It’s important in any season to keep and maintain appropriate tire pressure. When you check tire pressure it’s best to do it in the morning when it’s cooler. Check the tires with a simple pressure gauge, checking at each valve several times for accuracy. To determine the appropriate tire pressure, you’ll find the manufacturer’s recommended guidelines on the sticker located on the inside of the driver’s side door panel.

It’s also important to drive less aggressively. It’s the season when driver’s get bold on dry roads, but it’s important to drive with diligence and care. The harder you push your vehicle the more gas it will need to consume.

Your vehicle’s AC is a primary culprit for inefficiency in the summer months. Some days, especially when it’s really hot and dry, the AC is the only thing to keep cool. But when it’s not overly hot, especially in the morning or late evening when temperatures are manageable, it’s best to instead roll down the windows when you drive at lower speeds. When you drive at high speeds, it’s best to keep the windows shut and turn on the AC, because the wind drag from open windows will reduce fuel efficiency.

Hopefully you stay safe this summer and enjoy the warmer weather. And if you ever find yourself in need of professional tow services, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, your local tow experts at City Towing will be ready to help.

The post Summer Driving: Fuel Efficiency When It’s Hot Outside appeared first on City Towing.

All batteries will have to be replaced. Premature battery wear happens when excessive heat evaporates the fluid within the battery. The loss in fluid damages the internal structure of the battery. Premature wear is also caused by overcharging.

To keep your battery in top shape for as long as possible, it’s best to keep it as healthy as possible. For instance, make sure that your vehicle’s electrical system is charging your battery at the correct rate; a damaged or malfunctioning voltage regulator could allow too great a charge, which would likely deteriorate the battery prematurely. If you have a battery that requires a “top-off”, remember to check it regularly and to add distilled water whenever is necessary. When you do replace a battery, replace it with a battery of the same rating, or as the one originally specified (If you are unsure of the appropriate battery, check the owner’s manual). And remember to clean a dirty battery. Batteries do get dirty, and dirt can become a conductor, draining the battery power. And as corrosion accumulates on the battery’s terminals, and it will eventually, that corrosion can become an insulator, and the increased insulation will inhibit the current flow within the battery.

The problem with vehicle batteries is they can leave us stranded. Batteries are a simple component, and easily charged or replaced, but if you do ever find you need the professionals at City Towing to help you when your battery has died and left you stranded, then call today. City Towing’s experienced technicians are available and ready to help twenty-four hours a day, three-hundred and sixty-five days of the year.

The post Summer Heat and Your Vehicle’s Battery appeared first on City Towing.

The best way to avoid an oil leak is to keep your engine’s oil changed regularly. The method of checking the oil’s color isn’t reliable, because oftentimes as soon as the engine oil is changed, the fresh, new black oil will take on the brown color associated with old, dirty oil.

The best way to maintain a healthy engine, and to keep the vehicle from leaking oil, is to keep the engine’s oil changed at the intervals recommended by the vehicle’s manufacturer.

But that doesn’t mean that a simple oil change will fix an oil leak: an oil leak is a sign of damage, and the one way to prevent the leak further is to have the damage fixed.

The severity of an oil leak will vary, but more serious leaks such as ones that sprout unexpectedly, a large puddle in a short time frame, mean severe damage, and should not be ignored.

If you do have a serious oil leak, then it’s best to get the vehicle to your mechanic as soon as you can, although driving the vehicle in the event of a serious oil leak is chancy, to put it mildly. You could end up stranded, or you could end up doing serious damage to your vehicle’s engine.

If you need assistance getting your vehicle safely from one place to another, then remember the experts at City Towing, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, servicing the Billings area and beyond. 

The post My Car Leaks Oil When It’s Parked: What Do I Do? What Causes the Leak? appeared first on City Towing.

Do Your Research

Looking online for reviews of auto body shops is a smart first step. Even if you’ve gotten recommendations from friends on where to take your vehicle for repair, it’s wise to check the reviews to see if the majority of customers agree. Look for recent, detailed reviews and keep in mind that even reputable companies will receive an occasional bad review. Your car is a big investment, and likely the way you get just about anywhere you need to go – take the time to choose am auto body repair company that you can trust.

