Margate City Auto Repair

Common Brake Issues. If, when driving you feel like your brakes are ‘spongy’ or are no longer working correctly it is important to address the matter immediately. Brakes are used to stop your vehicle, and any hesitation or fault could be very dangerous. Here are some potential reasons for feeling like your brakes are ‘going’: Low Brake Fluid: If the brake fluid is low, it can affect the hydraulic system, making the brakes less effective. Check the brake fluid reservoir and top it off if necessary. Worn Brake Pads: If the brake pads are worn down, they may not grip the rotors effectively, leading to a feeling of reduced braking power. Brake pads work best when over 3mm. Also, ceramic brake pads work best. The downside to ceramic brake pads is that they are noisier. Warped Brake Rotors: Warped rotors can cause uneven braking and might make it feel like the brakes are not responding properly. T ... read more

Winter is coming!   Do you know what it takes to make it easier on you or your car during these cold winter months? The cold is hard on cars. Especially their batteries, wiper blades, tires, paint job, heating system and lights. Make sure to check on them often for your (and others) safety.   We have compiled two lists for you to check to help you!   Things you should have in your care in case of emergencies:   Blankets- Cold leads to hypothermia, and if your car gets stuck or breaks down blankets will help keep you warm. Collapsible Snow Shovel- to dig yourself out Non-Perishable Food – because who doesn’t like a snack? We recommend Protein bars. Water- water= life Spare Change and Cash- You never know when the power will go out Flashlight, Jumper Cables, First Aid kit, Road Flares/ Reflective Warning Triangles and Portable Air pump/flasher- because you should always have them Kitty Litter- cheaper than u ... read more

Child Car seat safety:   Congratulations! You have yourself a mini me! Now you have the pleasure of figuring out your child’s car seat for the next 80 pounds or so. Fun times. With all the changing laws, recommendations, and car seats, this can be a confusing and stressful time. You want to keep your precious one safe, but you would like for ‘them’ to hurry up and decide the right way to do that. As AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) just changed the rear facing car seat recommendations to rear facing until 4yrs, it doesn’t look like they’ll get it together anytime soon. There is a way to help keep your sanity though, whenever you hear the recommendations have changed look at NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) website, it is THE guideline. (they have not changed their recommendation of three years old)   Car seats have grown in safety and complexity from the salad days of the burlap sack, to the first ac ... read more

Overheating What does it mean when your car is overheating? Ruh roh, your gauge is climbing to the dreaded red H. What is causing it and what can you do to fix it before it destroys your engine or causes some very expensive bill? Cars start to over heat as they reach 250 degrees. (Cars usually run at 195-220 degrees. Just to give you an idea.) Now keep in mind that the boiling point for your coolant is 250–260 degrees. Not much wiggle room, is there? Why is it important? Cooling your engine is very important. As it is with most machines, like your computer, keeping things cool as they do their job keeps every thing from breaking down due to heat and friction. Here are some things that happen to your car as the temperature climbs. Lowers your fuel combustion efficiency Causes corrosion Starts to heat and warp the metal in and around your engine. Causes the viscosity of the liquid in your engine to change to gunk (oil, Co ... read more

Hello my friends! I'm taking a break from my love story to help you help keep our furry friends safe during our loud, proud holiday. While we can get caught up in our celebrations (and since we now can legally purchase fireworks in NJ) I would like to remind everyone that our dog friends are usually pretty scared of the big bangs that fireworks produce. Dogs tend to react the same way humans do when scared, fight or flight. So while some dogs may bark back and think they can take on that loud noise a mono y a mono, others may try with desperation to get away. Try to keep your dogs inside tomorrow in the nice air conditioning. If they need to go out try to supervise them, because if someone sets off a firework they will Loony Toons their way out of the back yard and run like the road runner. *Meep meep* With everyone traveling tomorrow, this can get ugly. The last thing you want to do tomorrow is chase your fur baby down hot streets trying to wrangle them to come home. Its usuall ... read more