Your Spring Car Maintenance Checklist

Despite the enduring winter chill, the spring season is upon us. As you start getting ready to put your vehicle back on the open road, you want to make sure that you’ve dotted all of your i’s and crossed your t’s to ensure smooth traveling.

Courtesy of Rob’s Automotive & Collision Center, your premier source for 24-hour towing service for Bucks County, PA, here is car maintenance checklist to keep in mind as the weather gets warmer.

1. Schedule a change for your oil and oil filter

Regular oil changes will help you maintain a healthy engine. As motor oil lubricates and cools down the engine, it naturally picks up impurities along the way. While this is good, the downside is that oil becomes gradually less effective as it ages, making regular oil and filter changes critical. Make sure to schedule an oil change this season to keep your engine healthy. In addition, todays vehicles also run hotter in general than years ago, which is harder on the oil.

2. Engine Coolant

This is the most overlooked type of service. Due to higher engine temperatures for fuel efficiency, all manufacturers recommend your anti freeze to be changed every two (2) years to protect the engine head gasket and radiator. This helps protect against corrosion which is the number one reason for radiator failure.

3. Check tire tread and pressure

Before hitting the road, make sure you check your tire pressure in the morning and adjust your tires based on the reading. Your tire pressure should match up with the tire pressure recommended in your vehicle manual.

Why should you check your tire pressure between winter and spring? Because fluctuations in the outside temperature can cause fluctuations in your tire pressure. Typically, tires lose or gain 1 pound per square inch for every 10°F change in temperature, and both over-inflated and under-inflated tires can cause issues on the road, including blowouts.

This is also the perfect time to check your tire’s tread depth. Without sufficient tread, your tires won’t grip the road as they are designed to do, compromising your car’s handling in wet weather and its ability to come to a quick stop.

We would be happy to check your tires for proper air pressure and depth, free of charge.

4. Replace your wiper blades and fluid

If your wipers are looking worse for wear, and a simple wiper cleaning isn’t doing the trick, it’s probably time to replace your wiper blades to prepare for seasonal rainstorms. Get ahead of the game by topping off your wiper fluid as well.

5. Headlights

You may need glasses if you find yourself squinting while driving at night — or, your lights may need a good cleaning! Just as our cars get dirty, so do the headlights and tail lights.

Over time the clear plastic lens covers for your vehicle's headlights may become cloudy. This results in reduced visibility while driving at night. Replacing the lens can be a very expensive option. As an alternative, we use a special process of cleaning chemicals and very fine sandpaper to clear the imperfections and have your lenses looking new again, thus increasing visibility at night. You’ll be amazed at the difference this process makes.

To learn more about any of our services including 24-hour towing service for Burlington, NJ, call Rob’s Automotive & Collision Center today at 215-826-9200.

We've Been Nominated for Bucks Happening!

We are honored to have been nominated for Bucks Happening — not just for auto collision repair in Bristol, PA and other nearby areas, but for two other categories as well!

We have been nominated for the following three categories:

• Entrepreneur, Rob Leipziger
• Best Auto Repair
• Best Oil Change

We are truly grateful for those of you that took the time to vote. Without such great people trusting us to work on their cars and trucks for more than 30 years, we would not be the premier full service auto collision center serving Bucks County, PA and beyond. Thank you to all of our loyal customers over the years!

Why You Need a Certified Auto Body Shop for Your Car Repairs

 As a top destination for car collision repair in Bucks County, Rob’s Automotive & Collision Center is serious about providing an elite level of service. To that end, we hold certifications from 14 major car manufacturers, from Chrysler to Honda to Porsche, who count on us to uphold their high standards for auto repair. After an auto accident or when dealing with a recall, it’s important to take your car to a certified shop, despite the recommendations of your insurance company. With a certified shop for collision repair serving residents of Newtown, PA, and other nearby areas, you can expect your car to come out looking and running as if it just came off a manufacturer’s assembly line.

Call Rob’s Automotive & Collision Center today at 215-826-9200 to find out more about our certifications and how they can benefit you.

4 Signs You Need a New Fuel Pump

Your gas pump’s job is pretty straightforward: to pump fuel from the gas tank to your engine. It doesn’t need to be said that a gas pump that doesn’t work is bad news for your vehicle, which is why it is critical that you are able to recognize some of the telltale warning signs of a gas pump that is on its last leg.

