Chesapeake Auto Repair

Training Received by Technicians In Chesapeake, Virginia   When your car breaks down in the Chesapeake, Virginia area, or just needs some routine service, it can make Chesapeake drivers a little nervous. Because your car’s so important to your life, you need to be back on the road as soon as possible. And with the problem fixed right the first time. We’ve been checking into some of the critical training our Chesapeake Virginia technicians receive, and we’re very impressed. It’s amazing how much knowledge and skill goes into diagnosing and repairing a modern car. So it’s not like when your uncle worked on his hot rod over weekend. Today there are four cylinder engines around Chesapeake that make more power than the V-8’s in luxury cars 20 years ago. A new V-6 Toyota Camry could beat Sonny Crocket’s Ferrari in a race to 60 mph. Our engines are more and more powerful and at the same time their gas mileage keeps inching up. And they ... read more

Helping Chesapeake Drivers Get the Right Tires Every Chesapeake vehicle owner has to purchase tires at some time or another, so it’s a good idea to understand what the choices are. The best seasonal performance is achieved by purchasing tires to match the season you are driving in. Summer tires are designed for hot temperatures. The tread is engineered for good traction on dry or rainy Virginia roads. But the rubber compound in summer tires gets stiff when temperatures drop below 45°F, and snow and mud can pack into the tread, reducing the traction of the tire. Winter tires are designed for good traction on snowy surfaces. The tread actually throws snow off of the tire as the wheel turns. The rubber compound in a winter tire is soft so that it will remain flexible at Chesapeake temperatures below 45°F. At higher temperatures, however, the softer rubber wears down rapidly. All-season tires sacrifice some of the extreme performance of summer or winter tires, but they main ... read more

Chesapeake Safety Systems: Tire Pressure Monitoring System   Flats, blow outs, skids and longer stopping distances can all be the result of Chesapeake drivers driving around on under-inflated tires. Admittedly, it’s hard to tell when a radial tire is under-inflated. If your car maker recommends 35 pounds of pressure, your van tire’s considered significantly under inflated at 26 pounds. The tire may not look low until it gets below 20 pounds. New laws required auto makers to include a Tire Pressure Monitoring System – or TPMS system – in all cars and light trucks by the 2008 model year. The system has a dashboard mounted warning light that goes off if one or more of the tires falls 25% below automobile manufacturer’s pressure recommendations. This technology has been used by Chesapeake race car drivers for years. They are able to head off problems from under inflation by closely monitoring tire ... read more

West Service Center, Inc. News and Videos for Chesapeake: Signs of An Alignment Problem When properly aligned, all of your wheels are pointed in the same direction. Your vehicle will track true and handle the way it is designed. Chesapeake motorists often associate our wheels being “knocked” out of alignment with an event like an accident, hitting a pothole, curb or some other object. While these can certainly take your wheels out of alignment, the bumps and bounces of everyday Chesapeake driving take their toll on wheel alignment as well. Furthermore, your automobile  can lose alignment over time with just normal driving. When your wheels are out of alignment, West Service Center, Inc. in Chesapeake can return your wheels to the vehicle manufacturer factory settings. Most owners’ manuals suggest an alignment check every year or two.  Give us a call West Service Center, Inc. 757-487-4420 904 Cavalier B ... read more

All About Your TPMS In Chesapeake   Chesapeake motorists know that under-inflated tires wear out more quickly. Under-inflation is also a major cause of tire failure for Virginia auto owners. More flats, blow outs, skids and longer stopping distances are all results of under-inflated tires. It’s hard for many Chesapeake auto owners to tell when a radial tire is under-inflated. If your car maker recommends 35 pounds of pressure, your tire is considered significantly under-inflated at 26 pounds. The tire may not look low until it gets below 20 pounds. Uncle Sam to the rescue! A recent federal law required car makers to include a Tire Pressure Monitoring System – or TPMS system – in all vehicles. The system is a dashboard mounted warning light that goes off if one or more of the tires falls 25 % below the vehicle manufacturer’s pressure recommendations. The law covers all passenger cars, SUVs ... read more