on the highway.

Stop and go driving in Houston is another severe service condition. You're always accelerating, which works the vehicle engine and transmission harder. Then you're stopping, which works the brake fluid harder, causing it to get very hot. Highway driving, on the other hand, requires far less horsepower to maintain its speed than getting a stationary vehicle from a stop light up to 25 mph/40 kph. A lot of this and you'll need to follow the severe service schedule.

Also on the list is operating your vehicle in dusty, polluted or muddy conditions. Obviously, your engine air filter and cabin air will get dirty faster and need to be changed more frequently as will your breather element. Some of this dust and dirt will make its way into your fluids. They will simple get dirty faster and won't protect the components as well as fresh fluids.

Finally, you're driving under severe conditions in Houston when you tow a trailer, regularly carry heavy loads or carry a car-top carrier. This is pretty obvious. You'll spend more time in lower gears so the engine and transmission work much harder and create more heat. Brakes will be more stressed stopping the heavier loads.

Sounds like most of us in Houston operate under severe driving conditions at least some of the time. How can Houston drivers know which schedule to follow?

Think of it as a spectrum with "always driving under severe conditions" on one end and "never driving under severe conditions" on the other end. Some will be at one extreme or the other, but most of us will fall somewhere in between.

Carefully think about your driving conditions and decide if you should do your preventive maintenance closer to the severe service recommendation or the regular recommendation. Of course, your Westside Automotive service advisor can help you with your decision.

Westside Automotive
12510 Oxford Park Dr.
Houston, TX 77082
281-589-8984
http://www.houstonwestsideautomotive.com



Follow the Bouncing Vehicle (Bad Struts and Shocks)

Posted December 20, 2020 8:47 AM

If you hit a bump in the road and your vehicle just keeps bouncing up and down for a lot longer time than it used to, you may have bad struts and shocks.  They're the things that help to keep your vehicle's wheels and tires planted to the road surface.

But they don't last forever.  With care and depending on where and how you drive, shocks and struts should be replaced at intervals ranging from 50,000 miles/80,000 km to 100,000 miles/160,000 km.  If you drive on bumpy roads with a lot of potholes, that interval will likely be shorter. Rough surfaces can take their toll.

But how do you know if your shocks and struts are doing their job properly? The best way is to have your vehicle checked by a technician.  He or she can inspect the shock absorbers and struts for leaks, corrosion and damage.  Mounts and bushings can also go bad and they should be evaluated as well.  A thorough examination by a technician will also include looking at other suspension parts. Some may contribute to making your vehicle behave the same way if they're broken, corroded, worn or bent.     

If you need new shocks and struts, your service advisor will make sure that you get those that meet manufacturer's specifications.  That's important because they want to make sure you're getting the handling and performance engineers designed your vehicle to have.

Westside Automotive
12510 Oxford Park Dr.
Houston, TX 77082
281-589-8984
http://www.houstonwestsideautomotive.com



Engine Air Filter from Westside Automotive

Posted December 13, 2020 9:11 AM

Many Houston drivers have found themselves in the following situation: They go to get their oil changed and their friendly service advisor at Westside Automotive recommends a new engine air filter. They say yes, but don't know what an air filter is or what it does.

If this has happened to you, rest assured that you did the right thing by getting a new one. But you should never be too embarrassed to ask your Westside Automotive service advisor for more information. It's your vehicle and you have a right to understand what you're paying for.

Let's review: "What does an air filter do?"

Air is the focus of this discussion. What is the air like outside in Houston right now? Can you see any smog? Is it full of pollen? How about dust? Anyone in TX with hay fever can tell you that there's plenty in the air that you can't see. Well, the engine air filter's job is to clean that air before it goes into your vehicle engine, to mix with the fuel and be burned. Without an engine air filter, the inside of your vehicle engine would be extremely dirty from all the gunk that was burned in the cylinders.

In fact, your engine needs 12,000 times as much air as fuel for it to run. That little filter does a very big job. It's no wonder that the air filter gets dirty and needs to be replaced. Think about a vacuum cleaner. When the bag gets full of dust and dirt, the vacuum doesn't clean as well. It can't move enough air to create good suction. A clogged engine air filter is the same way - the vehicle engine can't get enough air to burn the fuel efficiently. That means less power and reduced fuel economy.

