Regularly Scheduled Maintenance.

Isn’t that what a visit to the dentist is?  How about an annual check-up by your family physician?  In this case, your vehicle’s regular mechanic is its best friend.  What is more frustrating than having car trouble in the middle of nowhere…not much!  Let’s avoid those hazards by having your vehicle regularly maintained.

You have many choices in the Raleigh area for regular auto maintenance.  You could go back to the dealership.  Here is what will probably happen.  You will wait longer, pay more, and some salesman will waltz over to you while you are reading a six-month old issue of People Magazine and try to get you to “trade up”.  Is that what you want?

How about this alternative.  You make an appointment with Raleigh’s premier shade tree mechanic.  He is Jim Liacos.  Jim and his crew have worked on every imaginable make of car, SUV, or pick-up for decades.  Jim’s Auto Service at 3711 Tarheel Drive is Raleigh’s car maintenance professionals.  Call for an appointment at (919) 824-4566.

Direct Fuel Injection in your VW.

You own the world’s most popular car.  Newer Volkswagens are not your grandfather’s bug. Just 10 years ago the “people’s car” introduced direct fuel injection in their fuel management system.  Let’s explain that in laymen’s terms.  This system injects fuel directly into the combustion chamber controlling the flow of fuel into the cylinder.

Just in case your head is spinning what that means is greater efficiency from your VW!  You will notice more power and less visits to the gas station.  Before this, the injectors were located in the intake manifold and fuel was injected into the cylinders PRIOR to the intake valve.  With direct injection carbon tends to build up on the intake valve which interferes with drivability.

What does this mean to you?  It means that as early as 20,000 miles some engine intake manifolds need to be removed and the carbon manually removed.  That is where Jim Liacos comes in.  He and his crew at Jims Auto Service 3711 Tarheel Drive performs this service along with Oil Changes and much more.  They are Raleigh’s Volkswagen repair experts.  Call them today for an appointment at (919) 824-4566.

Repairing the People’s Car.

Volkswagen has been dubbed “the people’s car” because of its meaning in English.  The Volkswagen group is the largest in the world.  This immortal vehicle goes back to pre-World War II Germany.  In those days only one German out of fifty owned a car.  It was clear that there was a market for an inexpensive compact car.

Well, this innovation caught on world-wide.  After the war, Volkswagen became the symbol of West Germany’s regeneration.  In 1961 VW expanded its product line with four new models.  Then in 1969 a larger type was introduced.  Today the Volkswagen line continues to expand its presence around the globe.

If you are a proud owner of one of these reliable vehicles you want to keep it in tip-top condition.  In Raleigh that location is 3711 Tarheel Drive.  That is the home of your Volkswagen repair experts…Jim’s Auto Service.  Just as we are all proud of our ‘Heels, take pride in your ride and have your VW maintained by Jim Liacos.  Call (919) 824-4566.

Brake Check Time.

Next to the engine itself and the tires, what could be more important than your vehicle’s brakes?  Your safety depends on them.  Now that winter is pretty much over it is time to make sure that your brakes are ready for increased highway driving in warmer weather.  When was the last time that a professional took a look at them?

Often, it is painfully obvious that brake repair is a priority.  When you hear that awful “squealing noise” when you put your foot on the pedal do not hesitate another day.  A less obvious, but important sign would be a “mushy” feeling when you apply the brakes.  We may convince ourselves that this is not serious, but it probably demands your attention.

Brakes do not always adhere to a schedule.  Your owner’s manual may tell you the number of miles that are “projected” between a brake replacement.  Safety is at stake here.  Trust Raleigh’s vehicle brake replacement expert Jim Liacos.  Stop by his shop located at 3711 Tarheel Drive and have your brakes checked…or call for an appointment at (919) 824-4566.

How About a Break on Your Car Repair?

We are coming out of winter and it is an exceptional time to have your vehicle maintained.  I can just about guarantee you that if you have not had a mechanic look at your car in 2017 something needs to be done.  Maybe it is only an oil change, but getting on top of it now could save you countless dollars and frustration later.

One of the things that causes us to put off the inevitable is price.  We think…I’ll just wait another thousand miles until I really need vehicle maintenance.  Meanwhile, people are driving around Raleigh just waiting for something to go haywire under the hood.  What if you could get a “deal” on your next auto maintenance or repair bill?

You deserve to save money!  The ultimate vehicle mechanic in Raleigh agrees.  He is Jim Liacos.  For more than 4 decades he has been repairing every possible vehicle on the road.  Go to the website www.jimsautoservices.com and take a look at the specials.  Then make an appointment at Jim’s Auto Service located at 3711 Tarheel Dr. by calling (919) 824-4566.

When to Flush.

