Mission Viejo Auto Repair

Back To School Tune-Up Photo by Wokandapix on Pixabay College students and parents are getting ready for another school year. With all of the hustle and bustle of getting school supply lists checked off and dorm rooms set up (or prepping your carpool for another year of hauling little ones), car maintenance is the last thing anyone wants to worry about. However, it's one of those back-to-school essentials--I'd argue it's more important than pencils!  Most families are used to doing a quick once-over of their car–but sometimes it's a good idea to have a professional give you a tune-up.  Most families are used to doing a quick once-over of their car, but sometimes it's a good idea to have a professional look at some important systems in the car. You can't see everything going on under the hood, and even if you have the right tools, you ... read more

Photo by Pexels on Pixabay   Planning Your First Long Road Trip of 2022 It’s time, Mission Viejo!   Summer 2022 is here, and you may be preparing for your first long road trip of the year. It’s so fun to plan the food, the sites, and the adventures–but let’s take some time to talk about the less glamorous stuff. Whether you’re headed across the USA or on your way to Laguna Beach, you should plan for any situation. Doing a quick check of all the vitals helps keep you safer, it gives you peace of mind. Before heading out, make sure to consider:   Gas stations. Planning for gas stations may seem tedious, but it’s essential. This is a crucial consideration if you’re going on a more extended road trip. Make sure you have the gas stations you want to stop at figured out because there may co ... read more

Photo by Obi on Unsplash The Truth About Air Conditioning Issues Summertime is nearly here, so it’s time we told you the truth about air conditioning issues: they can be pretty tricky to figure out at first glance. There are many moving parts and pieces to your vehicle's air conditioner. As if the AC system wasn’t complex enough, the climate of your car also has a lot to do with other parts in your car.    In fact, sometimes, an air conditioning issue has more to do with your air filters or your radiator. This isn’t always the case, but it’s worth considering. Most commonly, you’re going to find that an AC issue has something to do with one of the following: AC System Leak. Other symptoms of this problem include a hissing sound and hot air coming out of your system even when you have the AC turned to cold.  AC Pressure Switch Issue ... read more

Photo by webandi on Pixabay   Washing Your Car By Hand Again For Spring Spring weather can be… unpredictable. The warmer weather entices us to go on a long car ride with the windows down, while the impending rain deters us from touchless car washes. It becomes a Catch 22. On pretty days, you want a pleasant drive with a clean vehicle. But why spend money on a professional car wash if you know rain is in the forecast?    Thankfully, these concepts aren’t mutually exclusive. You can show off your hotrod without paying for a touchless car wash every few days. If you choose to hand wash your vehicle, you’ll save a little money and get to spend a little more time outdoors. It’s a win-win! Simple Hand Washing Tips  Handwashing doesn’t have to be complicated. You don’t need any fancy tools or products (though they certainly don’t hur ... read more

Photo by skica911 on Pixabay   Do you already know what you’re going to spend your tax refund on? Sometimes, money is very tight, and a tax refund can be the only real bonus we see in a year’s time. Especially if you’re living paycheck to paycheck -- car maintenance is probably the last thing on your mind.    But what if we told you that preventative maintenance, though costly upfront, can help you get ahead? Though it’s not flashy or luxurious, you should consider paying it forward towards preventive maintenance on your car.  Consider reinvesting in your car! Giving your car some TLC keeps it running well and prevents you from paying thousands down the road. There’s nothing more disappointing than getting your car into the shop just to find whatever clunking or smoking going on could have been prevented had you brought it in a month ear ... read more

Photo by Fritz_the_Cat on Pixabay   Do you remember The One That Got Away?    With Valentine’s Day approaching, we thought that we’d take a look at some unrequited loves in our lives– those cars that we always had a fascination for but never had the money to purchase when they were new. These dream vehicles linger on in our imaginations, taking us back to a simpler time in our lives when we first dreamed of a car of our own.   A friend of mine wished to own an MG convertible all of his days. Another has always had a deep love for the Pontiac Fiero, despite knowing that they are impractical deathtraps. Another has a deep-seated passion for the 300 series of Mercedes-Benz. And I’ve met many fans of old Volkswagens, particularly Volkswagen buses. Everyone seems to have their primal preference, short or long, skinny or roomy. Some have never fe ... read more

Photo by Filip Mroz on Unsplash   Welcome to 2022! We are now deep into winter, and although Mission Viejo doesn’t see snow, there’s plenty to be had to the North and the Northeast. The Rockies are full of thick powder this time of year, and if you’re going to vacation in it, you should do your best to anticipate the worst to come.   If you haven’t done any ‘winterizing’ of your vehicle this year, don’t worry! It’s not too late. We don’t even offer a formal service for it here, as there’s very little to do except pass on some good advice. But if you find yourself needing to travel Nort ... read more

Photo by Jared Tomasek on Unsplash   Welcome to another December in Mission Viejo! As the year winds down, we're pleased to have had such a great one to look back on together. We hope this year has been the best yet for you and your family.   We wish you safe journeys and happy holidays if you are traveling out of the area for Christmas. While there are loads of winter holiday events outside of Mission Viejo, we thought we would feature some of the in-town events that promise a very magical holiday season this year:   South Coast Repertory's "A Christmas Carol" Dec. 1st, 12 PM – Dec. 26th, 6 PM PST ... read more

Photo by Marisol Benitez on Unsplash   Sunny days and Hollywood-style perfect conditions are the norms in Mission Viejo, but as December creeps closer and closer, rainy winter conditions might be on the horizon. Now is the perfect time to examine the preparations we can make to keep our family safe on the road when dangerous conditions rear their ugly heads.   California drivers spend more than their share of time in perfect driving conditions, making the rougher conditions even more dangerous. Many new drivers face their first winters at the wheel each year, with no previous experience driving in rainy conditions. With winter weather rounding the corner, now is the time to educate our newer drivers and give ourse ... read more

Photo by Tobias Tullius and Drew Tilk on Unsplash (composite by Christopher Hooker)   Do you enjoy the suspense and dread of a Stephen King book? Or the growing fear in a classic horror film like The Innocents? These films, and some of the best horror films ever, employ a technique called ‘Hesitancy’. It extrapolates the same kind of journey that you might take if you began to see evidence of a ghost but questioned whether you were experiencing a real event or hallucinating.    At first, you might dismiss the book falling off the shelf, or the door slamming with no open windows, or even a shadow m ... read more