Doctor, Doctor, Gimme the News …
History provides many insights. For instance, consider this prophetic quote from over 50 years ago:
“In 1965 [more than 50 years ago], a car mechanic needed to understand 5,000 pages of service manuals to fix any automobile on the road. Today, with the advent of high-tech electronics, that same mechanic must be able to decipher 465,000 pages of technical text--the equivalent of 250 big-city phone books.” — Elizabeth Dole, U.S. Secretary of Labor, October 26, 1989
Finding State-of-the-Art Vehicle Care is a Challenge for Car Owners
It’s now 2018, nearly thirty years later. Most of the automotive service and repair data that was once an old hard copy manual has been supplanted by bits and bytes and is now available electronically. But make no mistake: the volume of repair and service information that an auto mechanic needs to be able to access, navigate, understand, and apply today is astronomical. We call that Progress.
And that data continues to ramp up. The proliferation of computers, software, and vehicle electrification in your vehicle in recent years, together with the advent of telematics, connectivity, semi-automated driving, and advanced active safety systems that operate in real time — well, it’s formidable in scope and spiraling growth,
Technological progress and the conveniences it affords has spurred the need to be competent with diagnostic know-how, specialized tools, service procedures, and new vehicle tests not even imagined a generation ago. Like you, our profession — knowledge, skills, and competencies — have also evolved with the times. In our case, where once we were auto mechanics day-in and day-out, we’re car doctors now, with a pinch of engineer added for good measure.
Keeping Your Vehicle Healthy and Safe is Mancinelli’s Mission
Modern vehicle service and auto repair can be overwhelming, especially for those shop owners and technicians who cannot or choose not to keep pace. And frankly, some don’t, which puts their customers and families at risk. That’s a vicious circle, for what they don’t know accumulates over time, and their customers pay the price in vehicle performance, health, and safety.
To avoid the dinosaurs, look for a shop that not only continually invests in automotive training, but also has personnel committed to learn and apply it. That’s the cutting edge reputation that Mancinelli’s Auto Repair Center in Downtown Denver is known for.
The time and money we invest to ensure we remain both service-ready to check the health of any of your vehicle’s systems and service-capable to advise you and resolve an automotive issue that arises. That’s vigilance all car owners need from their auto repair facility so that their vehicle gets the state-of-the-art service, repair and care they deserve. And that’s what Mancinelli’s Auto Repair Center delivers if you or someone you know is looking for that.
Vehicle Health Begins with You, the Car Owner
As we near the end of Summer, getting ready for the start of school and the approach of winter is on many of our minds. New clothes, supplies and more take a high profile as we prepare. Ensuring our vehicle — which we will be driving our kids to school in soon and through the winter — is healthy and safe sometimes gets lost in the shuffle of life, if not put on the back-burner.
No doubt you would agree, having reliable transportation is essential, be it to and from school, for work, or leisure activities. Here are some critical vehicle system evaluations for your consideration:
Engine Oil Analysis — Think of regular oil analyses as being like getting your blood sampled and checked. Fundamentally, oil analysis is a quick, non-intrusive way to gauge the health of an engine over time by looking at what's in the oil. Oil analysis, primarily when a series of them at regular intervals (e.g. annually) can provide useful information, such as is your choice of more oil working well in your vehicle’s engine; is there a wear and tear trend developing that can be addressed before a primary repair results; and, regardless of what your owner’s manual says, do your vehicles oil change intervals need to be shortened or could they be lengthened.
Chassis System Inspection — Think alignment, steering, suspension and overall ride. Having a chassis system inspection is like having your body’s skeletal make up assessed so that if a problem is beginning to develop, corrective action can be taken. As you may well imagine, how your vehicle handles is more than a comfort matter; a healthy chassis system is a key to occupant and vehicle safety.
Ignition System Inspection — Having your vehicle stop cold on your way somewhere, or not start when you need it, is aggravating. If your children are present on the way to or from school, or it’s a cold winter morning, it can be more worrisome. Batteries and other ignition components (alternator, ignition hardware, key switch, and wiring) tend to last for a long time, and nowadays, they are generally maintenance-free, although both Summer heat and Winter cold can be tough on your battery.
Fluid Management — Besides engine oil, your vehicle depends on a variety of other fluids (brake, transmission, power steering, differential, passenger cabin heating system, air conditioning refrigerant, engine coolant, and others. Leaks are troubled action points, but also, over time and use, many of these fluids lose their effectiveness as critical additives become depleted and debris accumulates.
Driving Safety — From having good road grip to be able to stop to being able to see and be seen, it’s critical that your vehicle’s brakes, exterior and interior lighting, mirrors, and tires are all in good shape. If anyone of those vital systems is subpar, the safety of your school-aged children, yourself, and others is compromised.
Set August for Your Vehicle’s Annual Physical
Before school starts up and Winter arrives, why not make now the time for your vehicle’s annual physical at Mancinelli’s Auto Repair Center in Downtown Denver? We invite you to schedule an appointment online. We’ll perform all the vehicle health inspections above, and more, and advise you of our findings— what needs attention now, and what needs attention soon.
Then we’ll work with you to schedule the work you approve, and arrange alternate transportation should you need it. Plus all our work is backed by our market-leading nationwide 12 months/12,000 mile warranty. At Mancinelli’s Auto Repair Center, our auto mechanics and customer service staff know it’s more than fixing your vehicle. We also provide you with the transportation surety and driving peace of mind you expect and deserve.