Automotive Industry News & Information - Oliver Automotive

At Oliver Automotive in Novato, we know that the difference between a vehicle that runs for 80,000 miles and a vehicle that makes it to 400,000 miles depends on one thing; maintenance. Here are a few tips to avoid some of the most notorious vehicle killers out there.

You don’t have to buy a new, fuel-efficient car to get great fuel efficiency. No one wants to trade a fuel bill for a car payment, so take a look at our top 5 ways to save on fuel and you may just be able to pocket a little extra money at the end of the month.

1. Change Your Driving Style - If you’re the kind of person who enjoys the rush of hard acceleration, typically runs 10 mph over the speed limit and brakes abruptly, we’ve got bad news: you’re hurting your vehicle’s fuel economy, and your wallet, in a big way. Depending on the kind of vehicle you drive and just how extreme you are with the throttle and brake, tempering your driving style can up your vehicle’s fuel economy by more than 5 mpg. That’s a serious bump. Scaling back the speed by just 5 mph means you’ll also see an increase in fuel economy.

At some point or another, it’ll happen to you. You leave your headlights on, your battery finally fails, or for some other reason, you don’t have enough juice to start your car. Don’t call a tow truck just yet, though...Oliver Automotive in Novato has the info you need to properly jump-start your car.

There are a lot of drivers on the road today with improperly adjusted rearview mirrors, contributing to unnecessary blind spots and potentially hazardous driving conditions. At Oliver Automotive in Novato, we place a lot of value on efficiency; here’s how to get the most out of your mirrors.

Vehicle belts aren’t that different than the belts that hold up your trousers. They need to fit properly and stay in place, and if they break, sag, or wear out, you’ll probably wish you were wearing a different belt that day. The same goes for the belts in your car. Your engine compartment is a punishing environment, and while all auto belts are made of materials designed to be both flexible and tough, even the toughest materials will eventually wear out due to the extreme temperatures under the hood.

Obviously, your brakes are pretty important. At Oliver Automotive in Novato, CA, we are here to make sure your car, truck, or SUV stops as it should. Your brake system is made of many components that all have to work correctly for your brakes to operate seamlessly. If one thing needs to be repaired, the whole system is compromised. Brake pads, rotors, hoses, calipers, and metal lines all play a part in stopping your car. Our team is equipped to make sure all of those parts are in working order, so you can be safe on the road ahead.

If you drive a car, truck, or SUV that runs on gasoline, there's a good chance you’ve run it low on fuel a few times (or more than a few times,) and maybe even run out of gas completely a time or two. At Oliver Automotive in Novato, CA, we like to provide information applicable to you. Running a vehicle low on fuel is something we’re all guilty of, and most of us don’t think twice about it. But, can it be bad for your car?

There is a reason we check your brake fluid when you come in for a service check. Maintenance pays big dividends and we want to avoid high repair costs for our Novato drivers. Did you know that brake service isn't just all about the brake pads, drums & rotors? That we have found low brake fluid to be the cause of a large percentage of brake issues here at Oliver Automotive? Seriously, brake fluid is an important part of your braking system and with your service intervals being less frequent on the newer vehicles 5,000-10,000 more miles this has become an issue! Why?...