Newport News Auto Repair

While commuting, you notice the driver to your left is texting, the driver on the right is blasting music, and the driver behind you is yelling at their children in the backseat. The pedestrian crossing the street has their hand parallel to their face while they talk into a phone that has a reflected image of themselves. The light turns green as you ease into the intersection, chuckling at the irony of being distracted by distracted drivers. Distracted driving increases your risk for a car crash. Insurance.com has conducted a study that shows that distracted driving is worse now than it’s ever been in the last two years. Below is a list of tips to eliminate distractions for a safer drive. Check your emotional, mental, and physical state. How are you feeling? Are you tired? Are you angry, upset, or stressed? These are great questions to ask before jumping on the road as they are all significant distractions that can lead to dangerous driving practices and accidents. Driving whil ... read more

When you need automotive repair work and maintenance for your vehicle, you want the best repair shop in the area. Your car is one of your most expensive investments and you want it treated by an experienced automotive technician. In Newport News, that repair shop can only be B&L Automotive. They are locally owned and operated and have been in continuous operation for sixty years. Since 1953 they have kept the community’s vehicles in top operating performance. B&L Automotive personnel are trained, skilled, and knowledgeable technicians with years of experience. When you take your car to B&L Automotive, they will inspect it and only perform repairs that are required. This repair shop has an outstanding reputation for honest and reliable service. If any work is needed, you will be given a written estimate of the parts and labor before any work is done. Their work is guaranteed and you will be given manufacturer warranties for any parts used. B&L Automotive is aware ... read more

Auto owners can increase the useful life of their car with a Lifetime Protection Program. These arrangements protect certain of a car’s critical systems, such as the engine, the transmission, brakes, power steering, differential and cooling system, paying a specified amount in case of a breakdown. Available for new cars and, under certain circumstances, for low-mileage pre-owned vehicles, Lifetime Protection Programs protect the owner’s investment in the vehicle as well as offering the piece of mind of an optimally functioning car to safely negotiate those unavoidable hazards that arise. An Arrangement With YOU In Mind A Lifetime Protection Plan is a contract, and like any other such arrangement it requires certain things in order to remain valid. For instance, owners are required to maintain their vehicles according to the recommended service schedule. In some cases, the maintenance procedures must be carried out by a specified shop. No matter who takes care of the car ... 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

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

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