High gas prices have hit most of our budgets in the Longmont area. If increased fuel costs are consuming a bigger portion of your budget, you may be tempted to skimp in some other areas – like scheduled maintenance at Stonum Automotive in Longmont.

According to news reports and industry studies, you’re not alone. Nine out of ten personal vehicles on the road have at least one maintenance or repair item that hasn’t been done. Some of these items are serious safety concerns. Others are just more likely to affect the cost of operating your vehicle in Longmont.

In this area, we can take a lesson from professional vehicle owners: fleet owners and operators like trucking companies and delivery services. Because their livelihood depends on it, they have gotten scheduled maintenance down to a science. And the last thing they skimp on is regular maintenance.

Why is that? Well, for one thing they know that routine maintenance prevents expensive repairs and costly breakdowns. They also know that a well-maintained vehicle uses less fuel.  For them, even a small decrease in fuel economy may mean not being profitable.

Here are some Stonum Automotive services that could potentially save you some gas in Longmont: Fuel system cleaning, transmission service, differential service, wheel alignment, oil change, tune-up.

Ring any bells? Is there at least one thing on the list that hasn’t been done for your sedan?

Let’s suppose you chose to spend one hundred and fifty dollars and get caught up on some of these services and that they combine to improve your fuel economy by fifteen percent. What would that mean to your pocketbook?

Well, the average personal vehicle is driven about twelve thousand miles a year. If you get twenty miles per gallon in your sedan, over the course of one year you would pay for the hundred and fifty dollars’ worth of service and save an additional hundred and sixty five dollars if gas is at three dollars and fifty cents. If gas is four fifty, you would save two hundred and fifty-five dollars. And you’d rack up savings of three hundred and forty five dollars with gas at five and a half bucks.

Gas Price   $3.50   $4.50   $5.50

20 MPG        165      265       345

From this you can see that the more fuel costs, the more it pays to take care of your sedan. Some of us drive trucks for work or recreation – or want a large SUV for family needs. A fifteen percent improvement in fuel economy can generate huge savings – six hundred and sixty dollars a year if gas is four fifty a gallon. Take a look at this table to see where your savings could lie.

Gas Price   $3.50   $4.50    $5.50

10 MPG       480       660        840
20 MPG       165       255        345
30 MPG         60       120        180

So catch up on those services you’ve been neglecting. Talk with your personable Stonum Automotive advisor about your sedan’s needs. Get a couple done now and a couple next time. Chances are you’ll save a lot of money on fuel this year – and a lot more on repairs in years to come.

Give John Stonum a call at Stonum Automotive in Longmont.

Stonum Automotive
303.485.9303
1116 Colorado Ave
Longmont, CO 80501

At Stonum Automotive in Longmont CO (80501) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 303.485.9303. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

The Check Engine Light strikes fear into the hearts of some Longmont drivers and is totally ignored by just as many. Just what it means is a mystery to most of us in CO.

First, if your sedan check engine light is flashing, that means that something is wrong that could cause severe damage to the catalytic converter or other components. Get that taken care of right away. If your check engine light is flashing, you shouldn’t drive at Longmont highway speeds, tow or haul heavy loads. Take it easy all the way to Stonum Automotive in Longmont.

If the light is glowing steadily, you should keep an eye on it for a day or two. If the light doesn’t go off, schedule an appointment with your Longmont service advisor to get it checked out.

Some more information from Stonum Automotive on how the Check Engine Light works may be informative. Most of your sedan engine functions are controlled by a computer, not surprisingly, called an engine control computer. The computer is able to adjust many engine parameters for environmental conditions, engine condition and even the way you drive in Longmont.

In order to make these adjustments, the sedan computer relies on a network of sensors to provide data. The computer knows the proper operating range for each sensor. When a sensor reading is out of range the computer runs some tests and may turn on the Check Engine Light.

The sedan computer will also try to make adjustments to compensate for some readings. If it can do so, it’ll then turn off the Check Engine Light.

If the problem can’t be resolved then the light will remain on and you should get your sedan looked at at Stonum Automotive. Your personable service technician will plug a scanner into the on-board diagnostic port and read the trouble code stored in the computer. The trouble code will give your Stonum Automotive technician a starting place as he diagnoses the cause of the problem.

At Stonum Automotive, we also offer chassis lubrication and tune up.

