Portland Auto Repair

In the world of “you get what you pay for,” the cheapest price for an oil change is not always the best value. I would like to break down a $19.95 oil change advertisement that I recently heard on the radio. It said: “Our premium oil change and complete inspection for only $19.95.” This seems like a very good price… until you listen to the disclaimer. The disclaimer states that the price is good for conventional grade oil only, and most cars from 2000 and newer require an oil better than the conventional grade. They also said that the “complete inspection” included a visual brake inspection only, which means the wheels would not be removed to do a thorough brake inspection, either. Another disclaimer states, “Valid for up to 5 quarts of 10/30 or 5/30 conventional oil. Extra fees for synthetic or semi-synthetic blend oil. Cartridge oil filters extra. Valid for most cars.” Okay, let’s break that down. Many cars these days h ... read more

The Heat is On: Caring for Your Transmission Does this sound like your driving habits? • Frequent stop-and-go • Driving in heavy traffic • Driving in dusty conditions • Driving on steep terrain This kind of driving takes its toll on transmissions. Yep… it’s trying to tell you something in transmission–speak, so listen up! Here are some audio clues that your transmission may be headed toward a breakdown. • Clicks • Buzzes • Whistles • Moans and Groans • Squeals and Screeches • Hums and Whines • Clanks • Grates and Rumbles • Chatters and Clunks Do you see a drip under your car? If it is reddish-brown in color, it may mean one of three things: leaking transmission, over-tightened pan gasket, or a leaking front seal. Do you smell something burning? It could possibly be your transmission fluid. Those of us in the automotive service and repair business recommend you exchange the fluid every 30,000 miles ... read more

Question: My headlight lenses are all cloudy. I checked with my local dealership about replacing them and it is very costly. What else can I do? Portland Automotive Answer: You are right - replacing a headlight assembly can cost hundreds of dollars. Luckily there is something Hartford car owners can do about cloudy headlamps. First let’s talk about why the headlamps are so cloudy. Back in the day, Hartford motorists' headlights were glass. These were heavy, could crack, and had practical limits as to their shape so automakers started using plastic headlight lenses. CT road grime and UV light take a toll on the plastic surface. Over time the lenses get cloudy and discolored. Just look at the trucks in any Hartford parking lot and you'll see a lot of that. Because a disproportionate amount of traffic accidents happen at night, smart Hartford drivers make sure they have maximum visibility. Cloudy lenses impair the amount of light that gets out on the road, which in turn ... read more

Have You Seen Me? You may have seen our new mascot while driving past our shop this week! Please check us out on Facebook to enter our “Have You Seen Me” contest! Please check out the video of Ben and this moving mascot and leave a comment with your idea for a name (please keep it family friendly), and we will choose a winner at the end of the month to win a FREE CAR CARE CLUB BOOKLET! Happy Thanksgiving from our family at Portland Automotive to yours! We hope you have a safe and happy holiday! The Boss’s Pecan Pie Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cook Time: 40 Minutes Ready In: 1 Hour 5 Minutes Servings: 8 INGREDIENTS: 1 cup light brown sugar 1/4 cup white sugar 1/2 cup butter 2 eggs 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup chopped pecans DIRECTIONS ... read more

Question from Marty C. (Portland): My battery keeps going dead. I had it tested and it is fine - what could be the problem? Portland Automotive’s Answer: Well, your trouble could be caused by several things. Let's start with a likely suspect: your alternator. The alternator is like a little electrical generator. It is spun by the serpentine belt on your engine and makes electricity. This electricity is used to power the critical electrical systems required to run your truck. It also powers all of your electronic accessories like your stereo, navigation, heated seats, and air fans, as well as charging all the electronics you have plugged in. After the alternator has completed all that, any electricity that's left over is used to charge your battery. You can see where we're going: if the battery isn't getting enough electricity to stay charged the problem may have something to do with the alternator. Now it could be that the alternator is bad – they do wear out over ti ... read more