Memphis Auto Repair

The timing belt in your engine controls the opening and closing of the intake and exhaust valves. MEMPHIS drivers need to replace it on a schedule to avoid failure.Timing belts are very difficult to get to, requiring quite a bit of labor to access. Timing belt replacement is one of the more expensive maintenance services, but the cost at Winchester Tire & Alignment to correct an engine damaged by a broken timing belt is much, much more.The timing belt has a tensioner to help maintain proper belt tension. The tensioner should be replaced along with the timing belt and any idler pulleys at the vehicle manufacturer’s specified service interval. Your Winchester Tire & Alignment service advisor can help you with the timing belt.Give us a call.Winchester Tire & Alignment1830 WINCHESTER RDMEMPHIS, TN 38116901.345.5484http://www.winchestertire.com

There are a lot of new features, both optional and standard, on MEMPHIS drivers' vehicles these days. One you may not have heard of is called a cabin air filter. Simply put, its job is to keep the air in the passenger compartment of your car nice and clean.A cabin air filter is similar to the filter you use on your furnace at home in MEMPHIS. Cabin air filters can catch particles down to three microns. By comparison, a grain of sand is 200 microns. So cabin air filters are effective against dust, dirt, pollen, mold spores and most pollutants in our MEMPHIS area atmosphere. Good news if you suffer from any types of allergies, or if you live in an area in TN prone to air pollution.Cabin air filters are generally located in the engine compartment or under the dashboard. They can be tricky to access and replace, so you'll probably want to go to your friendly and knowledgeable service advisor at Winchester Tire & Alignme ... read more

With MEMPHIS gas prices being what they are, many of us in TN are driving less and looking into purchasing smaller or more efficient vehicles. MEMPHIS area residents who have to drive a lot, have large families or need four-wheel drive are particularly hard hit by the cost of fuel in TN. But there are things all MEMPHIS drivers can do to save fuel: We can improve our driving habits and stay on top of preventive maintenance at Winchester Tire & Alignment. These things make small savings possible, but they can really add up.Let's start with driving habits. One major gas-eater is jackrabbit starts. A smooth, gradual acceleration uses a lot less fuel. It's also easier on your engine and drivetrain, so you'll prolong their lives as well.If you drive with one foot on the brake, stop. That creates drag, increasing fuel usage and reducing the useful life of your brakes.Slowing down can really add up on gas savings over time for MEMPHIS drivers. Driving five to ... read more

Diesel engines have been used extensively in Europe and Asia for many years. They haven't been as common in the MEMPHIS area because of the high sulfur content in our diesel fuel. But the government is now mandating lower sulfur content and, as a result, we are going to see more MEMPHIS diesel-fueled vehicles on the road, especially in passenger cars and SUV's.Diesels are popular in TN because they get better fuel economy than gas-powered engines. They also last longer. Modern diesel engines are quiet and powerful. And if you associate diesel engines with black smoke, then you're not up with the times. That smoke is a thing of the past.Diesels don't produce any more pollutants than gasoline engines. The pollution standards for diesel-powered vehicles are as strict in TN as for other vehicles.Also, diesel engines can run on bio-diesel fuels as well as fossil fuels. Diesel fuel can be produced from vegetable oil or from cellulosic waste ... read more

Road trip, anyone? Nothing spoils a great vacation faster than ending up stranded on the side of the road or spending a week in a rundown motel while our vehicle sits in the shop. Long days on the road can bring out the worst in your vehicle, so before you leave, prepare it for the journey by getting a trip inspection at Winchester Tire & Alignment in MEMPHIS. After all, you wouldn't travel without clean socks, why ask your vehicle to travel with a load of dirty oil?The first step in a trip inspection at Winchester Tire & Alignment is to look at your travel plans. What kinds of roads will you be driving on? Will you be in the TN back country or on the freeway? Will you be crossing mountains? Off-roading? What will the weather be like? How far away from MEMPHIS will you be traveling? How much are you hauling? Will you be towing a trailer or lugging a rooftop carrier? Will you encounter dust, mud, snow or sea salt? All of these questions can help determine which services are mo ... read more

