German Auto Repair in Eugene

If your engine shuts off while driving, stay calm. All drivers’ controls still work, they just require more input. Hold the steering wheel with both hands and pull over to the side of the road. Brakes may require more effort to work so push harder.RODE CAR TIP Autohaus APRIL 2014x 30

A modern automobile is an incredible, almost unbelievable, collection of high tech electronics connected together to provide a safe comfortable ride a various conditions. The engineering of getting all these components to work together with dependability in a hostile environment amazes me daily. Most vehicle manufacturers have over 500 different companies that provide the parts to make up a complete vehicle. Problems do happen and I want to give incite here to make sure the correct procedures are followed in case of emergencies. When something happens out of the ordinary, the first thing to remember is to stay calm and not panic. With a plan and thoughtful pre-planning, it may bypass panic. In panic mode, many people just freeze, not knowing what to do. Read this carefully and remember what to do. If the engine dies while driving, two driver’s controls will change. The first is you will lose power steering but all steeri ... read more

Increasing Fuel Mileage

One of the daily challenges that all automotive repair shops face are intermittent problems. Noises, poor running, no starts, dying as driving, vibrations that don’t happen all the time are all in this field. In any kind of problem solving in any kind of profession, there are 4 logical steps to problem solving. Experience the problem. Theorize what the problem is. This is the time when past training and experience comes in. We consider all the possibilities that are probable. Diagnose to prove or disprove your theory. This is when test equipment is used. The most important of the steps is you repair or replace the part in question to make sure your theory is correct. The “proof in the pudding”. Is the problem solved or fixed? If the problem is not there all the time, you can lose two to three of these steps. This is where the problem lies. We have had vehicles that will crank over but won’t start. One of the first steps is to read the onboard ECU (electronic control unit o ... read more

One of the most frequent questions that comes up both at my shops and in my personal life is for parents to ask what kind of vehicle they should get for their young adult when they become driving age. Most parents have the same thing in mind, “hand me down” vehicles. “As soon as my kid turns sixteen, I’m going to give them my old car and I’m going to get a new one”. Another very common story is the father is going to get there kid a vehicle they wanted or had as a kid. I’m going to get him an old Volkswagen Bug, they are really cool, or that old BMW 2002. Great old cars. There is a very serious thinking flaw happening here. When children reach driving age, they have very little experience behind the wheel. Sometimes they have an attitude of being indestructible added to little driving experience. Nationally teen driving accidents are one the leading causes of death. Cars with anti-lock brakes (ABS) or stability control will even help c ... read more

WINTER DRIVING: If you’re heading over the mountains or into snow area, be ready for the worst. Know your route, keep to major highways. They are plowed and sanded. If you do have a problem, help would be close. Be well rested. Let someone know where you are going and when you’re getting back if you’re planning to go off the beaten path in snowy conditions Always have traction tires or chains. Keep your fuel tank close to full, Carry warm clothes and blanket and some food and water, more if you going off the beaten path. Kitty liter is good to have in the trunk if you should get stuck, pour it on front of the slipping tire to get traction. If you get stuck away from cars and people, stay with your car. It is easier to find, water proof, windproof and can be started for heat. Winter preparations for your vehicle.. 1. Coolant check, 50-50 mixture of antifreeze/water. That will bring it down to ... read more

p>We had an older nice German vehicle that was towed in because of an engine fire this month. The repair bill was well over $2000 to replace the composites that were burned. The sad news was this was so preventable. The valve cover gasket (the gasket on the very top of the engine) was leaking oil. The owner was aware that something was amiss because of a strange odor that was being given off from under the engine compartment. A burning smell, even after the vehicle was shut off. As time progressed, this smell got more and more pungent. The intention was to have this checked out but wasn’t checked and repaired until disaster set in. The pools of oil, heated by the exhaust manifold caught fire. The good news, it was a small fire and didn’t do much damage as fires go. The even better news, no one was injured. Your vehicle is a very complicated piece of machinery, incredible amounts of components all working together to provide you with a safe and comfortable ride with impeccable depen ... read more