Give us a call

Stonum Automotive
303.485.9303
1116 Colorado Ave
Longmont, CO 80501

At Stonum Automotive in Longmont CO (80501) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 303.485.9303. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

Most Longmont drivers know that braking means slowing or stopping a vehicle. The mechanical aspects of the brakes themselves are just one issue. There’s also the power brake system and brake fluid. And then there are the tires, which are critical to the effectiveness of the brakes.

Let’s step back. A car or truck rolls brand new off the showroom floor at a local Longmont dealer. It has brand new brakes with brand new brake pads. The brake lines and the power assist are filled with fresh fluid and are completely clean inside. And the sedan tires are brand new, with full tread. Naturally, braking power is at its peak performance.
 
Now, as your drive from Longmont to Boulder and back, the miles start to add up. Most Longmont car owners tend to focus on the brake pads. In the Longmont automotive service community, the pads, and shoes on drum brakes, are called the friction material. That’s because they provide the friction used to stop the sedan. The pads are designed to be effective throughout their useful life – it’s not until they are worn so thin as to be out of spec that they lose stopping effectiveness.

The mechanical parts of the brakes have pistons and springs that get quite a workout while stopping the sedan. Over many miles, these wear and get gummed up. They start to lose effectiveness gradually and could even fail. That’s why a regular brake inspection is important. At Stonum Automotive, we can test the operation of the brakes and see if any parts need cleaning or replacing.

That leads us to brake fluid service at Stonum Automotive. Some of the critical additives in the fluid that lubricate and clean the sedan fluid system are depleted over time. That and moisture building up in the system deteriorate the performance of the brake fluid. Brake fluid replacement at Stonum Automotive includes flushing the brake system to clean out deposits, water and dirt. Then the system is filled up with fresh fluid.

The tires are what connect the sedan to the road. The stopping force is ultimately dependent on the traction provided by the tires. The better they grip the road, the quicker you’ll stop as you drive around Longmont.

For questions about brakes, brake pads, chassis lubrication, tune up, or tires, talk to Stonum Automotive  manager John Stonum.

Give us a call

Stonum Automotive
303.485.9303
1116 Colorado Ave
Longmont, CO 80501

At Stonum Automotive in Longmont CO (80501) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 303.485.9303. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

Most Longmont area car owners don’t service their air conditioning until after it fails. Maintaining your sedan air conditioning system means that you always have enough refrigerant to properly do the job. Small leaks in the air conditioning system allow the refrigerant to escape and the system can’t cool the air as well.

Along with the refrigerant, a special oil circulates in the system. The oil lubricates air conditioning components, and keeps the seals resilient. Low refrigerant and lubricating oil means that the air conditioning parts will wear out prematurely, and we all know that air conditioning repairs can be costly in Boulder.

Air conditioning service at Stonum Automotive in Longmont starts with a visual inspection of the components for signs of damage or leaks. The compressor is driven by a belt from the engine, most often the serpentine belt, so it’s inspected for cracks or wear.

The air conditioning compressor and other components are checked for proper operation by your Stonum Automotive service advisor. Then comes the leak test. If a leak is detected, often in a hose or connection, it’s repaired and the sedan system is retested. Your Stonum Automotive technician will also perform a temperature drop test.

If needed, the old refrigerant is evacuated and the system is recharged with clean, fresh refrigerant. A final test insures that the air conditioner is working, and you’re on your way.

How often this should be done at Stonum Automotive varies from vehicle to vehicle. Your sedan owner’s manual will have the manufacturer’s recommendation and, of course, your personable Stonum Automotive service advisor can tell you. It’s typically every two years.

Give us a call

Stonum Automotive
1116 Colorado Ave
Longmont, CO 80501

At Stonum Automotive in Longmont CO (80501) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 303.485.9303. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

Car batteries wear out just like any other battery and need to be replaced. There are a couple of things Longmont sedan owners should know when looking for a new car battery: one is cold cranking amps and the other is reserve capacity.

Let’s start with cold cranking amps. This can be thought of as the power output used to start a cold sedan engine. The number of cold cranking amps you need depends on your vehicle and where you live around Longmont, specifically how cold it is where you live. The two factors are that the colder an engine is, the more power it takes to turn the sedan engine over to get it started. It has all that cold, sluggish oil to contend with. The other factor is that the chemical reaction in the battery that creates electrical energy is less efficient in the cold.

