Newport News Auto Repair

Here’s an interesting statistic for our friends in Newport News VA: Only thirty percent of car batteries make it to forty-eight months. And the life expectancy varies by where you live. It ranges from fifty-one months in extremely cold areas to just thirty months in extremely hot climates. Why is that? It turns out that it’s our modern cars with all their electric accessories that are to blame. Things like, GPS, DVDs, and entertainment computers are keeping car batteries from maintaining a full charge. The longer a battery goes with a low charge, the sooner it’ll die. So you must recharge your battery. This is the job of the alternator. The problem comes when the car’s demand for electricity is high and we are driving in stop and go conditions or short trips around Newport News or Williamsburg. The alternator just can’t keep up. The result is shortened battery life. So what can we do to improve our battery’s health? We need to keep th ... read more

We find that a lot of Newport News service and repair at B&L Automotive are a little tentative when they talk with their automotive advisors. They want to ask questions, but don’t want to be embarrassed or to seem pushy. Cars are very complicated and there’s more to know about them than most of us have the time to learn. Maybe it’s because cars have become so much more reliable that the average person just doesn’t need to know as much to keep their vehicle on the road. You know, your local hospital has a Patient’s Bill of Rights that they post throughout the hospital. We think our Newport News automotive service customers also have a right to ask any question they need to understand what is wrong with their car and what it will take to fix it. They need to feel free to ask the cost and benefits of recommended services. And they certainly have a right to understand the financial end of the transaction. It’s a ... read more

For many years, the tune up was the staple car of maintenance. However, modern car engines are vastly different than they were just 20 years ago. Car engines used to have many more parts that produced an arc. As the metal on these parts started to wear away, the performance of the car would start to suffer prompting the owner to take the car to their repair shop for a tune up. Most modern engines now control these processes electronically, eliminating many of the parts that were serviced during a traditional tune up. So are tune ups a thing of the past? Understanding the Term “Tune Up” The term tune up is supposed to refer to a process of adjusting and replacing engine parts that, when finished, would make the car run better. The problem is that many late model vehicles don’t have much under the hood to adjust in this respect. So while the term may be a bit of a misnomer today, the concept of needing periodic maintenance to keep your car running in t ... read more

Every car makes noise. Bumpy roads, rainy days, high traffic, a great song; these can all contribute to even noisier journeys behind the wheel. When you notice a sound that your car doesn’t normally make, don’t panic. Almost every abnormal noise seems to sound detrimental. Here are the three most common sounds your car could make, and what to do if you hear them: Knocking A knocking noise usually comes from the front of your vehicle. Take note if you hear it only when you make turns, or if it seems to be coming from the engine itself (also described as a ‘ping’). This will help diagnose whether you have a spark plug issue, cylinder deposits, or just using low quality fuel. Knocking that only sounds when you turn could mean your CV joints are worn or failing. What To Do: Failing CV joints could lead to an accident. Bring your car in to B & L Automotive soon for your safety. Engine knocking should be diagnosed quickly, however, if you’re h ... read more

There are lots of reasons why so many people love their Lexus. Besides the stylish look, a Lexus has many user friendly features and is just plain fun to drive. In today’s economic environment, buying a car that lasts is important and your Lexus can faithfully serve you for many, many miles so long as proper engine maintenance and repair is carried out on a regular basis. As you enjoy your Lexus, don’t forget this basic tip to keep your Lexus’ engine humming along. Don’t Wait Till It Breaks Much like preventative medicine helps your body to avoid major illnesses, preventative maintenance of your Lexus is essential if you want your Lexus to have the maximum life span possible. Preventative maintenance involves the regular changing of all of the fluids such as motor oil and filter, transmission liquid, differential gear oil, even power steering and brake fluids. Inspections of the cooling system should be performed to keep it funct ... read more

How to Improve Your Car’s Gas Mileage Here are some of the things you can do to ensure improved gas mileage for your car: Driving Habits Keep your car clean. Mud on the undercarriage can weigh a significant amount and slow you down. Consolidate your daily trips and errands. This will also save you the cost of restarting your engine, which uses a lot of gas. Avoid air conditioning when possible. However, when driving at higher speeds, having your windows open also creates drag. Don’t throttle the gas or brake pedal! Sudden starts or stops use more gas than gradual changes in speed. Don’t idle for too long. Turn off the engine if you anticipate a lengthy wait. Limit car warm-ups in winter. Clear out the trunk. More weight equals more drag. Avoid high speeds. We know this is almost impossible to resist but you can improve your gas mileage by up to 15 percent driving at 55 mph rather than 65 mph. Use overdrive. If your car is equipped with overdrive g ... read more

To say that Acura manufactures nice cars is, well, an understatement at best. It’s kind of like saying that the Grand Canyon is deep. Yeah it’s a true statement, technically, but it doesn’t capture the real majesty and wonder of the Grand Canyon. Acura is renowned for crafting exquisitely sophisticated automobiles that have the ability to evoke a sense of pride in ownership that few other things do. Every vehicle that Acura produces is a wonder of engineering precision. Acura owners guard their vehicles health jealously and take the servicing and repair of their Acura very seriously. Many Acura owners feel that their only reliable option for Acura service and repair is the dealership. But is that really case? Why Go To The Dealer For most Acura owners the reasoning is clear. Nobody can possible know their Acura better than the ones who made it right? So who better to service it? The sentiment is understandable. You want your Acura to be ... read more

There is always a certain sense of dread that overcomes one when the check engine light (or malfunction indicator light or service engine soon) comes on. That is sometimes followed by confusion and denial after all your Honda seems to be running just fine. That feeling can be exacerbated if, after driving for a while the light goes off only to come back on again later. Honda’s are some of the most reliable cars in the world so the assumption is that whatever is wrong must be something serious. What Your Check Engine Light Means Your check engine light is design to monitor and turn on when it detects a fault with your Honda’s emissions system. While the light says “check engine” the reality is that it could be 100 different things that are triggering the fault causing the light to go on. Some of these issues are serious, others are not so serious. One of the most common “not so serious” causes of a check engine light is a loose gas cap. If you fill ... read more