So you take your vehicle in for maintenance and the pro at Winchester Tire & Alignment tells you that you ought to change your oil more often. What? You followed the maintenance schedule – but you take a second look at that “severe service” schedule and see some of the following: 1. Most of your trips around MEMPHIS are less than four miles/six and a half kilometers.2. Most of your trips are less than 10 miles/16 km when outside TN temperatures are below freezing.3. You don't do a lot of TN freeway driving, so you drive at low speeds most of the time.4. You drive in an area with a lot of pollution, dust, dirt, mud or slush.5. You frequently tow a trailer, haul heavy loads around MEMPHIS or use a car-top carrier.6. The weather in your area can get very hot or very cold.Surprising, isn't it? Severe driving isn't quite what you'd envisioned.Ask yourself: "Which auto service schedule should I follow?" For some of us, it's obvious. But for most o ... read more

Buying a new car in MEMPHIS is always a big financial decision. The allure of that new car smell is powerful, to be sure. But what if your current car is still in good shape? How do you decide?People in MEMPHIS who've been used to driving a new car every three to five years may be having second thoughts in this economy. For many, the question is, how does the certainty of a new car payment stack up against uncertain repairs for a car that may be out of warranty?For purposes of our discussion, let's assume you live right here in MEMPHIS and have a five year old vehicle. It's now paid off. If you keep it, you fear that there'll be some repairs over the next five years, but you really don't know what to expect. For help we turned to maintenance and repair information for cars and trucks. With this data, they project likely service and repair costs for a particular make and model. They're able to use manufacturer's maintenance s ... read more

The drive train in your vehicle includes all the components that transfer power from the transmission to the wheels. Those components differ depending on what type of vehicle you drive, namely, front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, all-wheel drive or four-wheel drive. The preventive maintenance your driveshaft needs will also differ by what type of vehicle you drive.Let's start with front-wheel drive. In this vehicle, the transmission and the differential are combined in one component, known as the transaxle. The transaxle is connected to two half-shafts (axles), which are then connected to the wheels with a constant velocity (or CV) joint, which is protected by an airtight rubber boot.Winchester Tire & Alignment service for this type of driveline includes servicing the transaxle and inspecting the CV boot. If the boot is damaged, the CV joint will need to be inspected, and the boot will need to be replaced. If you hear a clicki ... read more

All TN pilots have checklists for every aspect of flying. They always use their checklists even if they only have two steps on them. They do this simply because a checklist is a great way to not forget steps. It is also how they can assure a predictable outcome. That is why MEMPHIS automotive service centers including Winchester Tire & Alignment have procedural standards for each service they perform. Winchester Tire & Alignment technicians are trained step by step. And they perform the procedures step by step, the same way each time. By training to procedural standards, TN service centers can assure a quality outcome. The job is done right every time and MEMPHIS customers leave happy with how their vehicle performs. Each company trains its technicians to standards. The TN automotive industry as a whole is very committed to standards of excellence and encourages individual TN service center operators to apply them to every vehicle they service. An example ... read more

Have you checked out the price of new vehicles at MEMPHIS car dealers? Ouch! Add financing and insurance and a new ride may not seem so attractive. A lot of MEMPHIS, TN, folks are hoping to make their cars last a lot longer.Fortunately, with the current state of automotive engineering and manufacturing, there's no reason a modern vehicle can't be made to last for a 150,000 miles (250,000 kilometers) or more for smart MEMPHIS drivers.The old adage: 'a stitch in time saves nine' is really true for MEMPHIS residents when it comes to car maintenance. A great example is coolant service.Over time, coolant becomes corrosive and actually starts to damage your radiator and other parts. Smart MEMPHIS drivers have their cooling system service taken care of right on schedule at Winchester Tire & Alignment.Ditto for your power steering system, brake fluid, air conditioning system, differential and transmission. Of course, oil changes should be done right on schedule to avoid the build-up ... read more