That's why your owner's manual has recommended that you change your filter at regular intervals. Of course the Houston conditions you drive in will affect how quickly the filter gets dirty. If you drive in TX where it's very dusty or where there's lots of pollen or pollution, you may need to change the filter sooner. The filter is easy to check visually, so your friendly and knowledgeable Westside Automotive service advisor can quickly make the call. He might recommend immediate replacement or simply let you know that it is getting close and that you'll need to replace it soon - like at your next oil change.

Because a severely dirty vehicle air filter hurts your vehicle, many Houston residents find that a new air filter pays for itself in better fuel economy before the next oil change. They also make premium air filters that have been proven to increase your horsepower and torque. If more power is important to you, a high performance air filter is some of the cheapest horsepower you can buy.

The better your car breathes, the better it runs - kind of like people. And don't worry - if you have a question or don't understand a recommendation just ask your Westside Automotive service advisor.

Westside Automotive
12510 Oxford Park Dr.
Houston, TX 77082
281-589-8984
http://www.houstonwestsideautomotive.com

 



Fuel Saving Tip: Dirty Oil in Your Houston Vehicle

Posted December 6, 2020 7:35 AM



If you're a quart low in your vehicle, there isn't enough motor oil to lubricate your engine properly. The extra friction causes drag that reduces fuel economy while you're driving around the Houston area.

The same goes for dirty oil; it doesn't reduce friction properly. The result is you get to watch those numbers at your local Houston gas pump rolling higher and higher.

The transmission also needs the proper amount of clean fluid to do its work. When it's in need of service, the transmission drags your fuel economy down.

So keep it clean at Westside Automotive  and give yourself a fighting chance.

Westside Automotive
12510 Oxford Park Dr.
Houston, TX 77082
281-589-8984
http://www.houstonwestsideautomotive.com



Search



Archive

December 2019 (15)
January 2020 (5)
February 2020 (4)
March 2020 (5)
April 2020 (4)
May 2020 (5)
June 2020 (4)
July 2020 (4)
August 2020 (5)
September 2020 (4)
October 2020 (4)
November 2020 (5)
December 2020 (4)
January 2021 (6)
February 2021 (4)
March 2021 (4)
April 2021 (4)
May 2021 (5)
June 2021 (4)
July 2021 (4)
August 2021 (5)
September 2021 (4)
October 2021 (5)
November 2021 (4)
December 2021 (4)
January 2022 (6)
February 2022 (4)
March 2022 (4)
April 2022 (4)
May 2022 (5)
June 2022 (4)
July 2022 (5)
August 2022 (4)
September 2022 (4)
October 2022 (5)
November 2022 (4)
December 2022 (4)
January 2023 (5)
February 2023 (4)
March 2023 (4)
April 2023 (5)
May 2023 (4)
June 2023 (4)
July 2023 (5)
August 2023 (4)
September 2023 (4)
October 2023 (5)
November 2023 (4)
December 2023 (5)
January 2024 (5)
February 2024 (4)
March 2024 (3)

Categories

Air Conditioning (4)Alignment (4)Alternator (2)Auto Safety (3)Automotive News (5)Battery (8)Brakes (14)Cabin Air Filter (4)Check Engine Light (2)Cooling System (7)Customer Detective Work (1)Dashboard (1)Diagnostics (3)Diesel Maintenance (1)Differential Service (1)Drive Train (3)Exhaust (3)Fluids (5)Fuel Economy (6)Fuel Saving Tip: Slow Down (1)Fuel System (21)Headlamps (2)Inspection (2)Keys to a long lasting vehicle (1)Maintenance (23)Oil Change (4)Older Vehicles (3)Parts (2)PCV Valve (1)Safe Driving (1)Safety (2)Serpentine Belt (2)Service Intervals (4)Service Standards (5)Shocks & Struts (3)Steering (7)Timing Belt (5)Tires (2)Tires and Wheels (24)TPMS (2)Transmission (6)Trip Inspection (2)What Customers Should Know (30)Windshield Wipers (3)Winter Prep (1)Winter Tires (1)
  • AAA (American Automobile Association)
  • ASE (Automotive Service Excellence)
  • Jasper
  • ASE Master Technician
  • BG Products
  • Denso
  • Car Care Aware

Testimonials

, 03/11/2024
Efficient and excellent communication. Reasonable pricing. Will be returning!
view all reviews
TAP TO CALL NOW 281-589-8984 X