Road Trip Tips

Are you heading out for the holidays to see family and friends? Before you hit the road, check out our road trip tips. Safety should always come first for you and your family. By preparing ahead of time you can avoid needless headaches down the road. So grab your suitcases and get ready to head to grandmother’s house!

1: Proper Maintenance

Before you head out on a long trip it is important to properly maintain your car. This usually means an oil change and a tune-up if needed. A good tune-up should include spark plug replacement, air filter replacement and a thorough check of your car. We provide tune-ups for our clients, so feel free to stop in before your next trip.

The day of your road trip check all your fluids to make sure everything is topped off and ready to go. Check your:

• Oil
• Transmission Fluid
• Brake Fluid
• Power Steering Fluid
• Windshield Wiper Fluid
• Transfer Fluid (when applicable)

2: Tire Inspection

Don’t forget to give your tires a good once over before you head out. Check the air pressure to ensure everything is up to the correct standards. Remember, cooling air can lead to lower air pressure. Your car’s user manual or the inside of your door should tell you the correct PSI for your vehicle.

Check the tread on your tires too. You can use a penny to do a simple tread check. Put Lincoln head first into various spots on your tread. If you see Lincoln’s head completely every time, your tread is wearing low. If his head is partially covered, you probably still have enough tread to last.

3: Get Some Rest

The night before you leave, try your best to ensure you get a proper amount of rest. Don’t plan any big events the day before and pack early. This will allow you to relax the evening before your trip and rest up for the miles ahead. Driving while fatigued is a leading cause of road accidents. In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates “100,000 police-reported crashes are the direct result of driver fatigue each year.” 

If you feel drowsy, be sure to pull off and take a nap or switch drivers. Remember, no amount of caffeine can compensate for a lack of sleep. A quick snack can also help boost energy. Apples are a wonderful, easy road snack that can boost your energy levels.

4: Plan Ahead

Although you never hope for car trouble on the road, plan ahead in case of such an incident. Check your trunk for an aired up spare tire. And bring along some extra snacks and water in case of an emergency. Having a first aid kit on hand is also a good idea. And if you are driving somewhere cold, bring some extra blankets along.

5: Enjoy the journey

Finally, relax and enjoy your trip. Although driving can have its stressful moments, try to stay calm throughout the drive. Aggressive driving can lead to accidents and put your family at risk. Bring along toys and activities for any young ones so everyone can stay happy on the road. And take breaks when you need to get up and stretch. If you can, plan extra time for your travel so you are not stressed and in a rush. A trip to grandma’s house can be the perfect time to explore quick road stops along the way.

Happy holidays and drive safely! Don’t forget your friends at German Performance are here for you if you need any help gearing up for the road ahead.

How do I know if I need an alignment?

This is a question vehicle owners often pose to us. If you have not had an alignment recently there are a few signs you can look out for to warn you that it is time to have this service performed. Check out these three warning signs that indicate you need a wheel alignment.

1. A Strong Pull

When you are driving down the road, does your car pull strongly one direction? Test this out on more than one section of road to be sure it is not road grooves. If your car consistently pulls you one direction, you probably need a wheel alignment.

2. Uneven Wear

Check the tread on your tires. Are they wearing unevenly? Often more wear will occur toward the outside of the tires. This uneven wear on your tires indicates your car is unaligned. It may be time to take your vehicle in for an alignment.

3. Wheel Vibration

When you are driving down the highway does your wheel vibrate? Vibration in your steering wheel can be an indicator that your car is in need of an alignment.

These three signs can warn you that your car is due for an alignment. However, these signs can also be indicative of other car repair needs. The best thing to do if your vehicle is demonstrating any of these signs is to bring your vehicle in to a trusted mechanic. Please feel free to come see us at German Performance in Atascadero. We will be happy to assist you with identifying if your car needs a wheel alignment.

Volkswagen has issued a recall for over 150,000 Tiguans because of fuel problems. Tiguans from the 2009 to 2014 model years are the ones affected. The problem that is occurring is bubbles forming in the fuel.  Bubbles in your vehicle’s fuel can cause your vehicle to stall while driving and increases the chances of an accident.