So the colder it gets in Longmont, more power is needed, but the available power drops.

If you live where it’s cold, you need a battery with more cold cranking amps than you do where it’s moderate or hot. You should always get at least as many cold cranking amps as the manufacturer recommends, but may want to upgrade at Stonum Automotive if you live where it gets real cold.

An important note: Batteries may also list the Cranking Amps – CA – number. It is the Cold Cranking Amps – or CCA – that is the important number here. CCA is the number to use in your comparisons.

Now with all this talk of cold temperatures in Longmont, it’s important to note that heat is the real enemy of long battery life. In other words, the damage that’s done over the hot summer months in Longmont shows up with the increased demands on the sedan battery when the weather turns cold.

Now on to reserve capacity: It’s a measurement of the number of minutes of reserve power the battery has at a given load. The number is more important these days because of parasitic drain. Parasitic drain is the battery energy that’s used when the key is off. So the power drawn by the sedan security system, the remote start system, even the power the sedan computers require to maintain their memory.

Reserves are also needed when you make very short trips around Longmont. You’re not driving long enough for the battery to recover the energy it used to start the sedan engine.

So go with the minimum recommended by your manufacturer and upgrade if you need more. Talk with your personable Stonum Automotive service advisor about options. If you need more from your battery, a larger capacity battery may be called for.

Batteries are a big ticket item for most Longmont motorists, so the warranty gives peace of mind. Be sure to ask about the car battery warranty at Stonum Automotive so you know what you’re getting. At Stonum Automotive, we have been providing quality auto service in Longmont for 7 years.

Give us a call

Stonum Automotive
1116 Colorado Ave
Longmont, CO 80501

At Stonum Automotive in Longmont CO (80501) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 303.485.9303. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

Now when you hear “severe service”, you may think it doesn’t apply to you because you don’t feel your driving conditions are severe or extreme – it’s just normal everyday driving around Boulder. At Stonum Automotive, we discuss the conditions that manufacturers classify as severe so that you can make the judgment on your own driving.

• Most trips are less than four miles
• Most trips are less than ten miles and outside temperatures are below freezing in Boulder
• You drive in very hot CO weather
• Driving at low speed most of the time (under 55 mph)
• Stop and go driving
• Operating your vehicle in dusty, polluted or muddy conditions
• You tow a trailer, regularly carry heavy loads or carry a car-top carrier on your sedan

Most Boulder drivers operate under severe driving conditions at least some of the time. How do you know which schedule to follow for your sedan?

Carefully think about your driving conditions and decide if you should do your preventive maintenance closer to the severe service recommendation or the regular recommendation. Of course, your Stonum Automotive advisor can help you with your decision.

At Stonum Automotive in Longmont CO (80501) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 303.485.9303. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

First, the serpentine belt drives your air conditioning system. Next, the belt powers the alternator.

The serpentine belt may also run the pumps for both the power steering and power brakes. In some sedans, power steering may have an electric drive and power brakes can be vacuum driven.

And, on many vehicles, the serpentine belt powers the water pump (on some cars, the water pump is powered by the timing belt).

Your Stonum Automotive service technician can perform a visual inspection of the belt to see if it has any cracks that signal the belt could fail soon and will measure the amount of belt material to make sure there is enough.

Longmont drivers should be aware that there’s a special, spring loaded pulley attached to the engine called the tensioner pulley and sometimes an extra pulley call the idler pulley. Their job is to make sure there’s a constant tension on the serpentine belt so that it doesn’t slip. The spring can become worn and no longer provide the necessary pressure to keep the belt tight. That’s why it’s often recommended that the tensioner, and the idler pulley if so equipped, be replaced at the same time as the serpentine belt.

All in all, the serpentine belt’s an important part for the function of your sedan. And it’s not that expensive to replace at Stonum Automotive – so it’s good to do so before it fails.

At Stonum Automotive in Longmont CO (80501) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 303.485.9303. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

The crankcase is the bottom area of the engine that holds the oil. When the sedan engine’s running, fuel is burned to generate power. Most of the exhaust from combustion goes out through the exhaust system. But some exhaust blows by the pistons and goes into the lower engine, or crankcase.

