Oakville Auto Repair

Well winter tires have some advantages over sporty summer tires or even all season tires, mainly they remain softer when the temperature dips below 7 Celsius, and in Ontario we are below that after labour day at night until the end of April. back to the topic "whats involved when mounting my winter rims and tires?"  Well at My shop Mark's Auto Service we always perform a courtesy inspection which includes a short road test. Why? This allows us to test for any warning lights, listen for any noises and get a feel for the brakes and handling. Then drive the vehicle into the shop, for a lift on the hoist, here we will remove the summer wheels, visual inspect the brakes, summer tires and record our findings on a tablet DVI digital inspection, then we will inspect the winter tires, the air pressure, check the winter tire balancing on our Hunter Road Force machine and adjust as necessary, then install and torque the wheels to manufacturer Specificat ... read more

Global warming seems to be affecting snow fall year after year, and one would expect that technologies such as front wheel drive, traction control and even four wheel drive would tend to lessen the need for a change of tires. So, do we really need Winter Tires?The answer is YES and believe it or not, more so than ever. One aspect of the motor vehicle which has not really changed over the past year’s, is the contact patch, or the surface area within which our car comes in contact with the road. Even today, the area that each of our wheels comes in touch with the road is not much larger than the size of one of our hands. It really is not much when one thinks about it, and therefore, we want to be able to maximize the traction within this area as much as we can in order to get the most from our tires. The other aspect not often mentioned is temperature, and that our all-season or summer tires become drastically less effective once th ... read more

What happens when your kids grow out of the backseat and into the driver's seat? Who's looking after their vehicles? Results from consumer research recently conducted clearly shows today's youth are neglecting their vehicles. This poses a safety threat to themselves, as well as others on the road. We are facing a generation gap when it comes to vehicle maintenance. Today's driving youth (18 to 24 years) don't know what their cars need and are not taking care of their vehicles. Youth are less likely to change their oil every 5,000 km than more experienced drivers. Many young people (22%) had no idea when to change it at all or wait until the oil light comes on. Only 45% of youth bring their vehicle in for maintenance at least once a year versus 76% of people over 50. 22% never bring it in or only when it breaks down and 34% wait for a warning light or a strange noise. 10% of young drivers reported that they never put air in their tires and an additi ... read more

As temperatures cool across the nation, drivers need to start thinking about winter driving conditions and how to protect themselves and their passengers on the road. While it's important to adjust driving habits to weather conditions, according to Marc Brazeau, President, Automotive Industries Association (AIA) of Canada, the most imperative thing Canadians can do to protect themselves and their loved ones is transition to winter tires. "The idea that all-season tires are as effective as winter tires is a dangerous misconception," said Brazeau. "The design and durability of winter tires improves performance and enhances safety in a variety of road conditions. They're the one and only choice for winter driving." Rubber in all-season tires starts to lose elasticity and harden at around 7°C, significantly reducing the tire's ability to grip the road ... read more

September Means Back to School Driving 7 Car Maintenance Signs Your Teen Needs to Know for a Better, Safer Car SIGN #1 - Car AlignmentPotholes. There are many things that can cause car misalignment. One of these causes is constantly hitting potholes. We all hit them, but if your teen just got access to a car and the car was perfect beforehand, then he/she might need to be told about avoiding potholes. Hitting Curbs. There are also alignment issues from hitting curbs. There aren't many reasons why your teen should be hitting the curb. Perhaps your teen is in need of some more parking lessons. Speed bumps/Railroad Tracks. Another cause of misalignment is going over speed bumps and railroad tracks too fast. Even after many years of being on the road, adults also tend to forget there's a speed bump until it's too late to slow down. You might let that one slip a little except driving too fast is dangero ... read more

Come into Mark's and take advantage of these Spring Tire Rebates now available: MICHELIN - $70.00 Gift Card YOKOHAMA - $40.00-$60.00 Rebate BF GOODRICH - $50.00 Rebate PIRELLI - $40.00-$200.00 HANKOOK - $40.00-$60.00 Call Mark's for Details! 905-844-1111

Keep a watchful eye with arrival of pothole season As the ravages of winter subside and temperatures rise, there is probably a pothole out there with your name on it, cautions Car Care Canada. Cold temperatures, snow and rainfall create the perfect storm for the motorists' dreaded "perils of potholes period." Drivers know immediately when they hit a pothole. The heart-stopping, teeth-jarring noise is hard to mistake. However, it's not always immediately clear if hitting the pothole caused damage to the vehicle, and to what extent. Hitting a pothole can damage tires, wheels, steering and suspension, wheel alignment and more. Car Care Canada recommends that motorists who experience any of the following warning signs after hitting a pothole should have a professional technician at their local repair shop inspect the vehicle: Loss of control, swaying when making routine turns, bottoming-out on city streets or bouncing excessively on rough road ... read more

Some insurance companies are offering discounts for using Winter Tires - Ask Yours!Mark's Auto Service offers these great services:The facts about winter tires and why all-season tires just won't do. Ever since the introduction of the all-season tire, Canadian drivers have slid and spun their tires through the coldest months of the year. Here's the kicker: it doesn't seem to matter whether there's snow on the ground or not. Unlike all-season tires, winter tires (identified by mountain and snowflake symbols on their sides) have tread patterns and softer rubber compounds that are tailored for colder conditions. And that helps them perform better once temperatures plummet, whether or not they have to dig through the white stuff. All-season tires can turn into four round black rocks when the cold hits. Even on dry pavement, this starts at about 7c. So have them installed at Mark's anytime after Labour Day. Don't wait until November ... read more

Toronto Star Wheels Saturday, October 30, 2010. Now is the time to buy winter tires. Not tomorrow, not next week and certainly not next month. The reason for this is that by mid-November, there will be nary a winter tire in the manufacturers’ warehouses. All of the 2010 winter tires will be at dealers and tire distributors. The racks will be empty waiting for next spring’s tires to start trickling in. For the consumer, that means choices in brands and haggling ability over price diminish as the clock ticks. This is especially true if you have a size that is not common. By mid-November, the tire dealer will be telling you what brand you can have and what price you will pay. When you start shopping for winter tires, arm yourself with some basic information. Start by knowing what your tire size, speed rating and load index numbers are. READ MORE

Mark's Auto Service now offers environmentally friendly, Remolded Tires!THE REMOLDING PROCESS Remolded tires use a European technology that was developed about 15 years ago for remolding airliner tires, which is comparable to that used for manufacturing first-generation tires. These tires are top quality ecological tires that have been made new again, often surpassing the durability of new tires — at a lower cost. These tires can be driven at the same speeds, including highway and Interstate speeds, as new tires, with no loss in safety or comfort. Virtually all of the world's airlines use recycled tires. These tires are used on school buses, racing cars, taxis, SUV, trucks, military and federal, provincial, municipal vehicles. These users all know that remolded tires can be depended upon for safe and dependable performance.They are also approved and meet the very stringent demands of the D.O.T. They will stand up t ... read more