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Why Wheel Balancing and Tire Rotation Save You Money on Tires

Wilmington drivers want their tires to last as long as possible. Two ways to extend tire life are wheel balancing and tire rotation.When wheels are out of balance, they wobble and vibrate. That makes the tires wear in a cupping pattern. If a front wheel is out of balance you'll feel it in the steering wheel. If it's a rear wheel you'll feel it through your seat. To fix this, your technician at PONTE'S AUTOCARE puts weights on your wheels to balance them out.That brings us to tire rotation. The front tires on a vehicle wear out faster than the rear tires. As they push through turns, the shoulders of the front tires wear down. So rotating front and rear tires allows them to all wear at about the same rate over the life of the tire.Proper tire inflation will also help Wilmington folks' tires last longer. Underinflated tires wear more on the shoulder and may even overheat. This could cause tire damage or a blow out. Overinflated tires wear too fast in the middle.Four-wheel ... read more

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Tires and Wheels

Coolant/Antifreeze Service in Wilmington, Delaware

Wilmington auto owners may know that most automotive failures in Wilmington, Delaware, are tire related, but do you know the second most common cause of vehicle failure? Nope, it's not teenagers. It is the coolant system. But if you take good care of your vehicle coolant system, it will take good care of you.A vehicle's engine creates a lot of heat - so much heat, that if it is not properly cooled, the engine can lock up, resulting in massive damage and repair bills. But when everything is working right, your vehicle engine operates at the proper temperature and all is well. Without antifreeze in your cooling system, the water could freeze and cause vehicle engine damage. This could be very expensive, not to mention inconvenient.The right mix of water and antifreeze protects the engine against damage from freezing and overheating. Antifreeze also protects the coolant system against corrosion that could cause the system to fail. The thing to remember is this: coolant system failur ... read more

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Cooling System

Technician Training at PONTE'S AUTOCARE

Your vehicle is important to you, and keeping it running properly is important to your lifestyle. That's why you're smart enough to have it serviced regularly at PONTE'S AUTOCARE in Wilmington. And even though it may just be routine maintenance, you want it done right by automotive professionals.It's also very important to your Wilmington service center to keep you happy and on the road. You might be surprised at the amount of money our Wilmington auto service center spends annually to make sure our friendly and knowledgeable technicians are properly trained.PONTE'S AUTOCARE offers a variety of automotive services for many kinds of vehicles. We need to be current on the latest techniques and parts so that we can give you quality service. Our Wilmington service centers subscribe to data services that list the high quality parts and fluids recommended by your manufacturer.And each service has a checklist of standard procedures. PONTE'S AUTOCARE technicians follow these procedures s ... read more

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Maintenance

Stay Headed in the Right Direction, Wilmington

Power steering is standard on nearly every vehicle in Wilmington, Delaware, these days. Now there are some exotic, new types of power steering systems, but for the most part, the general setup is a pump that's driven by a belt powered by the engine. Contact the automotive professionals at PONTE'S AUTOCARE in Wilmington for questions about your power steering. The pump generates power that assists drivers as they steer their vehicle around Wilmington, Delaware. Power steering systems use hoses to move pressurized fluid back and forth. These hoses can develop leaks so it's a good idea to have PONTE'S AUTOCARE inspect them at every oil change. A check of the power steering fluid level is on the list for every full service oil change at PONTE'S AUTOCARE because low fluid can damage the power steering pump. And the fluid needs to be compatible with the hoses and seals, so it's important to use the correct type – just ask your service ... read more

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Steering

Drive Train - What You Need to Know in Wilmington

One Wilmington automotive service issue that doesn't get much attention is driveline service. Drivelines don't get talked about very much around Wilmington, but they're very important. First let's define what the driveline is:Taking a small step back, the power plant is comprised of the engine and transmission. The driveline starts there and includes all of the components that transfer power from the transmission to the wheels.That's not really a lot of components, but they handle the full force of the engine. Without the driveline you're not moving. So Wilmington residents need to take good care of it. The driveline components differ depending on whether your vehicle has front wheel drive, rear wheel drive, all wheel drive or four wheel drive. For purposes of our discussion, we're going to have to oversimplify a bit. If you are ready to have your drive train looked at, give us a call at 302-478-9786. Let's start with front wheel drive. The point where ... read more