These hot gases are about seventy percent unburned fuel. This can dilute and contaminate the oil, leading to damaging engine oil sludge. It can also cause engine corrosion in your sedan. At high speeds, the pressure can build up to the point that gaskets and seals start to leak.

Longmont car owners need to know that over time, the vented gases will gum up the PCV valve and it won’t work well. That can lead to all of the problems I’ve already described, oil leaks, excessive oil consumption and wasted gas.

Fortunately, it’s very easy to test the PCV valve and quick and inexpensive to replace it at Stonum Automotive. Even so, it’s often overlooked because many Longmont drivers don’t know about it.

Check your sedan owner’s manual or ask your Stonum Automotive advisor. If this is the first time you’ve heard of a PCV valve, you might be in line for a PCV valve replacement.

Please ask us about your PCV valve. For the price of a couple of burger combo meals, you can avoid some very expensive deep engine repairs.

At Stonum Automotive in Longmont CO (80501) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 303.485.9303. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

Let’s focus on stopping in wet Longmont conditions. In order for a tire to have good contact with the road, it has to move the water out of the way. If it can’t move the water, the tire will actually ride on top of a thin film of water.

That’s called hydroplaning. At Stonum Automotive we want our customers to know that if it’s really bad, you can actually spin out of control. At best, you won’t stop as fast.

So how does a tire move water? It has channels for water to flow through. Look at a tire and you’ll see channels: channels that run around the tire and channels that flow across the tire. They’re designed to direct water away from the tire so it can contact the road better.

And the deeper the channel, the more water it can move. A brand new tire has very deep channels and can easily move a lot of water. As the tire wears down, the channels become shallower and can move less water. When it wears down enough, it can seriously affect your ability to stop on wet Longmont roads.

So that’s why it’s so important for Longmont drivers to replace the tires on their sedans when they get worn. Consumer Reports and other advocate groups call for a standard of 3/32 of an inch and they have the studies to prove it.

By comparison, you’ve probably seen the wear indicator that’s molded into tires. When tires are worn 3/32 of an inch, the tread wear bar is visible. So the recommended standard has twice the tread depth as a completely worn out tire.

And that little bit of additional tread makes a big difference. Stopping distances are cut dramatically on wet roads. A safe stop from CO freeway speeds with 4/32 of an inch of tread would result in a crash with worn out tires.

There’s an easy way to tell when a tire’s worn to 4/32 of an inch. Just insert a quarter into the tread. Put it in upside down. If the tread doesn’t cover George Washington’s hairline, it’s time to replace your tires. With a Canadian quarter, the tread should cover the numbers in the year stamp.

You’ve probably heard of this technique using a penny and Abe Lincoln’s head. That measure gives you 2/32 of an inch – half the suggested amount.

Of course, tires are a big ticket item for Longmont car owners. Most of us want to get as many miles out of them as we can. But there’s a real safety trade-off. It’s your choice.

At Stonum Automotive in Longmont CO (80501) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 303.485.9303. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

In addition to just wearing out, Stonum Automotive customers need to know that suspension components can be damaged in an accident or by a hard impact – like a pothole, hitting a curb or a rock in the road.

Because the life span of shocks can vary so widely, your sedan manufacturer and Stonum Automotive recommend periodic inspections. During an inspection, your Erie service technician will check for worn, broken or missing parts.

Signs that shocks or struts are wearing out: The tires may have a cupped wear pattern. This is from the shocks bouncing unevenly as you drive around Erie. You may notice a floaty or drifting sensation when cornering. If the front of your sedan dives excessively when stopping, or rocks back and forth after you stopped, your shocks may be worn out. And if they are leaking fluid, it’s definitely time to replace them.

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, come into Stonum Automotive for a suspension inspection. Same if you’ve been in an accident that involved one of your wheels. Worn or broken shocks can cause premature wear or failure on other sedan suspension parts such as ball joints and other steering components as well. If your suspension actually fails, it could lead to a serious accident, so let us take care of your suspension components at Stonum Automotive.

When you replace your shocks, it’s usually a good idea to replace all four at the same time. That’ll give you more even handling. Talk with your service advisor at Stonum Automotive because you don’t want a big difference between the performance of your shocks from wheel to wheel, and replacing all may be the safest bet.

At Stonum Automotive in Longmont CO (80501) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 303.485.9303. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.