West Columbia Auto Repair

A common question that you may wonder is if all car batteries are universal! The short answer to this question is no, but there is more to it! You need to keep in mind various factors and characteristics when choosing the correct car battery for your vehicle.   Different types of vehicles have varying sizes. Since car batteries are not all the same, how do you find which one fits your vehicle? You have to consider the size, features, and more. There are starting, lighting, and ignition (SLI) batteries, lithium-ion batteries, wet-cell (or flooded) batteries, and lead-acid batteries. Selecting a suitable battery for your vehicle is essential. If you are not sure how to even begin, you can consult with a professional for advice.   With advancements in the automotive industry, you can see more cars on the road that rely heavily on their electronic systems. In fact, there are more electric-powered cars on the road now than ever before. The complicated features of the modern v ... read more

  With most of our children heading back to in-person school this fall, you should remind yourselves to take extra precautions when driving near school zones. Regardless of the time of the day, it is imperative to slow down, monitor your surroundings, and keep your eyes peeled for pedestrians when driving in these areas.    If you are a parent who drops off your little ones at school or has to go through a school zone to get to the office, we highly recommend that you follow these tips to ensure everyone's safety:  Always stop for stopped school buses. It is very illegal to pass a school bus. If you notice a bus stopped and children are both getting on or off, make sure you come to a stop and patiently remain where you are.  Do not block a crosswalk. Make sure to stay behind the marked white lines on the road, just if pedestrians are trying to get by. When vehicles sit on the crosswalk, children often have to go around the car, causing them to be in th ... read more

If the tread on your tires is excessively worn out, it will prevent you from operating a safe car. Luckily there are various techniques that you can use to check the tread on your tires. One of them is the easiest and most talked about method of checking your tire tread, and all you need is some spare change and a couple of minutes of your time. The penny test will help you know when it's time to replace a tire on your vehicle.    Measuring Tread with the Penny Test Brand new tires generally have 10/32-11/32 inches of tread. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, it is advised that drivers should swap out their tires once they have reached the 2/32 inch range. In fact, most states in the U.S. enforce operators to replace their tires at that depth. The tricky part is that it is not simple to pull out a ruler to measure something so small. The simplest way to measure your tread depth is using the penny test.  Here is the procedure: Place the penny wit ... read more