The problem is occurring when fuel that was used during the winter is heating up.  This can result in an engine hot soak, which is when cold fluid in the vehicle sits in a hot engine block after it has been turned off. An engine hot soak can create deposits in the vehicle’s fuel system that can cause poor fuel circulation and stall the vehicle.

Volkswagen is set to notify owners of the Tiguan on the potential problem and will ask them to bring their vehicle’s to a local dealership to have it serviced. The dealership will program the Tiguan’s software to raise the fuel pressure to prevent the bubble problem from happening. No accident’s have been reported because of this problem.

If you need your Volkswagen vehicle serviced in Atascadero, call German Performance.

Fast facts on O2 / Oxygen Sensors

O2 / Oxygen Sensors are wired sensors placed before and after a vehicle’s catalytic converter.  Their primary job function is to monitor the level of oxygen present in the fuel mixture entering and exiting the catalytic converter.

There are a few common issues associated with a failing O2 / Oxygen Sensor:

• Vehicle running too lean
• Vehicle running too rich
• Reduced fuel economy (lower MPG)
• Check engine service light illuminated
• Failed mandatory emissions tests

If your vehicle is running too “lean”, it means there is too much oxygen and too little fuel in the O2 / Oxygen Sensor readings.  If your vehicle is running too “rich”, it means there is too little oxygen and too much fuel in the O2 / Oxygen Sensor readings.

What should I do if my O2 / Oxygen Sensor has failed?

The average vehicle has 1 – 2 O2 / Oxygen Sensors installed.  If one or both of these sensors is out of order, it’s enough to trip the Check Engine light.  Fortunately, these sensors don’t take an exorbitant amount of time or money to replace!

If your check engine light is on, or you’ve noticed a difference in the fuel economy of your vehicle, it’s time to visit German Performance in Atascadero, CA!

Naturally, if the trouble turns out to be related to a different problem, German Performance can help!  Bring your car or truck into our auto repair shop in Atascadero and we’ll perform a free diagnostic scan and give you an estimate of what it will cost to repair – It’s the best deal on auto service in Atascadero!

Engine Overhaul Service describes a service whereby an engine is removed, dismantled, cleaned, completely put back together, and re-installed in your vehicle.  If faulty parts are discovered, they are additionally replaced.

Why YOU should consider Engine Overhaul Service – Ideally you are able to bring your vehicle in before it begins to show signs of catastrophic failure, but it is a fairly regular occurrence that getting the service performed AFTER your engine fails can be a cost-effective and reliable alternative to paying for a new replacement engine… with pricing typically set between picking up a scrapyard engine and ordering a brand new replacement!

As your vehicle gets older, it may begin to show tell-tale signs of engine failure such as:

• Audible engine knocking
• Increased rate of oil replenishment between scheduled maintenance
• Obvious white smoke in the exhaust
• Metal shavings in your used engine oil

If your car is showing any of these trouble signs, call us now!

We service a wide variety of German and Asian vehices, including BWM, Volkswagen, Mercedes Benz, Audi, Honda, Toyota, Nissa, Kia, Lexus and Porsche.

German Performance
8981 La Linia Ave Suite E
Atascadero, CA 93422
805-466-3236

“Call or Stop by the Best Auto Repair Shop in Atascadero and Paso Robles!”

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In many cities throughout the country, car owners are experiencing problems with registration sticker theft. These stickers are quite an easy score for thieves. The simply peel them off your license plate and illegally place them on their own so that they don’t have to pay registration fees. And unfortunately, the driver may not even know that their sticker is missing until they are pulled over by law enforcement.

So how can you prevent this? The next time you get your new registration sticker, take a blade and cut the sticker in several directions before placing it on your license plate. This will make the sticker impossible to pull off in one piece, making it useless to the thief.

Some thieves ditch the sticker and just take the whole license plate! To prevent this from happening, purchase anti-theft license plate fasteners. You can buy these off amazon for under $10.  Because these fasteners do not have a tradition flat head or cross head, a regular screw driver cannot be used to remove the plate. If you want to go the extra mile, check out this video on how to really make your license plate theft resistant. In the event that you license plate is stolen, you should immediately file a police report to protect yourself against liability.

