FALCONER AUTO REPAIR

It happens all the time on Falconer streets and in parking lots. A driver hits another vehicle at slow speed. The damage is minimal. Nobody is hurt. So the drivers exchange insurance information and agree to leave it at that. Why call law enforcement for something so minor? There are actually several vital reasons. Why You Should Get A Police Report If You Are In A Fender-Bender 1. The other driver may sue you for damage you didn't cause. 2. You want a police officer to document the fender-bender. 3. You might need a police report to file an insurance claim. 4. An injury might not manifest until days later, and you will need the report. 5. The other driver and any witnesses may change their story in the days ahead. You want documentation to establish the facts—especially if you weren't at fault. What I ... read more

If you’re sick and need medical care, I’m guessing you don’t just randomly find any doctor to help you. You probably do your research, get advice from friends and family, read reviews, and make sure that the doctor is trusted and qualified to help you with your condition. Do you do the same for your car? Of course, your health and wellness is significantly more important than your auto, but cars also need specialized services to run well and avoid avoidable repairs. Today we’ll give you a few tips on how to choose the right auto repair shop for your vehicle. Consult Experts First we’ll start with qualifications and experience. This is essential when looking for someone to service your car. Sorry t ... read more

Are you old enough to remember what it was like to look for a car before the internet significantly upgraded shopping for, well, everything? If you wanted to buy a vehicle from a private seller, there was really only the newspaper. There had to be a better way. Now, every major automaker has a website dedicated to their vehicles. On these and other websites you can do all the searching, researching, and comparing right from the comfort of your home. This allows car shoppers to buy a lot of information before acquiring an automobile. Another considerable way the world wide web has impacted car buying is on prices. Now it is easier for customers to search their local dealerships for the particular car they want, and then compare the costs. This is prompting dealers to be more competitive than they’ve ever been. If you’re looking to ... read more

Many of us have grudgingly accepted the fact that Siri and Google know more about us than our moms. But how many drivers know that their daily driver is silently recording information? Almost every vehicle built in the last 15 years has an Event Data Recorder (EDR). The device is similar to the "Black Box" on an airplane. They are not quite as sophisticated as those used in aviation, but they are getting smarter all the time. EDRs record a plethora of data: speed, angle of steering, braking action, rate of acceleration, airbag deployment, number and location of passengers, and seatbelt use (or lack thereof). There are benefits and disadvantages to EDRs and the telematics they use to transmit information. ProsEDR data can help crash first responders make better medical transport ... read more

When it comes to increasing fuel economy, hypermilers have made it a lifestyle. While some of their methods are extreme by most peoples' standards, car owners seeking to spend less at the pump can learn a lot from them. Hypermiling is a term coined by fuel-efficient driving World Record holder Wayne Gerdes, a man who can squeeze an unheard-of number of miles out of tank of gas. Here are some of the fuel economy tips you can use to increase your fuel economy. Regular Maintenance Even a dirty air filter can decrease fuel economy. Your technician at I-86 Truck & Auto Repair can help you set up a schedule for oil changes, air filter replacement, spark plugs, and other recommended services that will not only boost fuel efficiency ... read more

For entirely different reasons, both teen drivers and senior motorists are involved in more accidents than the drivers in between these age groups. Today's message offers safety tips for veteran motorists (we address teens in another post), many of whom have mental and physical challenges that can influence driving ability. 1. Test Your Vision Regularly Our vision can deteriorate as we age due to conditions such as cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration. First off, always wear your prescription eyeglasses or contacts when you are on the road. If you experience a decrease in vision, see your optometrist or ophthalmologist. Many veteran drivers can see well in daylight hours but struggle after sundown. If this is the case for you, it may be time to restrict all driving to daytime. 2. Test Your Hearing Regula ... read more

The home remodeling trend seems to get bigger and bigger each year, as is evidenced by the growing number of magazines, television shows and even entire networks devoted to the subject. But not everyone has tens of thousands of dollars to throw down on an open concept kitchen, no matter how easy and affordable the shows make it appear. That doesn't mean that you can't get artistic with other spaces in your life. If you are itching to stamp your personal style onto a prized possession, look no further than your car. There are numerous products that allow you to customize your ride at very little cost. Seat Covers A great way to add color and texture to the interior of your automobile is with seat covers. You can find a large assortment of prints and colors no matter the type of seat you need it for. Seat covers can al ... read more

Strange accidents transpire in real life, while other "accidents" are carefully set up by insurance scammers. Read the following stories and guess which claims were deemed legit and covered by the insurers and which auto owners were charged with insurance fraud. The answers are given at the end of the article. 1. A butcher driving his delivery truck claims that he crashed into a bevy of turkeys and one of the birds flew through his window causing him to drive off the road.1 2. Two women approach an intersection from opposite sides but neither stops and they crash in the middle. Each motorist maintains that she had the green light. Initially, the auto insurance company refuses to pay because there was no proof of who was at fault. Months after the e ... read more

At I-86 Truck & Auto Repair, we pride ourselves on both our technical ability and our dedication to customer service. We are frequently reminded, however, that our relationship with each of our valued customers is reciprocal. Some of our customers make things easier for both of us by understanding some fundamentals. Here are 3 critical things you should know about car repair.  By understanding these, you can help us provide timely service and ensure a favorable experience when you bring in your car for repair or maintenance. 1. Help Us Help You By Giving Us All The Details "It makes a weird noise" is pretty ambiguous. If you give us all the other particulars, it helps us diagnose the problem quicker. Where is the ... read more

When you were in school and learned about Henry Ford and the assembly line, were you taught about Bertha Benz's momentous contributions to the birth of the automobile, and, by extension, life on planet earth as we know it? I didn't think so. So to rectify the historical shortchanging of an intrepid female trailblazer, today we will highlight Bertha Benz. Behind Every Great Man... Bertha's husband, as you probably presumed, was Karl Benz. He patented what many consider to be the first motor car in 1888. (There were earlier steam-powered wagons.)  At that time, it isn't apparent that Karl had envisioned the contraption being used for private personal transport. Karl would also have been forgotten by history without his wife, Bertha, who financed his ventures, encouraged his endea ... read more