KANSAS CITY AND OVERLAND PARK AUTO REPAIR

If your summer plans include taking your boat to the lake, or hauling your camper for a family road trip, make sure you’re towing safely. Start with a little maintenance – not only on your vehicle but your trailer wires or trailer may need some maintenance too. Don’t wait until the car, kids and the coolers are loaded to find out something isn’t going to work! Start with… Cleaning the Connections As you clean your vehicle and hitch, make sure to clean all connections, check that all lights are working, and everything hooks tightly. If you have corrosion build up on the connector you can use Coca Cola to clean your connections… Just pour a little bit of coke onto any rusted or dirty buildup places and scrub away. If that doesn’t fix your connection problem you can give us call. Also make sure you have had your brakes checked before you hit the road. Gas Up Before Connecting It’s much easier to fuel up your towing vehicle before attaching your trailer. Make sure you fill up your tank ... read more

Summer’s here and all of us Midwesterners love nothing better than boating, camping and Civil War reenactments. Well, mostly the camping and the boating. Doing either will usually involve towing something behind your automobile. Towing is something that may seem scary but with some practice and common sense it can be done by even the most timid of drivers. Think safety when towing a boat or camper. Ideally, a truck or an SUV is the smart choice for towing that boat or camper. Even a compact pickup like a Ford Ranger is going to be better than just about any car. For heavier loads (say more than 4,000 pounds) a half-ton truck like a Ford F-150 or Chevy Silverado will meet the needs of just about any of the trailer-towing basics. Some mini-vans can be a good choice as well. Your best bet is to check the manuals of anything your drive, anything you tow and whatever it sits on. It just makes sense. Towing be ... read more

Beep, Beep, Beep. There you are sitting in the traffic jam when the musical chorus begins. Depending on your mood, you may join in. But, did you know there is actual “horn honking etiquette?” So honk carefully. The Basics of Horn Honking Let’s start with the what a horn does. A horn alerts people around you of something. You use your horn to get the attention of others. Unfortunately, often times people use the horn to get the wrong kind of attention. The Right Attention The first rule in horn honking etiquette is to use your horn for the right reasons. The horn’s first purpose should be used to get attention from people. For instance, if your brakes stop working and you need to get the attention of those around you, should definitely use your horn to make people aware of the seriousness of the situation. It is also acceptable to use your horn when you are getting another driv ... read more

Your transmission, in most cases, is the second most expensive repair. But here is the good news. If you start with a well-built transmission, you can completely avoid this costly repair. Here’s how. Pay attention to any leaks and get them addresses promptly. Have the fluid level and CONDITION of fluid checked 3-4 times per year. Sallas Auto Repair checks the condition and levels of your fluids with every oil change. Be a better driver! Don’t bunny hop lights. Don’t tow past the vehicle’s capacity. Have a transmission flush completely every 30,000 miles. A transmission fluid change is not as efficient as a flush and can leave some old fluid and metal shavings in the system promoting damage

It’s the holiday season and malls and shops around town are packed with shoppers. However, did you know that now is actually a great time to buy a used car? Seriously! And especially for parents with teens out there – if your teenager is expecting keys under the Christmas tree this year, you may just be in luck! Inspect a Used Car Before you Buy It is always best to thoroughly check a car before you buy it – even if it is new. What we ultimately recommend is bringing it to our shop – either Sallas Auto in Kansas City, or Sallas in Overland Park. A car, just like a house, needs to have every nook and cranny investigated. Cars are a big purchase and if maintained properly, will last a long time. Here’s what recommend when evaluating a used car: Create a Checklist Creating a checklist is vital to being prepared and knowing what to look for. Even if you bring it to us to look at, a checklist will help you be more inf ... read more