Monthly Archives: January 2016

Why A Trip Inspection Is A Good Idea

At Autotronics of ST Peter we get a lot of St. Peter drivers asking about car trip preparation. That’s a big deal. You could be driving through mountains and deserts in some pretty lonely areas outside of St. Peter so it’s important to know that the car is up to the task and won’t leave you stranded.

Smart Cleveland motorists plan ahead for a major road trip – there are a lot of things to get ready. Where should you start? You could start with the tires. Look them over for tread wear and check to see that they are properly inflated. Take a quick test drive around St. Peter to see if you can feel any vibrations: are the wheels in balance? Is the car tracking straight? Is the alignment ok? Come to Autotronics of ST Peter for a peace-of-mind trip inspection.

111 Jefferson Avenue
St. Peter, MN 56082
507.934.9290

The next thing is a full service oil change to make sure all of your important fluids are topped off and you have fresh oil for the trip. And if your car has over 75,000 miles, you may consider putting in the high-mileage formulation to clean harmful sludge deposits in the engine. You may also need a new PCV valve and an engine air filter.

How about your transmission and brakes? Have you had your transmission and brakes inspected in the last six months?

How are your wiper blades? There’s nothing like not being able to get rid of the bug juice on a long road trip away from St. Peter.

Check your owners’ manual for any other critical recommended service and have Autotronics of ST Peter in St. Peter do the multi-point inspection before you head out in MN.

Consider also having the coolant system serviced at Autotronics of ST Peter – you want to stay within the auto manufacturer’s recommendations. If you’re towing a trailer in St. Peter you’ll want to be keep in mind that you’ll be going a long way under severe conditions.

A lot of St. Peter folks overlook severe conditions like towing, or St. Peter summer heat, or driving on dirt roads in MN. Plan ahead for your next road trip – Autotronics of ST Peter wants you to get there and back.

Selecting New Tires and Wheels

Some of us St. Peter drivers just love tires. All those little rubber hairs on new tires and the smell is wonderful. St. Peter drivers live in a great time for tires. No matter how you drive between St. Peter and Cleveland, where you want to go or the look you’re after; there is a tire for you.

The same is true about wheels. The hardest part for St. Peter car owners is choosing from the thousands of wheels available at MN tire shops.

The team at Autotronics of ST Peter may not be able to help with that, but we can help you get some things in mind before you consult with your St. Peter tire professional. Let’s start with function and think about how you drive.

For example, maybe you have a large SUV but you don’t drive off-road around St. Peter, so an off-road tread isn’t important. Also, because you are not out bouncing over rocks in the MN backcountry, you don’t need a high profile tire to protect your rims. So that means you can probably go with the low-wide look.

If you have a winter season with rain and snow or if you find you need better ice and snow performance, they make great, high-performance snow tires that won’t make it look like you are driving a tractor.

There really are a lot of options for any given vehicle. St. Peter auto owners will find it very helpful to have a discussion like this with their St. Peter tire pro or the tire experts at Autotronics of ST Peter when they need new tires. You can find the best solutions for your driving needs and to make improvements in ride or handling.

Picking a wheel that is the same size as what you are now running is important and pretty simple. But, it gets trickier if you want to upsize. Just get some help when you go bigger. All that tire and wheel still needs to fit in the available space. You do not want your tires to rub when you turn or hit a bump. St. Peter drivers also need to make sure their brakes and suspension bits will fit with their wheel of choice. It doesn’t matter how great your car looks if it’s not drivable.

Taller, wider wheels and tires probably weigh more than your stock shoes. And it’s “unsprung” weight – that has a big impact on brake performance. The upsized shoes increase rotational inertia – if you go too big you may need to upgrade your brakes to compensate.

Another possible problem is an inaccurate speedometer. This happens because the number of rotations can change with the new wheels. Fortunately, speedometers and odometers are all controlled by the engine computer; so it is manageable to get it reprogrammed at Autotronics of ST Peter to compensate for the bigger tires.

No matter what you are after: low cost, long life, high performance, traction or stunning good looks, your wheel and tire professional at Autotronics of ST Peter in St. Peter, MN can help you identify your needs and give you a custom fit. With all the options available, you don’t have to compromise. There is a tire out there with your name on it!