Wilmington Auto Repair

Every car in Wilmington, Delaware, is at risk for theft. So it's up to us to make our cars a less appealing target and more of a challenge – hopefully sending potential thieves to look elsewhere.The National Insurance Crime Bureau recommends a layered approach to protecting vehicles: Common sense Visible and audible devices Immobilizing devices Tracking devices Let's review each of these. One is common sense; you would be surprised how many vehicles are stolen in Delaware where the keys were left in the ignition with the doors unlocked. Always take your keys and lock the doors. In fact, in some places it's against the law to leave a vehicle unattended with the keys in the ignition.And don't leave spare keys in the car or hide them outside – because a thief will find them. Wilmington drivers would be wise to park in well-lit areas that have a lot of foot traffic. If possible, park near th ... read more

Here's a travel tip that'll I'll bet you didn't know, and it might keep you safer...The average American commuter in Delaware spends two and a half hours daily in their vehicle.The government says 100,000 auto accidents yearly are caused by drivers who fall asleep at the wheel. (Aggressive driving is the number one traffic safety concern.)So what does this have to do with how your vehicle smells while you're driving around Wilmington?Well, which scent did you think makes drivers more alert? Is it: A. Strawberry B. New Car C. Pine D. Warm Vanilla Breeze It's C. Drivers are more alert and have less fatigue with pine scent in the vehicle, according to AroMetrics.And, drivers were less angry with overall improved driving performance with strawberry and pine scents.And you thought they just smelled nice. PONTE'S AUTOCARE2401 Concord PikeWilmington, Delaware 1980330

The government mandates a lot of equipment on cars in Wilmington, Delaware: emission devices and control computers, safety equipment like airbags and crash worthiness requirements. All of this is great for the Wilmington motoring public, but it does add quite a bit to the price of a new vehicle.Because new vehicles are more expensive, people in the Wilmington area are driving their old vehicles longer. The average vehicle is now over nine years old. Two thirds of vehicles on the road in Delaware have more than 75,000 miles (120,000 km) on them. As cars age, their performance drops, they have difficulty idling for long periods and are more sensitive to weather extremes. Fortunately today's cars are up to the challenge – but they need a little help to keep on goin'.Give PONTE'S AUTOCARE a call at 302-478-9786 to schedule your next maintenance.Some owner's manuals don't specify service requirements at higher mileage. That doesn't mean it doesn't have ... read more

Today we're going to talk about power steering service in Wilmington. If you took an informal poll around Wilmington you'd probably find that most vehicle owners have never heard of power steering service. That's not surprising. Even though power steering is standard on every vehicle, most people in Wilmington aren't aware that it needs periodic service.If you're younger than a certain age, you've probably never driven a vehicle without power steering. To get an idea of the difference; if you've ever cut a board with a hand saw, you know it's a lot of work. Using a power saw is easy-peasy by comparison.Without power steering, your arms have to do all the work to steer the wheels, and that's hard, especially around downtown Wilmington. That's why old cars had such big steering wheels: to get enough leverage to steer.Most vehicles in Wilmington have a hydraulic power steering system. The serpentine belt from the engine powers a pump. The pump pressurizes the power steering fluid. Th ... read more

Here's a question for Wilmington, Delaware : How long have you been enjoying the romantic glow of your Check Engine light? Hey, it's not there to create ambiance; it's a warning that something's wrong. (And, by the way, Homer Simpson's fix of covering it with tape is not a good idea.) Many conditions that trigger the Check Engine light can hurt your vehicle. A lot.If your date's eyes are smoldering in the soft glow of the Check Engine light, try to think of all the gas money you'll save by getting it fixed. Give PONTE'S AUTOCARE a call when you are ready. PONTE'S AUTOCARE2401 Concord PikeWilmington, Delaware 1980330