AUTONET TV

The Bauer Auto Service Guide to Saving Fuel: Beware of Myths

There's a lot of auto advice in MN right now on how to save money on gas. Some of it is good advice. Some of it isn't. Some of it is myth. And it may well be a scam. Plain and simple. When someone offers you a product designed to save money on gas, ask yourself, “Does this sound too good to be true?” If the answer is yes, do more research.

The internet offers us a convenient and quick way to research someone's claims about gas savings. Cold Spring drivers can usually find out in only minutes whether that claim is questionable or not.

Chances are other Cold Spring drivers have already tried what you're being offered. If you find evidence that others feel they have been scammed, you should be wary of becoming the next victim. There aren't any pills, magic or otherwise, that you can drop into your gas tank to improve your gas mileage. Drop in enough of those pills and you can actually harm your vehicle. The last thing you need is a bunch more sediment or unknown, dissolved additives in your fuel.

There actually are proven, sensible ways that you can maintain good gas mileage, however. Good car care and consistent preventive maintenance are the keys to good fuel economy. An oil change at Bauer Auto Service in Cold Spring and a new fuel filter, when needed, will keep your engine running efficiently, which will translate to good fuel economy. It may be mundane, but it's solid, proven advice.

So be smart. Listen to advice from qualified Bauer Auto Service professionals, and stay away from unverified “magic” and conspiracy theories. Your wallet—and your vehicle—will thank you in the end.

Bauer Auto Service
14455 State Hwy 23
Cold Spring, MN 56320
320-685-8846

What Cold Spring Customers like About Us at Bauer Auto Service

A big part of the service we provide at Bauer Auto Service for our Cold Spring customers is education. We want you to feel confident with your service decisions.

And we're always open to questions from our valued Cold Spring area customers. Even though we try to be proactive in our Bauer Auto Service automotive education, we sometimes get busy fixing vehicles and need a reminder. Please, just ask.

We've found our Cold Spring customers like the service reminders. They've grown to trust that our recommendations are based on the vehicle manufactures’ published maintenance schedules and that Bauer Auto Service is not just pulling them out of the air.

We know that people in Cold Spring live a busy life with a lot more to think about than wondering if it's time to replace the PCV valve on their vehicle. Part of our Bauer Auto Service service process is checking the vehicle manufacture's schedule to make sure we don't overlook service.

We hope MN drivers appreciate their courtesy inspection when they come into our Cold Spring facility for service. If we find something unexpected, it's good to know, and if we don't find anything wrong, you get a little peace of mind.

You know, customer satisfaction is very important to us at Bauer Auto Service. We want to run a professional and friendly Cold Spring automotive service operation. If we do, you'll keep coming back and recommend us to your friends.

Give us a call at 320-685-8846.

Bauer Auto Service
14455 State Hwy 23
Cold Spring, MN 56320
320-685-8846

Serpentine Belt Service at Bauer Auto Service

Most Cold Spring folks occasionally have days when they've got a bunch of errands to run. Yesterday was my day off and I needed to fill the gas tank, pick up some groceries at my Cold Spring market, swing by the ATM and get the kids from school. I could have made four trips . . . but that would have been totally inefficient. Instead I got unusually organized and planned my stops. I hit the ATM first and got gas next. Then I went to the supermarket and picked up the kids on the way home. I was proud of my wise use of time and money.

What does this have to do with your car? Well, back in the day, each of your engine's accessories, like the alternator and air conditioner, were powered by separate belts. A vehicle might have five or six belts. These days, vehicles have a single belt to run all the accessories. It's called the serpentine belt. A pulley attached to the vehicle engine's crank provides the power to turn the serpentine belt. On the engine in the video, the first accessory in line is the power steering pump, which makes it easier to steer your vehicle.

Next comes the alternator which powers the vehicle's electrical system and charges the battery. Then the air conditioning compressor. This helps make cold air to keep you comfortable all summer long in Cold Spring. Finally, we come to the belt tensioner. Its job is to apply pressure on the belt to keep it tight. Then, back home to the crank.

This is a pretty typical setup, but it can vary somewhat. In some vehicles the water pump or radiator fan or the power brakes are also run by the serpentine belt. Some even have two serpentine belts. No matter how your engine is laid out, you're not going far without a serpentine belt. Your vehicle manufacturer has a recommended interval for replacing your belt and your Bauer Auto Service service technician can inspect it for damage or wear.

Several years ago, manufacturers started making serpentine belts out of a new material. It's much more durable, but it's harder to tell when the belt needs to be replaced. The old style belts would crack and chunks would fall off so you could easily see when you needed a new one.

On the new style belts, if the ribs wear too deep, it's time to replace. Your Bauer Auto Service technician uses a simple gauge to tell when the belt is worn.

A worn belt stresses your vehicle engine's expensive accessories and causes them to wear prematurely. So, change your serpentine belt and belt tensioner according to your manufacturer's recommendations to extend the life of your accessories and to prevent future breakdowns.

Give us a call.

Bauer Auto Service
14455 State Hwy 23
Cold Spring, MN 56320
320-685-8846

Change Your Wiper Blades Twice Yearly at Bauer Auto Service

Because 90% of our driving decisions are based on visual information, unobscured vision is paramount. Which brings us to the topic of today's Bauer Auto Service article: wiper blades. While this isn't the most exciting automotive subject, it's important. You wouldn't drive at night in Cold Spring with your headlights off, but a dirty or streaked vehicle windshield can catch the glare of the sun or on-coming headlights and make it just as difficult to see.

Most of us in Cold Spring replace our wiper blades when they no longer do the job. They are so worn, hard or brittle that they can't clean the windshield. They may even be falling apart. In other words, we deal with our wiper blades from a failure perspective. We address them when they no longer function. The theory, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it," doesn't apply here. Instead, we should think about wipers blades as an important safety system that we should maintain rather than repair.

MN automotive experts recommend that we change our wiper blades twice a year, in the spring and fall. That way you have functional blades for those Cold Spring spring showers and winter storms.

When we use our wipers a lot, they get worn from the Cold Spring road grime and bug juice. Even if we don't use them very often, they're exposed to the sun, heat and cold, and air which cause them to dry out, become brittle and break.

And of course, you need a good windshield washer fluid in your vehicle to help the wipers do their job. Always use washer fluid because plain water doesn't work as well and it can freeze in the reservoir. If you're driving where there are a lot of bugs in MN, you can pay a little more and get fluid that does a better job of clearing them. If you live where you have extremely cold winters, you can get fluid that resists freezing.

Like everything else in the automotive world, there've been some big advancements in wiper blades, both in terms of the design and the materials from which the blade is made. If you are a local Cold Spring driver that has a need for better than average windshield wipers, you can pay some more for an upgraded wiper. And if you live where there's a lot of snow and ice in MN, they make special winter blades that don't clog up and freeze like standard blades.

At one of your fall and spring oil changes, ask your Bauer Auto Service service advisor which is best wiper blade for your driving conditions. Replace your blades on schedule so you never have to struggle with your vision when you switch on your wipers.

Bauer Auto Service
14455 State Hwy 23
Cold Spring, MN 56320
320-685-8846