No, we are not talking about that…it’s your radiator that is the subject of this article.  Your car’s engine coolant will cause an engine to overheat.  It’s the coolant’s job to circulate through the engine and the radiator.  When summer comes that is what will keep your engine running at full capacity.

What are some of the signs that your vehicle needs a coolant flush?

1.  Seeing your temperature gauge go up.

2.  A puddle of antifreeze underneath your car.

3.  You hear a grinding sound.

4.  Rust is visible in the coolant.

5.  Steam emanating through the hood.

That last one should get your attention!  This is a good time of year to pay attention to this potential problem.  When the time comes, make an appointment with Raleigh’s ultimate “shade tree mechanic”.  Jim Liacos of Jim’s Auto Service is the answer for all of your car maintenance needs.  Make an appointment or drive in to 3711 Tarheel Dr. by calling (919) 824-4566.

Put Your Car on the Clock.

Say what…put your car on the clock?  What do we mean by that?  Well simply this…in the spring and fall we are governed by the clock.  We are about to spring forward after falling back late last year.  You even schedule your dental cleanings and change your smoke detector batteries bi-annually.  Why not put your auto maintenance on the clock as well?

With spring right around the corner, when was the last time you had your battery checked?  When was the last time you had your oil changed?  What about the air filter and other internal parts that need to be checked periodically?  If you stay on schedule then chances are you won’t end up stranded on the side of the road.

For my money, give me an auto mechanic who has grown up “under the hood”.  One who has seen them come and go for decades.  Give me someone who has worked on Studebakers and hybrids.  Raleigh’s ultimate shade tree auto mechanic is Jim Liacos.  Let’s spring forward and make an appointment at his shop located at 3711 Tarheel Drive by calling (919) 824-4566.

Maintaining Your Engine.

Maintaining a car’s engine is like proper health care and diet for your body.  If your vehicle’s engine is neglected it will give up on you.  No one wants to be stranded on the roads around Raleigh in the winter.  Why not use common sense and treat your car’s motor like your own internal organs?

People don’t know what to pay for a simple tune-up anymore.  Spurious auto mechanics around the country are charging as much as $1000 for a simple tune-up!  Step 1: Check your owner’s manual.  What are the scheduled tune-ups for your particular vehicle?  Just as you should not ignore them they don’t need to be done TOO frequently either.

Step 2 is obvious.  You pick up the phone and call Raleigh’s ultimate shade tree mechanic, Jim Liacos.  If you don’t know him already then go to www.jimsautoservices.com and fill out an estimate right on his website.  Jim has spent four decades tuning up vehicles in the Raleigh area.  Give him a call today at (919) 824-4566.

An Auto Mechanic Who Really Does It All!

So many car mechanics specialize in one make of vehicle when it comes to repair.  We see German auto repair, foreign cars in general, or “we specialize in trucks”.  When you are driving a specific type of vehicle that may be okay, but give me someone who is adept at repairing everything on four wheels.

There are hybrids and diesels and mini-vans and trucks all over the Raleigh area highways and bi-ways.  If you see a mechanic that you are confident has all the knowledge to do the job right you want to adopt that person to do all of your preventative maintenance in 2017.  That man really does exist in this age of specialization!

He is the ultimate shade tree mechanic, Jim Liacos.  You see, Jim learned all about the repair and maintenance of cars and trucks decades ago.  Unlike some of the young guns who just go to school to learn about a specific type, he has become proficient at repairing nearly all of them.  He really is Raleigh’s true full-service auto mechanic.  Call him for an appointment at his shop on 3711 Tarheel Drive at (919) 824-4566.

Winter and Your Vehicle in Raleigh.

Raleigh is not Milwaukee, but it’s not Miami either.  Wintertime can and will take a toll on your vehicle if you are not prepared.  Have you had your coolant checked recently?  It could really be out of whack if you have too much water and too little antifreeze proportionately.  When temperatures drop below 32 degrees that water in your radiator will freeze.

Maybe you have neglected your windshield wipers.  If we have a rainy, slushy, snowy spell they will be in almost constant demand.  You had better be sure your car’s wiper blades are in tip top shape.  Have your tires checked as well.  A sudden cold snap will suck some of the air right out of them and the tread needs to be as close to new as possible.

There are probably about 100 things that can inhibit your driving this winter.  There is one way to avoid all of that - preventative maintenance from a mechanic you have counted on for the last 40 winters.  His name is Jim Liacos.  Jim is the Raleigh area’s ultimate “shade tree mechanic”.  He doesn’t have the overhead so he keeps his prices lower.  Drive into his shop at 3711 Tarheel Drive or call for an appointment at (914) 824-4566.

Happy Holidays from a Full-Service Auto Mechanic.