If something does go wrong, however, and you are unable to continue to drive safely, Rob’s Automotive is able to provide roadside assistance throughout Bucks County, PA, and the surrounding area. We can tow your vehicle to safety and assess the problem from there. In the meantime, be on the lookout for these red flags, and feel free to give us a call if you’d like us to check it out.

1. Engine Sputters at High Speeds

If your vehicle suddenly sputters and then resumes regular performance, there could be something wrong with the fuel pump. This sputtering happens because the pump is struggling to supply a consistent stream of fuel to the engine at the proper pressure.

2. Rising Temperature

The temperature of your car can predict a fuel pump emergency, so remember to pay attention to your temp gauge. If the heat rises and your car stalls, this might mean that the fuel pump motor is having issues. If the vehicle continues to stall, it may be a sign that the fuel pump is starting to deteriorate and will need to be replaced.

3. Power Loss When the Car Is Under Stress

A vehicle is placed under stress when climbing an incline or hauling heavy cargo. In such situations, the weakening elements of the fuel pump will begin to cause trouble, and the pump won’t be to keep up with the car's fuel demands, leading to an overall loss of power.

4. Surging

Occasionally, a vehicle will be moving normally at a consistent speed and then suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, it will surge ahead as if you had depressed the gas pedal. This is brought about by irregular resistance within the fuel pump motor.

When in doubt, bring your car in and we’ll be more than happy to check the fuel pressure for you. To learn more about what our team at Rob’s Automotive can do for your vehicle, or to learn about our roadside assistance for Philadelphia, PA drivers, please contact us today by calling 215-826-9200.

Tips for Navigating Hazardous Winter Roads

Isn’t it funny how whenever the forecast calls for snow, whether it’s a light flurry or a big blizzard, you still find ravaged bread shelves and milk coolers when you hit the grocery store?

Snow panic is something you can set your watch to. You can mark it on your calendar. It’s a rite of winter, right alongside Super Bowl parties and getting your taxes done.

Here at Rob’s Automotive & Collision Center, your local car collision experts in Bucks County, PA, we see the effects of snow panic all the time. We see it in the form of dents, scratches, gaping holes - in other words, a whole lot of damage to cars and a whole lot of hassle for car owners.

The roads can be treacherous in wintertime due to factors beyond a driver’s control. Yes, there’s snow, but there are also frigid temperatures, heavy winds, freezing rain, black ice, potholes and other drivers who are traveling too fast - or too slow - for conditions.

What’s worse: Other drivers who haven’t cleaned their cars off completely, posing a threat to others because they A) can’t see the whole road through their windshields, and B) can send random icy projectiles off their car roof into other cars’ windshields. We won’t even get started on drivers without insurance.

Our simple tips for navigating the treacheries of winter roads will prevent you from becoming one of those people.

●     Don’t panic! There’s no reason to be overly stressed out about driving in snow or ice. Stress will cause problems; it doesn’t solve them. You can handle this - if you follow our tips, of course.

●     Leave extra time in the morning, or when leaving work, so you can give your car a thorough cleaning before you take to the road. This isn’t just for when it has snowed. Windshields get frosty, too, and there’s no bigger hazard than sunlight reflecting off the ice. You definitely don’t want your “blind spot” to be right in front of your face. And don’t forget to clean off your mirrors too!

●     Get yourself a good snow brush with a strong ice scraper. See above. This will save you time and make sure the job is done right.

●     Drive slowly and don’t tailgate — another reason to give yourself extra time to make it to your destination. You’ll need more time and space to slow down, so don’t drive too close to the car in front of you. And when that time comes, don’t slam on the brakes. Instead, pump them slowly and lightly.

●     Keep your tires inflated and your gas tank full. No brainer, right? You don’t want to get stranded somewhere out in the cold.

●     Stay off your phone! Seriously, we can never say this enough, no matter what season it is. There’s so much you need to pay attention to while driving in the winter - potholes, icy patches, the driver in front of you, the overall conditions that determine your speed. There are probably more things to list, but that’s plenty to trump looking at Twitter or sending text messages.

If you’re ever in a situation where you’ve done all of the above, but you still get in an annoying winter fender bender, you can always bring your rig to Rob’s for collision repair near Newtown, PA. That’s one excellent tip that we hope you won’t need.

