As temperatures heat up, mechanics in Reno stay busy…and the heat takes an expensive toll on your car. Today (Tuesday), while the thermometer was making its slow climb to the 90's, John Thomas tried to stay cool in his friend's car while his A/C was getting a fix. As he told us, "I've got to be in something that's going to blow some cold air."
Summer is the biggest season for fixing your ride. At American Auto Air on east Moana, owner Tom Rankin says there's a reason for that...intense heat: "I mean the cooling system, the air conditioning...everything's taxed more and more when it's hot." Once the heat hits the high 90's in Reno, Tom gets busy. It's the high season now at American Auto Air, and most of these problems come from a simple lack of maintenance from car owners. As he told us, "If it's not working like it should, then get it checked before a bigger problem occurs."
Tom says if you're A/C isn't running cold now, take it to your shop before it gets hotter. They'll check the pressure, belts, blower and cooling fan: "People don't realize the engine cooling fan actually has to be functioning for the air conditioner to work."
Across town at Sierra Car Care on California Avenue, they sell a lot of tires in the peak of summer. Manager Keith Scott told us, “The rubber breaks down because of the heat, especially if the car is parked out in the sun. Not driving it is worse than driving it." To save that expense, Keith sings the praises of proper inflation: "If they're over-inflated you'll wear out the center of the tire prematurely. If they're under-inflated you'll wear out the edges prematurely, and they'll get overheated and possibly blow out."
And then there's the battery. They're rated by their cold-cranking power…not the best measure these days in Reno. Keith told us, "The heat hurts them. You know, if you get three years out of a battery, you're lucky."
Meanwhile, while John was waiting for his soon-to-be cool car with working A/C, he couldn't help but marvel…at how things used to be: "Look at what people went through in the 40's and 30's without air conditioning in this weather. It's just like…ridiculous."
And there are some great tips for summer car care for you to check out here…just click below:
http://www.caranddriver.com/news/tips-for-summer-car-care-car-news