Not to put too fine a point on it, but when you find a family doctor that you trust you do not ever want to leave him or her for any reason.  When the kids start going to a dentist that you really like you want them to continue visiting that particular practitioner.  The same should apply to your auto mechanic…shouldn’t it?

If you see a nationally recognized name on the front of the building that COULD give you some comfort I suppose.  Here is the downside of that.  You don’t necessarily come to know your mechanic year-in-and-year-out.  There is something to be said for having the same person repair and maintain your 2017 vehicle that you also trusted with your 1978 Chevy.

For more than four decades Jim Liacos has been the ultimate “shade tree mechanic”.  He repairs as well as maintains domestic, foreign, European, even hybrids.  If you are located anywhere in the Raleigh Durham Triangle area you can count on him to treat your vehicle with the same TLC that he did your father’s car.  Make him your new auto mechanic by calling (919) 824-4566.

Headed North for the Holidays?

Just because you had the good sense to move to Raleigh doesn’t mean all of your relatives did the same.  You may have kin folk in New York, New Jersey or some other northern state.  Now it’s time to make that annual pilgrimage for a holiday visit.  DO NOT leave the warmer, more temperate climate of our area without a complete check-up of your vehicle.

How old are the tires on your car?  They not only have to hold up under the distance, but the changing weather conditions that you will probably face.  What about an oil change?  If you are even close to 3000 miles do not try to just skate by until you return to beautiful Raleigh for the remainder of the winter season.

Being stranded up north is cold (literally and figuratively).  To take preventative measures, make an appointment to see Jim Liacos.  He is the owner of Jim’s Auto Service, your Raleigh area cold weather vehicle maintenance professional located at 3711 Tarheel Drive.  After Jim gets under the hood you will be ready for winter driving.  Call for an appointment today at (919) 824-4566.

Your Car’s Oil and Coolant vs. Old Man Winter.

If you feel the bite of winter, then you can be sure that your car is feeling the same thing in its own way.  Unless you are driving in a bubble your car is exposed to the harsh change in temperature.  Your vehicle is counting on you to take care of it so you can get from point A to point B as easily as you did when the weather was not a factor.

If you make sure that you are current on your oil changes then your car will turn over easier in cold weather.  If you use a full synthetic oil that will help even more.  Just as important as the oil is the coolant.  The proper mix of water to coolant will protect your car’s cooling system from freezing and your engine block from corroding.

No one wants to be stranded along the side of the road during freezing weather.  To help avoid that make an appointment to see Jim Liacos.  He is the owner of Jim’s Auto Service your Raleigh area auto winterizing professional.  Some minutes under the hood and Jim will have you ready for winter driving.  Call for an appointment today at (919) 824-4566.

Test Your Battery for Winter.

You can almost count on it.  Your battery will fail just when you need it most.  Weather changes challenge your battery every year.  Think back…when was the last time that you even had your battery checked?  Is it fully charged?  When did you have it installed?  After all, it is the heart of your vehicle and needs to be treated as such.

The other thing to keep in mind is having a fresh oil change at the beginning of winter.  Your engine is effected negatively in cold weather with oil that has been running through it for more than 3000 miles.  This is NOT the time of year to squeeze a little extra out of your vehicle because you are too busy during the upcoming holidays.

How about combining both with one visit?  Make an appointment for an oil change and a FREE tire rotation and battery test.  You get all of that from Jim’s Auto Services.  Jim Liacos has been repairing and maintaining vehicles in the Raleigh area for 4 decades.  Call Raleigh’s auto care specialist at (919) 824-4566 and make an appointment with Jim at his shop located at 3711 Tarheel Drive.

Engine Maintenance at a Fair Price.

There’s a loaded statement.  You don’t have medical insurance for our car so at times we trust a perfect stranger to repair our car’s “heart” at a fair price.  That is quite a leap of faith.  Did you know that the average tune-up nationwide has been charged anywhere between $100 to $1000?  That is quite a variable isn’t it!

Obviously, a lot goes into the pricing of a tune-up, such as mileage and make among other factors.  You know that the procedure is necessary.  Your vehicle will run more efficiently and in the long run you will save a lot of money in major repair costs.  Your owner’s manual is the best place to discover the projected lifespan of your car’s engine.

The next step is where to go.  How about a true shade tree mechanic who treats every vehicle like his own?  Jim Liacos has been repairing vehicles of every type for 40 years.  We are lucky to have him in the Raleigh area.  Call Raleigh’s fall tune up specialist at (919) 824-4566 and make an appointment with Jim at his shop located at 3711 Tarheel Drive.

Tips for Winterizing Your Vehicle.

