Monthly Archives: March 2014

St. Peter, MN Winter Prep Service for Your Auto

When winter approaches in MN, St. Peter residents break out the sweaters, coats, boots and mittens. We want to be ready for MN winter conditions. Your vehicle needs to be ready for winter as well. The last thing St. Peter residents want is to get stranded out in the cold. You need your vehicle to be safe and reliable. It’s a good idea to get caught up on any neglected maintenance items anytime – but the stakes are higher in cold MN winters.

There are some specific things St. Peter drivers need to do to have their vehicle ready for winter. The most obvious is having the antifreeze checked. If the antifreeze level is too low, it can’t properly protect your engine, radiator and hoses from freezing. If your car does not seem to be making enough heat to keep you warm, your antifreeze level may be low or you could have a thermostat problem. Get it checked out at Autotronics of St. Peter in St. Peter. If you are due for a cooling system service, now is a perfect time to have it done.

In the cold months around St. Peter we always worry about being able to stop in time when it’s slick out. The first thing to remember is to slow down and allow yourself plenty of room to stop. Of course, you want your brakes to be working properly. A thorough brake inspection will reveal if the pads or any other parts need replacing. Check with your friendly and knowledgeable Autotronics of St. Peter service advisor to see if it is time to replace your brake fluid. It accumulates water over time which really messes with your stopping power.

It is also a really good idea for St. Peter residents to have their battery tested. A battery’s cranking power really drops with the temperature. If your battery is weak in the fall, it may not be up to a MN winter. There is nothing like a dead battery in a snow storm.

Which leads us to an emergency kit. You should always have a blanket or something to keep you and your passengers warm if you get stranded on a remote MN road. If you will be venturing away from civilization, pack more items such as food and water to help you survive. Keeping at least half a tank of gas is a good idea in case you get stuck and need to run the car to keep warm, which will also help keep your gas lines from freezing up.

Autotronics of St. Peter
111 Jefferson Avenue
St. Peter, MN 56082
507.934.9290
http://autotronicsstpeter.com

 

St. Peter, MN Winter Prep Service for Your Auto

When winter approaches in MN, St. Peter residents break out the sweaters, coats, boots and mittens. We want to be ready for MN winter conditions. Your vehicle needs to be ready for winter as well. The last thing St. Peter residents want is to get stranded out in the cold. You need your vehicle to be safe and reliable. It’s a good idea to get caught up on any neglected maintenance items anytime – but the stakes are higher in cold MN winters.

There are some specific things St. Peter drivers need to do to have their vehicle ready for winter. The most obvious is having the antifreeze checked. If the antifreeze level is too low, it can’t properly protect your engine, radiator and hoses from freezing. If your car does not seem to be making enough heat to keep you warm, your antifreeze level may be low or you could have a thermostat problem. Get it checked out at Autotronics of St. Peter in St. Peter. If you are due for a cooling system service, now is a perfect time to have it done.

In the cold months around St. Peter we always worry about being able to stop in time when it’s slick out. The first thing to remember is to slow down and allow yourself plenty of room to stop. Of course, you want your brakes to be working properly. A thorough brake inspection will reveal if the pads or any other parts need replacing. Check with your friendly and knowledgeable Autotronics of St. Peter service advisor to see if it is time to replace your brake fluid. It accumulates water over time which really messes with your stopping power.

It is also a really good idea for St. Peter residents to have their battery tested. A battery’s cranking power really drops with the temperature. If your battery is weak in the fall, it may not be up to a MN winter. There is nothing like a dead battery in a snow storm.

Which leads us to an emergency kit. You should always have a blanket or something to keep you and your passengers warm if you get stranded on a remote MN road. If you will be venturing away from civilization, pack more items such as food and water to help you survive. Keeping at least half a tank of gas is a good idea in case you get stuck and need to run the car to keep warm, which will also help keep your gas lines from freezing up.

Autotronics of St. Peter
111 Jefferson Avenue
St. Peter, MN 56082
507.934.9290
http://autotronicsstpeter.com

 

Another Couple of Years: Making Your Vehicle Last At Autotronics of ST Peter

A while back, the Cash for Clunkers program was all over the MN news. St. Peter people could trade in their old vehicle for a new one that got better fuel efficiency and receive a government rebate.

A lot of St. Peter motorists had so-called clunkers that they wanted to keep. They’re good commuters, St. Peter grocery getters or toy haulers. They enjoy that fact that they’re paid off, or soon will be. They would gladly like to keep their minivans for 200,000 miles or more – as long as it’s economical to do so.

There are plenty of St. Peter drivers whose vehicles are running after 150,000 or 200,000 miles. We can learn from what they’re doing to keep our own minivans on the road in MN.

The wise St. Peter car owners of high-mileage cars often report a common denominator of never skipping an oil change.

Another Couple of Years: Making Your Vehicle Last At Autotronics of ST PeterThat may sound a bit unsophisticated, but it’s really not. First off, oil is the life blood of your minivan’s engine and it needs to be clean to properly lubricate. Skipping oil changes leads to clogged oil filters and sludge that is detrimental for your engine.

There’s another important reason why the scheduled oil change is so important for St. Peter car owners. It’s simple – a Autotronics of ST Peter professional is going to be looking at your car. All of your fluid levels will be inspected and topped off so they won’t get so low that damage can be done. If there is a significant fluid loss, let’s use brake fluid as an example, your Autotronics of ST Peter technician can look for the cause of the loss and find the problem before it leads to an accident or expensive repair.

Your knowledgeable Autotronics of ST Peter service specialist will also visually inspect your minivan for worn belts and hoses, uneven tire wear, leaking shock absorbers and more. Problems get addressed before they lead to repairs that cost more than the car’s worth.

And your Autotronics of ST Peter advisor will be able to remind you of other key services that the factory recommends you get done. Just think of that oil change the same way as you do about going to your St. Peter dentist for your six month cleaning and checkup. Don’t skip it.

Realistically, things are going to wear out as your minivan gets older. On the way to 200,000 miles you’ll go through several batteries, probably a couple of alternators and water pumps, a set of shocks and likely some brake rotors.

Of course, these things cost some cash, but they are less expensive than new minivan payments in St. Peter. With proper service at Autotronics of ST Peter in St. Peter and regular inspections, you’ll keep surprise repairs to a minimum and more money in your wallet.