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Differential Service – Why Is It Important?    Of all the various things on a vehicle that need regular service and maintenance, the differential is too often neglected. But what exactly is it, and what does it do?    Visualize a rear-wheel-drive vehicle making a right-hand turn. As the car turns to the right, the left rear wheel will have to actually cover a longer distance and spin at a different speed than the right wheel. If the rear axle was delivering the same torque to both wheels, the...

In a perfect world, all four tires would wear out at the same time. In the same perfect world, everyone would be able to afford a whole set of tires all at once. Unfortunately, things often just do not work out that way.  Sometimes you may just have to replace tires as you can afford them, one or two at a time, but there are some important things to bear in mind if you have to do that.  If you can only afford to replace one or two tires, it’s essential that you go with tires that are identica...

It’s March and it may not be warming up just yet, but you know that spring is right around the corner. The buds will be coming out on the trees, flowers blooming, birds tweeting, and it’ll be time to get your vehicle back in shape after the rigors of a rough winter. At Star City Tire in Roanoke, VA, we’ve got a few suggestions to get your car back in good shape again for spring and summer: ·         Winter weather, with its snow, ice, road grit and salt, is extremely hard on your car’s fini...

Often, drivers are mystified by how their cars actually work. It’s to be expected. Even an older car is a complex machine with many sub-assemblies that all work together to move it down the road. As a result, drivers tend to be a little intimidated by auto repair and often tend to not inform themselves by asking the necessary questions of a tech or a garage. Too often, that ends up being a big mistake. Here are some examples of the kinds of things you really should know before any auto repair ...

Driving around on underinflated tires is just a bad idea all the way around. Underinflated tires increase a car’s rolling resistance, meaning a drop in fuel efficiency since it takes more energy to move the vehicle down the road. A single tire that’s down by ten pounds of air means a 3.3 percent drop in fuel economy…multiply that by all four tires, and you can figure on giving up ten percent of your gas mileage. The added friction and rolling resistance also means more heat is generated, an...

The days are getting longer, the temperatures are getting warmer and the trees are starting to show some green. It seemed like winter was never going to be over…and it’s the perfect time to schedule some auto repair and maintenance. Here’s a brief checklist of things you should be aware of, going into spring and summer: ·         Finish: Winter weather and road chemicals are really hard on a car’s finish, as are the UV rays of the summer sun. Your vehicle needs a coat of wax a few times a y...

If you’re old enough, you probably remember the cars from the late 70s and early 80s that weren’t good for much more than 120,000 miles before they started to develop real problems and were junkyard bound. Today, thanks to improvements in design, metallurgy, manufacturing techniques and machining, those days are over and it’s not at all unusual to see vehicles with well over 200,000 miles on the odometer and still running strong. Here’s a quick rundown of some vehicles to consider which hav...

Tires all look sort of the same…round and black…and people tend to think tires don’t change much over the years. That’s really not true, though – engineers and designers are constantly working on advances in tire designs for more miles, better fuel economy and better performance. Here’s a rundown of current trends in tire technology you may not have been aware of: Tall, skinny tires are coming back. If you’ve ever ridden a beach cruiser bike vs. a racing bike, you know that skinny tir...

Many drivers regard auto repair with a great deal of caution and trepidation, and for good reason. For too many years, auto repair has been a “let the buyer beware” proposition, with shady operators who brought “flexible ethics” to their auto repair work. That’s why it’s a good idea to be informed before you turn your car over to any auto repair shop. These are all some good questions to ask: ·         Can you work on my make & model of vehicle? This one might seem like an odd question, b...

When it comes to your car, oil isn't the only thing there's a finite supply of. Rubber has its limits too, and it's estimated by 2020, the supply of natural rubber in the world may be outstripped by demand. And of course, tires require a great deal of oil to produce as well. Tire manufacturers are constantly looking for ways to innovate and conserve resources in tire production. Here are some recent advances: Dandelions: Yes, those humble yellow flowers you try to eliminate from your yard. Da...