Know Before You Commit

You should receive a signed copy of the written repair estimate for your vehicle. The estimate should clearly describe the condition and repair needs of the vehicle. In addition, it should state what parts will be affected by the repair and the estimated charges for labor. A repair estimate should always state that the repair shop will contact you to approve any additional work that is outside the time or cost estimate provided on your written estimate, and that no additional work will be done without that approval.

What to Expect Afterwards

When you receive the bill for your repair, it should detail all of the work that was done on your vehicle. This includes the parts used and all labor charges. Check your itemized bill for any discrepancies between it and the estimate you received. If there is a difference, make sure you discuss it with the auto body shop and that the issue is resolved to your satisfaction before you pay your bill.

Note any issues that you may experience with your car in the weeks after your repair. If you notice issues that could be related to the repair, like uneven wear on your tires (potentially a result of misaligned suspension), contact the auto body repair shop. A reputable company will offer a warranty and should fix any repair-related issues under that warranty. Of course, you should keep all paperwork, including receipts, related to your repair in case a problem does come up.

Contact us today for all of your auto body repair needs!

The post Top Auto Body Repair Tips for Consumers appeared first on City Towing.

There are a few symptoms that indicate whether your vehicle’s battery has died completely or if it’s operating on less than efficient power. First, when you turn the key nothing electrical works; or, in the case of the headlights, they either don’t work or their brightness is noticeably dim. The other symptoms of battery failure can mirror the symptoms inherent in other components. For instance, if you need to apply pressure to the gas pedal to start the vehicle; the engine turns over but does so slowly; or backfires (A rare symptom).  If you suspect the battery is the culprit then it’s a good idea to try to charge it.

If your vehicle starts then stalls out, or it you hear whirring noises beneath the hood, or if it emits a burning smell, then these symptoms are likely the cause of a faulty alternator. Issues with the alternator should be addressed by your mechanic immediately. The alternator will not self-correct. The alternator could also be the reason why the vehicle’s battery warning light is lit, but unless you have experience working with alternators and batteries then the diagnosis of the problem should always be done by your trusted mechanic.

If you do ever turn over the key and find that your vehicle doesn’t start, or if your vehicle is disabled and needs to be towed, remember to call the first responders at City Towing for help.

The post When You Turn the Key and Nothing Happens… appeared first on City Towing.

When the components degrade with time and wear and tear they tend to breakdown. The breakdown affects the performance of the components. A damaged gasket or seal, or a damaged ring or bad valve could fail to the point that they allow the oil to leak. An oil pan damaged by rough debris could also be the culprit.

One of the reasons to keep to regular maintenance schedules is to lessen the chance that something small, such as a ring or seal, doesn’t cause something catastrophic. Small components are more easily and cheaply replaced than those that are larger and more expensive. When you check the engine oil the color of the oil isn’t always a reliable indicator of whether or not the oil is clean. The best way to manage your vehicle, and to keep it healthy, is to keep it serviced at the intervals specified by your mechanic; synthetic oils have a longer useful lifespan than conventional.

When you notice oil on the floor of your garage or out on your driveway there are a few things to look for—symptoms are not always a reliable indicator, but are a good place to start before you take it to your mechanic. A large puddle that develops in a short time is a cause for immediate concern. If the leak is serious, it’s best to get it to your mechanic as quickly as possible. A light oil leak should still be taken to your mechanic—if it’s at the end of its current oil cycle, your mechanic can change the oil and replace any damaged components at the same time.

If you ever find yourself in need of a professional tow, even if it’s only to take a vehicle from your home to your mechanic’s garage, then remember to call your tow truck operators at City Towing.

The post My Vehicle Leaks Oil! appeared first on City Towing.

And all those months the blades spend seldom used, the sun and dirt/grime stuck to the wiper’s rubber deteriorates the blades to the point of being ineffective. There are symptoms and tell-tale signs when the wipers need to be replaced. Initial performance issues include spots and streaks on the glass. The blade may also squeak or sound scratchy as it goes over the glass. And, when you inspect the blade, you notice that the rubber appears dull or it is worn/torn.

