Northeast Columbia Auto Repair

Is there anything more heartwarming than seeing holiday lights? Kids, in particular, really love to see the lights, and will hang out the windows if you’re in the car.  It’s nice to bring along some snacks and warm beverages for the kids, so they don’t get hungry or thirsty, too. A thermos of hot chocolate and some holiday goodies go right along with seeing holiday lights.  Lights Before Christmas at the Riverbanks Zoo and Garden This long-running event includes over one million twinkling lights, nightly visits with Santa, hot cocoa, s’mores, festive foods, animated animals and a parade, and much more! It takes place from November 17 - December 30, from 5:00 through 9:00 PM. Riverbanks Zoo and Garden, Columbia, SC.  Holiday Parade of Lights - West Columbia, Saturday, December 8  The Greater Cayce - West Columbia Holiday Parade of Lights looks to be a fun and friendly event for the whole family. This nighttime parade starts at 5:30 PM in f ... read more

There are so many high-energy snacks (and snacks in general) these days. When you walk into the grocery store, you’re bombarded with an entire aisle or more. So how do you choose? One thing you can do is look at the protein content. As the gas in your car, protein keeps your engine going.  Nuts for Snacking Do you have a favorite kind of nut? We love almonds. Now, you can get your nut fix by eating peanut butter, trail mix, a high-energy bar, or plain. Not only that, but almonds come in a variety of flavors and styles. There are raw, roasted, spicy, and plain almonds. We like ‘em a little spicy, so we always opt for those. But if you like sweetness, you might like cinnamon-roasted almonds.  Energy Bars Luckily, you can see how much protein, sugar, and fat an energy bar has in it just by looking at the packaging. Our favorites are Clif bars and Larabars! Both are made with few ingredients, and it’s easy to avoid soy, dair ... read more

If you’re a new parent, chances are you’re already overwhelmed with the number of things you need to learn to keep your child safe. Learning about child car seats probably isn’t at the top of your list. However, since so many children are injured in traffic accidents, knowing how to install and use a child car seat correctly is critical to every child’s safety.  Rear-Facing Car Seats for Infants and Toddlers Children up to two years old should be facing backward in their car seat. Children ride in these car seats until they are from 22 - 40 pounds or the height recommended on the car seat, which varies according to the manufacturer. There are three main types of rear-facing car seats: rear-facing only seats, convertible seats, and 3-in-one seats.  Forward-Facing Car Seats for Toddlers and Preschoolers Once a child has outgrown a rear-facing car seat, he or she may be introduced to a forwarding-facing car seat with ... read more

Before the first stop sign was invented, the streets were in disarray, chaotic, and dirty. At first, there were no lane markers or speed limits. Signage of any type was rare, the exception being occasional signs signaling those on horseback of the distance to the nearest town. We have come a very long way since then, with most people having navigation available on their phones. William Phillips Eno is credited for having developed the first stop sign.  The stop sign has an interesting history. The first stop sign was developed in the state of Michigan in 1915. This was probably because Detroit was the center of the automobile manufacturing industry. It was a small black and white sign, not the red with white lettering that we have today. Also, the shape was not standardized until 1922, when the American Association of State Highway Officials met and selected the octagonal shape that we’re familiar with today. They chose the octagonal shape so that drivers seeing the back of ... read more

You can probably get a lot of great advice about what to do after your car overheats, but how about preventing your car from overheating instead? Like any other type of maintenance, there are a few things you can do to keep your car from losing its cool.  Check All the Hoses Touch the hoses that you can see (make sure the engine is cool when you do this). If any of the hoses seem cracked, brittle or inflexible, you’ll want to replace those. Wiggle the tubes a bit, and make sure that they’re tight. You don’t want to see any leaks, either. Of course, we’re happy to replace any hoses for you.  Fluids Check your coolant level and make sure it’s topped off. You shouldn’t have to remove the cap to do this--just check that the fluid is to the full line on the side of the coolant reservoir. If you need to add coolant, add the proper coolant, which should be found in your owner’s manual. By the way, many o ... read more

