San Diego Auto Repair

The answer to this question relies heavily on your priorities. Automatic transmission cars cost more, are more expensive to maintain and use slightly more gasoline. If your budget is number one on the list, then a car with a manual transmission is your best bet. In addition, if you're concerned with the handling aspect of your driving experience, manual transmissions generally give the driver more of a sense of control. Automatic transmission vehicles, on the other hand, require quite a bit less finesse when driving the car. Since the vehicle itself is changing gears at the appropriate speed, you don't have to keep a constant eye on the tachometer to be ready to switch gears when the RPM's go up or down to a certain level. Because most consumers value convenience over cost in the United States, the great majority of new cars are equipped with automatic transmissions. Let's face it, multi-tasking has become a way of life in America. How can you drive while talking on your Blueto ... read more

If your car has been parked for several days, and, when you move it, you notice fresh drops or a puddle of fluid in your garage or on your driveway, you could be losing transmission fluid. Most cars have several different types of fluids, so it's important to try and determine where the leak is coming from. One way to determine whether or not your car is leaking transmission fluid is to place some newspaper, a large sheet of aluminum foil, or a clean piece of cardboard under your car when it's parked for the night. If the drips and stains that you're seeing are reddish, pink, or light brown in color and appear to be coming more from the center of the car, it's often a sign that there's a problem with the car's transmission. Transmission fluid is slick like motor oil, and often smells like burnt petroleum, especially as it ages. In most cases, the cause of the leak is due to: Leak in the transmission pan Damaged fluid lines or pan gasket Faulty torque converter ... read more