First, determine the type of wiper blade you need. The exact size and the type of wiper should be listed in your owner’s manual, but if you can find it there then check the wiper. Measure the length of the wiper. You will want to replace the old wiper with one of identical size.

Lift up the wiper arm. On the wiper, there should be a joint, made of plastic, and oftentimes there is an arrow indicating to which direction the wiper should be pulled free. Turn the wiper perpendicular to the wiper arm and detach the old wiper blade. Once the wiper blade is detached, you can clean the arm of dirt and grime and then attach the new wiper blade. The new wiper blade should have instructions on the packaging if you need assistance.

Once both wiper blades are in place, try them out. Use windshield cleaning fluid and make sure the wipers clear away the fluid effectively and efficiently.

Routine vehicle maintenance is absolutely important. It’s also important to know who to call for assistance. Remember to keep the phone number of your trusted tow professionals at City Towing in the contacts list in your phone, and remember that City Towing is ready to help twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

The post How to Replace Your Windshield Wiper Blades appeared first on City Towing.

When you discover your buried vehicle, begin by clearing a path around the tires with a snow shovel. Clear away several feet of snow both in front of and behind the vehicle. If there is excessive snow on the ground, it’s likely you’re going to need to rock the vehicle back and forth to get the momentum to reach the driving lane. If you can, also clear out as much accumulated snow as possible beneath the vehicle. Then rock the vehicle back forth to get it clear of the snow. Light pressure on the gas pedal and switching back and forth between drive and reverse, always in control, until the vehicle has enough momentum to get unstuck. It’s tempting to want to floor the gas pedal, give it as much power as possible to unstick the car from the snow, but that extra power won’t help things, and, in some cases, could create a slick of ice on the pavement, making it more difficult to unstick. Momentum is the key.

Hopefully you don’t find yourself stuck or stranded this winter, but if you do remember that City Towing is always ready to help, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

The post What to Do if Your Car is Stuck in Snow appeared first on City Towing.

In certain instances, the best shelter, and likely the only shelter, is inside the vehicle. If your vehicle isn’t smoking and there is any apparent danger to remaining, then stay inside. Other motorists can easily see your vehicle, but they won’t always notice you. This is also true if you are stranded in a parking lot or somewhere where you don’t feel safe. Inside the vehicle with the doors locked is safer than outside the vehicle, pacing.

In the event that you have a breakdown but still have the ability to get the vehicle to the side of the road, pull as far off on the shoulder of the road as possible. Yes, the shoulder is narrow on many Montana highways, but it’s still important to open up as much of that driving lane as possible.

If you do every find yourself stranded (Hopefully you never experience a vehicle breakdown), remember that you have the professional tow services at City Towing to help twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

The post Safest Places to Wait for Roadside Assistance appeared first on City Towing.

There are a few reasons to scrap a broken-down vehicle. If the vehicle has tons of rust throughout the body work. It is possible for a terrific body shop mechanic to restore bits and pieces where rust has taken hold, but it’s unlikely that an older vehicle can be repaired to a quality condition if the rust is extensive. It’s also a good idea to part out the vehicle if the repairs would total more than the value (Both the physical and emotional value—some vehicles have a sentimental value that is beyond the metal, paint, and tires). Then of course there are the more obvious reasons such as that you don’t need or plan to use the vehicle; and, that the structure of the vehicle has deteriorated beyond the scope of any repair.

When you decide to part with the vehicle, it’s a good idea to check throughout that you haven’t left anything behind. Check beneath the seats and in the glove box and any other storage locations. If the vehicle is on your insurance policy then remove it and be prepared to sign over the title of the vehicle.

If your vehicle doesn’t run, but you plan to take it to a body shop to have the work done, then you could easily have it towed between locations.

If you have any questions about the services City Towing offers, or if you are ever in need of assistance (Remember to keep City Towing’s phone number plugged into the contacts on your phone) twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, then call the professional tow services at City Towing.

The post Call City Towing to Tow Junk Cars appeared first on City Towing.