In order to keep your engine healthy, it’s important to have your oil changed at the recommended intervals. But choosing the right oil changing service can be difficult. Not only do you have to choose the correct grade and viscosity of oil, but you also have to determine if you want to use synthetic or conventional oil. And if you are like many car owners, you may not even know what the difference is between the two.

Conventional Oil Change

For many decades, conventional oil was the only option for car owners. It is recommended that if driver a newer vehicle with less than 5,000 miles on it that you use conventional oil until the engine has had time to break in. Cars are initially supplied with conventional oil when they are manufactured. Decreased vehicle performance can result from switching to synthetic too soon. But most of the time, a conventional oil change is going to be the cheaper option.

Synthetic Oil Change

Unlike conventional oil that is made from petroleum, synthetic oil is a fluid made from its own unique chemical formula. It was originally developed for the engines in aircraft jets. It was discovered that synthetic oil caused less wear and tear on engines so auto manufactures developed their own formula that could be used in their automobiles. Despite being more expensive, the advantages to getting a synthetic oil change include:

• Decreased engine friction reduces energy consumption
• Flows better in cold temperatures
• Less chance of a break down during hot temperatures
• Lasts about three times longer than conventional oil

If your vehicle needs a synthetic or conventional oil change in  Atascadero or Paso Robles, then bring your car to German Performance!

If you’ve ever had your check engine light come on, you know how frustrating it is to sit there wondering what’s going on under that hood. Not to mention having to bring it into the shop to get a diagnosis. However, there are some common reasons why your check engine light will come on. Below are some of the most common reasons.

Your oxygen sensor needs to be replaced. The O2 sensor is responsible for monitoring the amount of unburned oxygen coming from the exhaust as well as how much fuel is being burned. A faulty O2 sensor will trigger the check engine light because if left unfixed, it could cause major problems with the catalytic converter.

Your fuel cap is loose. Many people wouldn’t think something as simple as a loose fuel cap would signal your check engine light to come on. But when it is loose, or faulty, fuel vapors can leak out causing an increase in emissions (and a decrease in gas mileage).

The catalytic converter needs replaced. The catalytic converter converts harmful materials such as carbon monoxide into less harmful compounds and reduced exhaust gases. If it is faulty, your gas mileage will decrease and you will have problems accelerating.

Your mass airflow sensor needs replaced. Many times, an improperly installed air filter can cause your mass airflow sensor to fail.

The purpose of the tread on your tires is to divert water from underneath the tire in order to improve traction and prevent hydroplaning. As the tires wear down, they become unsafe to drive on.

To determine if you need new tires, first take a look at the tread pattern. Tires sold in the United States have a feature called tread wear bars. These bars are small, rubber bridges that form between the treads of the tire. The treads will be more raised than the bars but over time, as the tires wear down, the bars will become flush with the treads. This means it’s time to replace those tires.

You can also check the treads by doing what’s called the “penny test.” To do this, take a penny and insert it into the center of the tread with Lincoln’s head facing down.  If you can still see the top of Lincoln’s head, then immediately replace your tires. If you can’t see the hair on his head, then your tires are good for now.

It’s also a good idea to check for irregular or uneven tread wear. Over inflation can cause the center of the tread to wear more whereas under inflation can cause excessive wear on the shoulders. If the tread is uneven, this may be an indication of poor wheel alignment. If one side of the tire has more wear than the other, the camber angle may be incorrect.

If you’ve ever wondered how exactly you car’s engine gets you from point A to point B, we came across a fantastic animated graphic that breaks down each system and function of the engine in an easy to understand and interesting way.

Whether the most you know about cars is how to put gas in the tank, or if you’ve been taking apart transmissions since you were in diapers, this graphic makes for a pretty good read and visualization.

It doesn’t take much to learn a thing or two about your car, and a little bit of automotive literacy can go a very long way, even just in terms of being able to diagnose a problem you’re car is having, and know when something needs repairs.

If there is something amiss, or you need to have your car or truck looked at by a professional, call German Performance in Atascadero to talk with one of our trained technicians, because we’re always happy to help you get back on the road.

You can head over to his page to see the whole chart in action, and if you need any auto repairs, give us a call, or bring your car in to our shop!