A lot of people get custom wheels in St. Peter. When you do this yourself (over the internet . . .) you could run into trouble if you’re not careful. Sometimes, once they’re mounted, they just don’t fit right. The tires rub in turns or on bumps. You don’t want that.

Consulting your Autotronics of St. Peter tire professional can ensure you get the right fit. First he’ll ask you a series of questions about your St. Peter driving needs and what you want in your new wheels. Now, not every wheel can go on every car. Care must be taken so that tires and wheels are not too large or that the wheel is centered too far towards the outside or the inside so the tires rub.

If you don’t want to make any modifications to your vehicle, you would need to focus on the wheels that would fit. With trucks, some people in St. Peter like much bigger tires so they need a suspension lift.

Also, most St. Peter drivers don’t realize that you need to keep the rolling diameter of your new tires – the overall height of the tire – very close to what came from the factory in order for your vehicle’s anti-lock brakes and stability control systems to work properly.

The computers that control these systems are calibrated to a certain size tire. When you go bigger or smaller, the computer doesn’t know what changes you made so it can’t tell how fast you’re going. This, of course, means it sends commands to the brakes and traction control that are based on the wrong speed. If you go with a different rolling diameter, your vehicle engine control computer can be reprogrammed for the new tire size.

Either way, there are hundreds of wheel and tire choices to choose from in MN. You can pick the style of wheel you want and then talk with your friendly and knowledgeable Autotronics of St. Peter tire professional about how big the wheel should be – and how to select the right tire for your vehicle. Your Autotronics of St. Peter service advisor will help you find the best tire to meet your style, performance, ride and handling needs in St. Peter.

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

Ask any St. Peter man or woman if they’ve taken their vehicle in for preventive maintenance lately, and the answer may well be “no.” Surveys indicate that over 80% of vehicles on the road today are in need of some kind of repair or maintenance. Now, ask that same person why he hasn’t taken his car in for care. The answer will probably be that he forgot or that he just didn’t think about it. Most St. Peter residents seem to have a hard time remembering about scheduled maintenance for their vehicles.

Funny, because most of us in St. Peter have no trouble remembering to wash our clothes, mow our lawns or brush our teeth. It isn’t that we can’t remember to take our vehicles for service; it’s a matter of making it a priority.

When it comes to our vehicles, St. Peter drivers like myself, need to be a little more maintenance-minded. The fact is, we can choose to do it, or we might find ourselves being compelled to do it.

For example, when we consistently forget to brush our teeth, a major consequence usually follows. The pain of that experience usually compels us to be more mindful of our teeth and take better care of them.

The same goes for our vehicles. If we ignore them long enough, a painful experience is sure to follow—painful for our pocketbooks, that is. People in St. Peter who have gone through that experience are usually more conscientious about proper car care.

So, if you’re not a fan of the school of hard knocks, at least when it comes to vehicle maintenance, remind yourself to look after your car. Pay attention to the little oil change tag on your windshield. When it’s time take your car in, do it. But don’t just change the oil. Get a full-service oil change at Autotronics of St. Peter. Your technician will then check all of your fluids. He can advise you if any of them need to be changed or if any of them are low.

Low fluid levels can indicate leaks or a worn hose or seal, so they can check those for you as well. Other signs of wear are also immediately evident when you get a full-service oil change, such as a cracked serpentine belt or corroded battery cable. Your Autotronics of St. Peter technician will also check the vehicle manufacturer’s service recommendations for your vehicle and advise you of any other routine service that is coming due.

It’s like a one-stop shop for auto advice that will keep you on top of your vehicle’s maintenance.

If there is more to be done than the budget allows, you can get a picture of what needs to be done.  Then, create a plan with your Autotronics of St. Peter service advisor and budget for it during the coming months. It’s a whole lot less painful than unexpected car repairs.

Vehicles are more reliable than they ever have been. They can take a lot of abuse and neglect. But they’re also expensive and complicated machines. St. Peter drivers can’t expect them to run forever without proper fluids and filters. Preventive maintenance at Autotronics of St. Peter in St. Peter will improve the reliability and life expectancy of your vehicle, as well as ensuring your safety on the road in MN.

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

We’ve all been through it. The vehicle ahead of us kicks up mud, slush, snow or salt on our windshield and we can’t see a thing.  And not being able to see a thing when we’re driving?  Not a good thing.

Debris on a vehicle’s glass can be blinding when driving directly into the sun.  And other things can ruin visibility: scratches on the glass, fogged windows, mineral deposits. 

So lets make one thing clear:  Your windows.  Here are some tips.

• Number one rule, don’t use abrasives on glass. That means no gritty cleaners that are made for metal.  Avoid at all costs those dark green abrasive pads on some kitchen sponges that are made to clean metal pots and pans UNLESS the manufacturer specifically says they can be used on glass.
• Use the appropriate cleaner for the substance that’s being cleaned off. Special automotive glass cleaners are available, and your Autotronics of St. Peter service advisor can make recommendations.
• Vinegar can work wonders. Sometimes you’ll see hard, grayish water spots on your windows that nothing seems to take off. Distilled white vinegar (available in the grocery store) gets rid of them safely, quickly and easily.
• Use a microfiber cloth designed for cleaning glass; that’s what professional detailers choose.
• Clean the insides of windows, too. That film that develops on the inside of vehicle windows can be the result of plastic interior surfaces decaying in the heat of sunlight (plastic contains oil). The film can also be caused by cigarette smoke. Clean that oily layer off thoroughly.

Now that you have clean windows, here’s how to keep ’em clean.

• Replace your wipers at least once a year. Rubber deteriorates the older it gets, even if you rarely use your wipers.
• You might consider a newer type called a “beam” blade. Most have an aerodynamic design that cleans your windshield better, especially at higher speeds.

Your service advisor at Autotronics of St. Peter will be able to recommend good wiper blades for your vehicle and install them properly.

Visibility.  See what we mean?

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