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Drive Train

Clean Fuel Makes a Happy Engine in Wilmington, Delaware

If the fuel system in your vehicle is dirty, you will be hurting your engine and losing performance as you drive around Wilmington, Delaware.Unless they drive a vintage car, Wilmington auto owners have fuel injectors which need to be properly maintained. That is why your vehicle owner's manual has a schedule for cleaning your fuel injectors and other parts of your fuel system.Your friendly and knowledgeable service advisor at PONTE'S AUTOCARE in Wilmington has the tools and chemicals to do the job right. PONTE'S AUTOCARE uses a process that gives your car a deep, professional fuel system cleaning. The particles, gum and varnish that build up in your fuel system are removed so that it can run cleanly and efficiently.After a professional fuel system cleaning atPONTE'S AUTOCARE, you'll notice more power, improved and reduced exhaust emissions. We strongly recommend you follow your fuel system cleaning service recommendations to keep ... read more

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Fuel System

Why a Trip Inspection Is a Good Idea

At PONTE'S AUTOCARE we get a lot of Wilmington drivers asking about vehicle trip preparation. That's a big deal. You could be driving through mountains and deserts in some pretty lonely areas around Delaware, so it's important to know that the vehicle is up to the task and won't leave you stranded.Smart Wilmington drivers plan ahead for a major road trip – and there are a lot of things to get ready. Where should you start? You could start with the tires. Look them over for tread wear and check to see that they are properly inflated. Take a quick test drive around Wilmington to see if you can feel any vibrations: Are the wheels in balance? Is the car tracking straight? Is the alignment ok? Come to PONTE'S AUTOCARE for a peace-of-mind trip inspection.2401 Concord Pike Wilmington, Delaware 19803 302-478-9786 The next thing is a full service oil change to make sure all of your fluids are topped ... read more

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Trip Inspection

Keys to a Long Lasting Vehicle

We live in a disposable society. Everything from elaborate packaging to our clothing. Even cell phones are disposable. When replacement is cheaper than repair, the term "built to last" goes by the wayside. An exception is our vehicles. They're still a very big investment and Wilmington drivers want to make them last as long as possible.  We also want to make keeping them running as cheap as possible. When talking vehicles, it's all about preventive maintenance. There is an old saying that says, "A stitch in time saves nine," and that is really true when it comes to taking care of your vehicle. A great example is coolant service in Wilmington.Your coolant not only protects your engine from overheating and freezing, it must also protect cooling system components from corrosion. Over time, coolant becomes corrosive and actually starts to damage your radiator and other parts. That's why you need to have your cooling system serviced on a regular schedule.The same is true for your ... read more

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Maintenance

Battery Replacement for Your vehicle

Modern vehicles in and around Wilmington run on 12 volt electrical systems. 12 volts is enough to get the job done for Wilmington drivers without having so much power that there is danger of electrocution. But today's vehicles have more electrical components and do-dads than ever before. This really strains your electrical system, making it hard for the battery to keep up. Think about it: electric seats, seat heaters, power locks windows and sun roofs. And then us Delaware drivers have all the power outlets for our cell phones, computers and DVD players.We also have navigation systems and powerful stereos. Plus there are all the engine and transmission computers, traction control, stability control, anti-lock brakes, sensors and on and on. Even the security system is running off the battery while the car is turned off.Fortunately, battery technology has given Wilmington drivers resilient batteries that are able to meet these strenuous requirements. But the fact is, batteries just ... read more

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Battery

Does Your Car Have A Recall Item?

Recalls are pretty serious for Wilmington residents and don't happen all that often. But sometimes cars have less serious problems that Wilmington residents still might want to know about. For these less serious cases, the vehicle manufacturer issues what is known as a Technical Service Bulletin – or TSB. These bulletins tell Wilmington service centers (including PONTE'S AUTOCARE) how to repair a problem that occurs frequently or is especially difficult.Your Wilmington service center receives updated information through subscription plans, which are sometimes available in consumer versions too.Whatever your source, pay attention to Wilmington vehicle recalls to keep you and your passengers safe. No matter how well they're made, vehicles are bound to have problems with their design or manufacturing. Think of all the moving parts. When the government thinks a problem is really serious, they require the vehicle manufacturer to issue recall notices to ... read more

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Maintenance
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