What You Need To Know About Traveling This Holiday Season

Now that November is upon us, it officially means that the holiday season is here. Thanksgiving is notorious for being the busiest travel holiday of the year, and our team at Rob’s Automotive & Collision Center would like to make sure you and your vehicle are properly prepared for any holiday travel plans.

Here’s what you need to know in order to prepare your vehicle before you visit family and loved ones over these next several weeks.  

Expect Thanksgiving Congestion

Each year, AAA releases statistics about how many Americans will be traveling during the holiday season. For 2018, AAA has projected the busiest Thanksgiving travel season since 2005! They project that nearly 54.3 million Americans will travel 50 or more miles from home this Thanksgiving, whether by plane, train, or automobile, a 4.8% increase from last year.

If you are one of the 48.5 million Americans planning on making a Thanksgiving road trip this year, global transportation analytics company, INRIX, warns that travel times in major cities could see drive duration nearly quadruple. If you are planning to head to any big cities this holiday season, you need to ensure your car is prepared for all types of circumstances.

How to Prep Your Car For Holiday Road Trip

Whether it’s the expensive cost of airline tickets or the close proximity to your family, many people will opt to pack up the vehicle and travel via the roads this holiday season. As the leading collision center in Bristol, PA and other nearby areas, we’d like to share some important actions that you should consider taking before venturing off this Thanksgiving. Some of those actions include:

⧫  Replacing your wiper blades

⧫  Checking your wiper fluid

⧫  Checking your lights

⧫  Having your battery inspected

⧫  Having your brakes inspected

⧫  Checking your tire pressure & tire condition

⧫  Checking your oil & coolant level

⧫  Creating an emergency kit

Rob’s Automotive Always There To Help

This holiday season and all-year-round, our towing center in Bristol offers 24-hour live dispatch emergency road service and much more. If you find yourself in the unfortunate circumstance of being stuck on the side of the road, don’t forget to contact our team. Whether you need flat tire repair, jump-starts, towing, or any other road service or auto collision repair in Bristol, PA, give us a call at 215-826-9200. No emergency is too small or large for us to handle.

Stay safe and have a happy holiday!

Why You Should Seek a Certified Repair Shop for Your Car

➧ Are you searching for a repair shop and don’t know who to trust with your investment?

➧ Do you have more questions rather than answers on what should happen next after you have been in an accident?

➧ Have you in the past or present been pressured into taking your vehicle to direct repair facility by an insurance carrier for repairs?

➧ Are you concerned about the future when it comes time to return your lease or trade in your vehicle after it has been involved in an accident?

If you have have answered yes to any of these questions, please continue reading.

While your insurance company might tell you to take your vehicle to one of their “preferred” shops, that can leave your car with a less than acceptable repair using lower-quality parts.

This happens because shops like these work for the insurance company, not for you. They get paid by your insurance company, which will continue to send them customers as long as they continue to repair cars for less.

Here at Rob’s Automotive & Collision Center, we would like to share three reasons why you should only ever visit a repair shop that is certified by your vehicle’s manufacturer.

Manufacturer’s Standards > Insurance Company’s Standards
Your vehicle is an investment that you need to protect — which you can do by making sure it is worked on by a shop and technician that is certified by your vehicle’s manufacturer. That way, your car will meet the higher standards set by the manufacturer, rather than those set by an insurance company. It also means your vehicle will receive OEM parts (original equipment manufacturer) instead of cheaper parts made by a third-party.

Annual Recertification Means They’re Always Up-To-Date
To maintain certification status, repair shops must recertify on an annual basis. A certified repair shop will offer recertification training to its technicians so that they stay up-to-date with the latest vehicles, parts, and technologies. Not only must the technicians be educated, but the repair shop itself must obtain specific equipment that the manufacturer requires, for they only want the highest-quality tools and machinery to work on their products.

Remain Compliant with Warranties & Lease Agreements
If repair work is performed according to the insurance companies standards instead of the manufacturers, or third-party parts are used instead of OEM parts, you’re potentially at risk of terminating any warranties the vehicle may have. This also applies to lease agreements, if you do not own the vehicle. When returning the leased vehicle to the dealership, if they see that you’ve changed anything that isn’t to their standards, they can charge you more money, or worse; refuse to take the vehicle back.

Drivers in the Greater Philadelphia Area that are searching for a repair shop they can trust with their investment are encouraged to contact Rob’s Automotive & Collision Center, where we are certified in many of the major car manufacturers. Dial 215-826-9200 today to find out if we’re certified to work on your vehicle!