In our humble opinion, the best songs for a road trip are those that you can sing along with. And if you can’t sing along with them, they should make you want to hum along, at the very least. Here, then, are a few of our favorites.   “Start it Up” by the Rolling Stones This classic song really makes you want to sing along. And, if you’re not careful, you might end up driving a little too fast, too! So be careful that your foot isn’t tapping that accelerator while you’re singing along.   “More Than a Feeling” by Boston Who can keep from singing along to this one? It’s just not possible, and if you don’t sing along to this one, you just might be a robot!   “One Headlight” by the Wallflowers Nothing can lift your mood faster than this song. Do you agree?   “Don’t Stop Believin” by Journey Yes, this song is cornier than cornbread, but you’ve got to admit that a ... read more

If you're a car show enthusiast who lives near or around Columbia, South Carolina, several events are coming up that will pique your interest: Summer Car and Bike Show Event Dates: June 30, 2018 - June 30, 2018 Location: Columbia, South Carolina Advance Auto Parts (parking lot) 9031B Farrow Road. 29203 This is what summertime fun is all about! All cars and bikes of any year, make, or model are invited. There will be music, food, drinks, and vendors. The good news is it's also free! The Summer Car and Bike Show are from 11:00 pm - 2: 00 pm. Old Car Drop in at Fuddruckers Event Dates: September 15, 2018 - September 15, 2018 (Rain Date September 22, 2018.) Location: 1801 Bush River Rd, Columbia, Columbia, South Carolina The Columbia Classic Chevy Club at Fuddruckers hosts the Old Car Drop in. Trophies go to the Top 25 winners, and there is a Ladies Choice and Manager's Choice. There’s also prizes and a 50/25/25 drawing. The music theme this year ... read more

Remember the old saying “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure?” Well, it’s never truer than it is when applied to auto maintenance. When you buy a new car, it comes with a set of recommendations for regularly scheduled maintenance that the manufacturer believes will keep the vehicle performing at its optimum level. As it ages, it’s just as important—if not more so—to keep up a routine of preventative maintenance. Doing so can identify and catch small problems before they become big ones. Here are some tips on what you can do to prolong the life of your vehicle. Oil Regular oil and oil filter changes are probably the number one way to keep your engine purring along happily. Not only does doing so purge contaminants that can cause wear and tear, but it also ensures that a mechanic will be looking over the motor on a regular basis and can spot any potential problems.   Tires If your car’s ... read more

According to World’s Top Exports (www.worldstopexports.com, an independent education and research website, the United States imported $173.3 billion in automobiles in 2016. The top 10 countries that sent cars to the US, with the total dollar amount and percentage change from 2015 were: 1.   Canada: $45.9 billion (up 0.5%) 2.   Japan: $40 billion (up 3.1%) 3.   Mexico: $24.1 billion (up 35.5%) 4.   Germany: $22.3 billion (down -6.4%) 5.   South Korea: $16.4 billion (up 49.9%) 6.   United Kingdom: $8.9 billion (up 95.3%) 7.   Italy: $4.2 billion (up 320.1%) 8.   Sweden: $1.8 billion (up 123.2%) 9.   Slovakia: $1.6 billion (up 79.6%) 10. South Africa: $1.5 billion (down -20.5%) Sitting solidly at number four, German imports enjoy a large following among American automotive enthusiasts. That country’s flagship makes -- which are BMW ... read more

Here in South Carolina, we don’t typically experience the harsh winter weather conditions our neighbors to the north endure. But with the fewer daylight hours, it seems like there isn’t enough time in the day to do a lot of the stuff we seem to be able to accomplish in the summer. And one of those chores that often gets neglected is cleaning our cars. Now that spring is upon us, it’s time to start thinking about those summer road trips to the beach and other destinations. We all strive for that “beach body” to parade around the sand, but what our car looks like in the parking lot is just as important. It doesn’t take much to bring your vehicle back to looking like it just rolled off the showroom lot. If you’re on a budget, just spending a few hours with a bucket, hose, a sponge, and a chamois can make your pride and joy sparkle again. This is also a good time to apply a nice coat of wax, possibly one with UV protection to keep the paint from ... read more