Wilmington Auto Repair

There are a lot of drivers in Wilmington who are due for a differential service, but had never heard of a differential before.With front-wheel drive being so common in Delaware these days, the differential is just taken care of during a transmission service, so most Wilmington folks don't even have to think about it. And rear-wheel drive differentials don't need to be serviced for years, so it's understandable that it's not something on the top of your mind. It's not uncommon for people in Wilmington to not know they have a differential, let alone know that it needs service.To better understand what a differential does, think about a track at any Delaware high school. There are lanes marked off on the track. For the longer distance races, the starting lines are staggered. The starting lines for the outside lanes are ahead of the starting lines for the inside lanes. That's to compensate for the longer length of the outside lanes. Staggering the starting lines means tha ... read more

The hottest Delaware news story may be different every day, but there's one topic that seems to come up over and over again – the price of gas in Wilmington. If you feel like most of your paycheck goes into your gas tank, this post is for you. Here are several basic things people in Wilmington can do to greatly reduce their gas consumption, save money, and help the environment. You can really improve your fuel economy by how you drive – but first, here's a review of things you can do for your vehicle that'll save gas no matter how you drive.The first one for Wilmington drivers is keeping tires properly inflated. That can save 2 miles per gallon/.85 km per liter. Driving on low tires is like driving through sand – your car just has to work harder. Most Wilmington service centers will fill up your tires for free, so just ask PONTE'S AUTOCARE. Also, make a habit of checking your tire pressure whenever you fill up. Many Wilmington gas stations have an ... read more

A lot of people get custom wheels in Wilmington. When you do this yourself (over the internet . . .) you could run into trouble if you're not careful. Sometimes, once they're mounted, they just don't fit right. The tires rub in turns or on bumps. You don't want that. Consulting your PONTE'S AUTOCARE tire professional can ensure you get the right fit. First he'll ask you a series of questions about your Wilmington driving needs and what you want in your new wheels. Now, not every wheel can go on every car. Care must be taken so that tires and wheels are not too large or that the wheel is centered too far towards the outside or the inside so the tires rub.If you don't want to make any modifications to your vehicle, you would need to focus on the wheels that would fit. With trucks, some people in Wilmington like much bigger tires so they need a suspension lift.Also, most Wilmington drivers don't realize that you need to keep the rolling diameter ... read more

Most Wilmington folks worry about running out of gas or having a breakdown on the side of the road. That is why we practice preventive maintenance on our vehicles — that and to keep our repair bills down. But one important part of preventive maintenance that may get overlooked by drivers in Wilmington is a periodic alignment inspection. Poor alignment causes tires to wear rapidly, unevenly or both. This means they will have to be replaced early, and new tires are more expensive than an alignment check in Wilmington. Bad alignment can also cause damage to suspension and steering systems, which can be expensive to repair in Wilmington. Tire wear on misaligned wheels can also lead to blowouts, which are dangerous, can lead to serious accidents and can seriously damage your vehicle. Also, poor alignment itself can be the cause of an accident since the vehicle may not steer properly. One or more wheels on your vehicle can be knocked ... read more

  One topic that hits the news in Delaware on a regular basis is the price of gas. The answer for some Delaware drivers is to buy a vehicle that gets better fuel economy. For those of us in Wilmington who don't want to add a car payment to our monthly expenses, we need to improve our fuel economy any way we can.Following recommended service intervals by coming into PONTE'S AUTOCARE is one of the best ways people in Wilmington can keep their vehicle running efficiently. That means better fuel economy. When you give it some thought, it only makes sense. Dirty oil or transmission fluid can't lubricate or clean. That means more drag which reduces fuel economy.Keeping up with scheduled oil changes and transmission services will save gas for Delaware drivers.Dirty engine air filters are another efficiency pirate. They rob your engine of enough air to effectively burn the fuel, so you need more gas to get the job done. Replacing a dirty air filter can pay for itself in fuel savings befor ... read more