San Carlos Auto Repair

By Stockbakers The Importance of Choosing the Right Technician for your Toyota Vehicle  The engine is the heart of your car and choosing the right technician is key to having it running smoothly and efficiently. Like a doctor trains for years to master the complex network of anatomy in your body, trained automotive technicians do too.   Toyota vehicles have unique maintenance needs that require specific knowledge and training. That's why it's important to research technicians who are experienced in working on Toyotas and understand how they function. Moreover, selecting a trained and certified technician will guarantee that they know what they're doing when it comes to servicing or repairing your vehicle.  What are ASE-Certifications? ASE Certifications are a valuable way to recognize individuals for expertise in the automotive service industry. ASE stands for Automotive Service Excellence, and individuals must pass rigorous tests to earn each of the si ... read more

Winter is coming! With winter almost here, many of us will bring out the warmer jackets and scarves as we prepare for those chilly temperatures. Many of us don’t realize that it is important to prepare our vehicles for winter too. The process is called winterizing your vehicle.  We recognize that there is so much to do during the winter months, especially during the holiday season. At A+ Japanese Auto Repair, we want you to be able to rely on your vehicle during these busy times. To make sure you can depend on your vehicle during winter, bring your vehicle to A+ Japanese Auto Repair. To make sure your vehicle is ready for winter, our technicians will examine these components, along with others:  Oil change: An oil change is a quintessential example of preventative maintenance, but you would be surprised to learn how many people forget about this service. When the weather drops, the cold will cause your oil to thicken. When your oil is too thick, it can’t lubricat ... read more

With summer almost here, we might be getting a little stir crazy, spending all this time indoors. With shelter in place in the Bay area, one thing we all learned is that “it is not about the destination, but the journey.” You can quickly get out on the road and explore the Bay Area from the comfort and safety of your vehicle. It doesn’t matter if you are looking for a drive through the redwood trees or along the coast, California, specifically the Bay Area, has something for everybody. Here are six scenic drives to take in the Bay Area:    Skyline Boulevard (Route 35): This mountain ridge road is often overlooked, but if you are looking to step on the brakes and appreciate the views and scenery, Skyline Boulevard is perfect for you. We recommend stopping at the vista points and capture this moment with a photograph.  Panoramic Highway: If you are looking for a tour of Northern California’s most scenic geography ... read more

  We all love the magic of Halloween, from trick-or-treating to classroom parties and even the occasional trip to a haunted house. Even though Halloween can be fun and festive, it can take a turn for the worst. Take a look at this scary statistic: children are more than twice as likely to be hit by a car and killed on Halloween than any other day of the year.  Here are some Halloween safety tips to make sure your Halloween night stays safe and spooky for all the right reasons:  A responsible adult should accompany young children on any trick-or-treating routes.  Make sure you only travel in well-lit, familiar areas.  When crossing the street, put those electronic devices down, keep your eyes and head up, and walk calmly across the street.  Avoid masks, if possible, as they can obstruct vision.  Consider fastening reflective tape to costumes and bags, or even give your children glow sticks for maximum visibility.  All costumes, wigs, and a ... read more

At A+ Japanese Auto Repair, we recognize how busy your day can get. From racing across town to drop your son off at his baseball game to being stuck in rush-hour traffic for your morning meeting, you have a jam-packed schedule. Sometimes, a trip to an auto repair shop can make your busy day even busier. With us, we strive to ensure your experience with us is stress-free and seamless, so you can continue to check items off your to-do list. Here are five ways we make auto repair convenient for you:  Complimentary loaner vehicles: while our technicians are servicing your vehicle, you can utilize one of our ten loaner cars to get where you need to be. Yes, you can make it to your son’s baseball game or your morning meeting.  Complimentary courtesy shuttle: our team can take wherever you need to go in the local area. Just because your car is in the shop doesn’t mean your day needs to come to a complete halt.  After Hours Drop-off and Pickup: you can quickly drop ... read more

Spring is almost here, which means we can say good-bye to chilly temperatures and say hello to green grass, sunny skies, and of course, that pesky pollen. Some of the outside elements can find their way into our vehicle, and we might see ourselves doing more sneezing instead of stepping on the gas. If you are looking to minimize the allergens in your vehicle and still enjoy the spring flowers, we recommend following these helpful tips:   Use the A/C system instead of rolling down the window. When you roll down the window to feel that breeze, you may be letting in several allergens. Wool seat covers and cloth floor mats are likely to trap dust mites, pollen, pet dander, and mold spores. If you can get rid of the wool seat covers and cloth floor mats, you can be saving yourself from being exposed to several allergens. Mold can cling to any wet towels, clothes, or leftover food you have in your vehicle. Remove any areas or items that may have excess moisture that can lead to ... read more

For most people, the name Felix Wankel doesn't ring a bell, but car aficionados around the world are familiar with the pioneering inventor of a one-of-a-kind rotary engine. After the Wankel engine's development, this pistonless powerhouse was often associated with Japanese automaker Mazda, which produced the Mazda Wankel rotary engine from 1967 to 2012. The Engine  Truly elegant in its design and function, this rotary engine has no piston-driven cylinders. A single triangular rotor spins around an off-center axle within an oval-shaped chamber. Unlike a piston engine, it exerts exclusively rotational forces using only two moving parts. This simplicity creates fewer vibrations, resulting in a smoother and quieter ride. The Mazda Wankel engine's streamlined design allowed for much faster acceleration, but early models suffered from seal and stability issues during sustained high-speed rotations, which sometimes required ... read more