Chesapeake Auto Repair

Getting New Tires In Chesapeake?   There are so many tire choices in the Chesapeake, Norfolk, and Suffolk area, selecting the right one can be a bit overwhelming for Chesapeake car owners. And even though it’s kind of fun to have new tires on your van, they’re a significant investment for most Chesapeake folks so you want do it right. Tip: talk with your honest West Service Center, Inc. tire professional. He’ll help you sort through the choices. Here are some of the issues you’ll talk about: One is size – you know, all those numbers on the side of the tire. The right size is critical. All new vehicles are required to have stability control which, along with other important safety systems, is calibrated to work with specific tire sizes. Your Chesapeake tire professional can help stay within auto manufacturers’ specifications or program a different tire size into your van’s computer ... read more

Fuel Injector Cleaning At West Service Center, Inc.   In very simple terms, a fuel injector is a valve that squirts fuel into your van engine. Your engine control computer tells the fuel injector how much fuel to deliver as well as the precise time it should be delivered. Of course this happens thousands of times a minute in every single fuel-injected car driving down Portsmouth, Norfolk, and Suffolk freeways. Most fuel injectors for gas engines are known in the Chesapeake automotive community as port fuel injectors because they deliver the fuel to a port just outside the cylinder. The fuel pump provides pressure needed to squirt the right amount of fuel into the engine. Although more complicated, direct injection technology promises greater power with improved gas mileage for gas-poor Portsmouth, Norfolk, and Suffolk drivers. Virginia motorists can expect to se ... read more

Clean Air for Your Engine: Engine Air Filters In Chesapeake   Every Chesapeake car owner who has taken their car in for an oil change has been told that their engine air filter’s dirty. Here’s what goes into the determination of when to change the filter: First, your van owner’s manual will have a recommendation of when to change the filter. Second, a visual inspection by your Chesapeake technician may determine that your filter it is visibly dirty and needs to be changed.   Now, most air filters purchased in Portsmouth, Norfolk, or Suffolk don’t cost a lot to replace. It’s just that Virginia people hate getting caught with an unexpected expense. On the plus side, though, changing a dirty air filter at West Service Center, Inc. can often save enough on gas to pay for itself before your next oil change in Chesapeake. Think about a dirty furnace filter in your Norfolk home. When it’s all clogged up, e ... read more

Lease Or Buy?   Lease? Or buy? These are the options for Chesapeake car financing. It’s always a tough question for Chesapeake car owners. But here is some info that’ll help you make an informed decision. If you buy, you’ll pay the full cost of the car, with maybe an initial down payment, then monthly payments on the balance that pays down the loan principal, and the finance charge. Chesapeake car owners who lease, finance the portion of the cost of the car that’s used up during the term of the lease. You’ll pay some money up front; fees, security deposit, first month’s payment and maybe a capital reduction. The monthly payments include a depreciation cost and a finance charge. When the lease is up, you return the car to your local Chesapeake area dealership.  So how do Chesapeake car owners decide? First, how much do you have for a down payment? A lease usually requires a  ... read more

Recommended Service Intervals At West Service Center, Inc.   Most people in the Chesapeake area are aware that automotive manufacturers have recommended service intervals. Following recommended service intervals is very important. The engineers that design our vehicles have tested the various systems and components to meet durability and safety standards. Some of these standards are self-imposed and others, like those for emissions components, are government mandated for the areas around Portsmouth, Norfolk and Suffolk in Virginia. The maintenance schedules are designed to achieve the standards. Think of the benefits of following recommended intervals as falling into three general categories: Protection, Efficiency and Safety.Protection. Let’s start with motor oil. First of all, the engineers recommend a particular weight and type of motor oil for your van. All of their oil change recommend ... read more