Now that it is officially fall, it's time to start thinking about your vehicle's fall maintenance. One important service item that is important for the changing weather is your windshield wipers. Your vehicle's windshield wipers are critical when it comes to driving in the rain that will more than likely start falling in the coming months. They help clear your windshield so that you can see clearly through the rain. Getting stuck driving in the rain without working wipers can be very dangerous and put you at risk for accidents on the road.  So, how often do windshield wipers need to be replaced? Because they are constantly exposed and the rubber on them is thin, they tend to need to be replaced every 6 months or so, but at least every year. It depends on how often you use your wipers and whether or not you constantly park in direct sunlight. The summer does tend to wear down wipers faster than usual and can cause the rubber to dry out or fray. If your windshield wipe ... read more

At Family Auto Service in San Diego County, we love maintaining vehicles because it is what’s best for our customers and their cars. If you are looking at the difference in maintenance for hybrid versus diesel versus gas-engine versus electric vehicles, you are going to enjoy this month’s blog.  There is a lot of talk about “Which one is better?” The answer lies in your needs. Hybrids are very affordable and have terrific fuel efficiency. Diesels are extremely reliable and last a long time. Gas-powered engines are most common. Electric vehicles are the trendy option, but their battery-recharge networks are not found everywhere yet.  But if you look at maintenance alone, we are happy to share our professional opinion about these four options. Spoiler alert: Each of these options require maintenance. None of them are going to last a long time if you neglect them. They all just have different nuances as far as the amount of maintenance the factory recom ... read more