I know, it’s only October and the weather may be ideal right now, but the rough stuff is just around the corner.  It doesn’t take a trained mechanic to know that winter WILL take its toll on your vehicle.  We are going to tell you about a trusted friend in Raleigh who will take care of your car’s mechanical needs, but first here are some winterizing tips to remember.

1.  Get an appropriate oil change.  Oil will thicken in colder weather.

2.  Replace your wiper blades if there is any chance they won’t respond properly.

3.  Have all of your belts and hoses examined thoroughly.

4.  Make sure that the antifreeze mixture in your vehicle is just right for winter.

5.  One thing to do on your own…prepare an emergency medical kit.

These and other safety strategies will hopefully make this winter a worry-free one as far as transportation is concerned.  Now you need to find the right master mechanic to get your car ready for winter.  In Raleigh, NC that man is Jim Liacos.  He is your area vehicle winterizing expert.  Call today before the weather changes and make an appointment at (919) 824-4566.

The Shade Tree Mechanic.

Maybe you have had the good fortune to know a true shade tree mechanic.  It is someone who fixed cars in their driveway back in a day under the shade of a big tree.  That is where the expression comes from.  What we tend to forget is that person learned auto repair from the ground up…not at some school or factory.  It is a disappearing breed in Americana.

Back in the seventies cars were pretty much the same.  Over the years “shade tree mechanics” disappeared as the job of auto repair became more complicated.  It just makes sense.  However, a few of them grew with the technology and opened their own shop.  If you find one of those you find someone who has a genuine love for anything on four wheels.

We know of one such master auto mechanic in Raleigh NC.  His name is Jim Liacos of Jim’s Auto Service.  Jim seemingly was born under the hood and has been at it for over 40 years.  Think about how precious your vehicle is to you…it is to him as well.  Make an appointment and drive into his shop at 3711 Tarheel Drive.  He is Raleigh’s true Shade Tree Mechanic!

Car Repair Estimates.

Oh boy, you know that your car needs maintenance.  Maybe it is urgent and maybe it’s not.  Either way YOU have to take time out, maybe from work, and drive around to find out how much what you THINK needs done is going to cost.  Don’t we have better things to do?  Wouldn’t it be nice to fill out a form on your computer and submit it for a free estimate?

Naturally, you need to have some knowledge of what things need to be done, but you know when routine maintenance procedures are due on your vehicle.  Your manual will tell you how often to change the spark plugs, when your car needs a new air filter, or if it is time for a transmission flush.  Things like that are easy for you to troubleshoot.

At least one master auto mechanic in Raleigh NC wants you to avoid taking time out of your day to come to his shop.  He is Jim Liacos of Jim’s Auto Service.  Jim has been underneath the hood for over 40 years.  All he needs for you to do is visit his website at www.jimsautoservices.com.  Fill out the estimate form and get a free quote.  Then you can make an appointment and drive into his shop at 3711 Tarheel Drive.  How about that!?

The Right Car Maintenance Habit.

What do you do when the seasons change?  Chances are you make your bi-annual trip to the dentist…whoopee!  Maybe you change the batteries in your important electronics.  You probably switch out air filters if you own your home.  There are many things that we set our mind to doing when back-to-school time arrives.

How about adding auto maintenance to that list?  If you are conscientious about your vehicle you are already having the oil changed every 90 days.  That cycle may be coming up.  Why not have everything checked.  You already know that winter driving will take a greater toll on your car.  Have all of the mechanical features checked now and avoid emergencies in a couple of months.

Now I would suggest that if you are going to trust one shop to do ALL of this WITHOUT trying to upsell you I would go to a professional mechanic like Jim Liacos who has been doing this for 40 years.  Jim’s Auto Services is your Raleigh North Carolina preventative maintenance auto service center.  Drive in for a check-up today at 3711 Tarheel Drive or call ahead for an appointment at (919) 824-4566.

August Car Problems.

We always are aware of the obvious…air conditioning, brakes, tires, overheated engine, etc.  Summer driving is and will continue to take its toll on our vehicles.  We thought it might be important to stay on top of other possible mishaps that may occur as you travel the highways and byways of the Raleigh area through Labor Day.

1.  Cracked windshields.  They are far more likely this time of year.

2.  Shocks.  Trouble usually occurs when you are doing a lot of open-road driving.

3.  Leaks.  They develop from your brakes and transmission.

4.  Catalytic Converter.  Make sure that your spark plugs are in good working order.

5.  Power Steering.  Being out on the open road means you are traveling at faster speeds.

Be aware that the hard work of summer driving takes its toll on your vehicle.  Don’t take summer driving lightly!  Your heightened awareness can save you from being stranded on the side of the road.  Jim’s Auto Services is your Raleigh North Carolina summertime auto service expert.  Drive in for a check-up today at 3711 Tarheel Drive or call ahead for an appointment at (919) 824-4566.