Torrance Area Auto Repair

Happy April, and we welcome you to Walt's Auto Service monthly blog. This month is National Car Care Month, and we care about you and your car. Your vehicle is a significant investment, and you want to keep it running in peak condition to keep you on the road for many years ahead. Spring is upon us. Bring your car down to Walt's Auto Service and prep your vehicle for those upcoming spring and summer road trips you have been dreaming about. When we think about National Car Care month, what do we think about? We think about enjoying our whip on our awesome road trip, taking basic maintenance, oil changes, tire rotations, and random checkups under the hood for granted because your trusted auto repair technicians at Walt’s Auto Service are on your team. Why do we do these regular service checkups? Because our whip needs to roll, so we can cruise to the car shows.   Maintaining your vehicle:  Take a look at all the cars around you; they all need regular mainte ... read more

      Why would I change my Air Filter? Spring is just around the corner, so now, more than ever, would be the perfect time to get going with some timely maintenance on your vehicle. Begin by replacing your air filters and your engine filter.  Make sure you check these items off your list before dust, dirt, and pollen become too much of a problem for your filters to manage, causing your car to slow down and the quality of your inside air to diminish. Let the professionals at Walt's Auto Service take care of your needs.   What are the main types of Air Filters? Two main types of air filters are installed in modern vehicles. The first is the cabin air filter, usually located under the dashboard or in the glove compartment. Replace them regularly to prevent pollen, dust, dirt, and other pollutants from entering the vents into the car, causing unpleasant odors or inhibiting your breathing. The engine air filter is the other important one to consider ... read more

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. With so much love and appreciation in the air, what is a better time to express similar affection for your car?  With substantial rain storms creating major flooding and hazardous conditions on our roadways and one major storm after the other keeping us on high alert, what was the unexpected has become the current norm. Keeping that in mind, your car may need a little extra tender loving care, especially if you didn’t take our recommended New Year’s resolutions for Auto Preventative Maintenance to heart. On the other hand, if you’ve made a romantic reservation this Valentine’s Day, don’t you and your date deserve to arrive in style and safety? We think so too!   Empty out your car and give it a wash Odds are the outside of your car has been deluged with torrential rain, covered in debris bought about by these storms with sticks, leaves, and dirt, and for those drivers in more mountainous areas ... read more

  We all want to save money and kick off the new year right. At Walt's Auto service, we want to share 12 maintenance tips that will save you money in our January blog. Who knows, perhaps you will save enough to take your family on a mini vacation road trip this summer!   Spare Tire Check We often take our tires for granted and just hop into our cars and drive from point A to point B. How often do you actually think of your tires? Now, when was the last time you thought about that spare tire in your trunk or mounted under your vehicle? Even less, right? Well, imagine finding yourself on the side of the road needing that tire, and it is flat. YIKES! Now you have to call a tow truck, spend a ½ day waiting around, and it might just cost hundreds of dollars on top of that. You might be thinking, hmmm, I better check my spare tire next time I hit the gas station, and yes, we encourage you to check all of your tires regularly, even though we hope to never need it; you ... read more

    The winter season is here, and it is time to wax our skis and snowboards and plan for our snow day adventures in some of the best southern California ski resorts! When we look forward to snow adventures and planning our trip, it is easy to forget to schedule a check-up on our vehicle to make sure we make it there and back again safely. So remember to schedule your vehicle check-up at Walt’s Auto Service, and we will help you feel confident in your adventures.   Are you ready for fun in the snow? We sure are, and the drive is not as far as you might think!   Bear Mountain Bear Mountain is an excellent place to learn how to ski or snowboard. With 27 fantastic trails on the slope and only 2 hours from Los Angeles, this snow adventure with an elevation drop of 1,700 feet and 8,800-foot peaks, you are sure to get some good runs no matter your skill level.   Snow Summit With over 18 miles of skiing, S ... read more

When is the best time to buy a car? Fall and Winter!   If you are in the market for a new car but don’t want to break the bank, you will want to read this blog. If you are ready to buy a new car, it pays to know the best time of year to make that purchase. When you time it just right, you can save big bucks, especially if you are not picky about upgrades or colors.    First tip: Being flexible with a vehicle’s features can give you the most bang for your buck because you can purchase the car already on the lot and ready to go. Dealerships are more flexible in negotiating prices with a car they already own and can sell on the spot.    With all the sales advertised, from holiday discounts to year-end deals, it makes you wonder when is the best time to buy a new car. Whether you are looking to upgrade or if your reliable old car is on its last leg if you, follow these guidelines to find the best deal possible.   What are the signs that you ... read more

  What is the difference between an oil change and an oil change service?   Offering a fast 20-minute oil change sounds excellent to the busy family; however, it is overall a disservice to both vehicle and customer alike.   Here at Walt’s Auto Service, we believe not including a vehicle inspection with an oil change is risky for our customers. Imagine leaving an auto repair shop after your oil change just to have your serpentine belt break. What customer would not prefer, even expect an auto repair shop to inspect their car while it is already in the shop than find themselves broken down after leaving the parking lot of our auto repair shop?   As expert auto mechanics and auto technicians in the South Bay area, including Torrance, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, Manhattan Beach, Palos Verdes, Hawthorne, Carson, and Gardena, we see the value of vehicle inspections at every service, no matter the age of your car. We provide oil services to your car for your ... read more

When gorgeous leaves begin to fall, they collect on the roadway, become wet and soggy, and can get highly slippery; this can cause driving conditions similar to ice driving. On the rare occasion when the temperatures drop below freezing, wet leaves will also freeze and turn into dangerous slippery leaves on the roadway. Not only does this reduce the car's traction, potentially causing skidding or losing control of your vehicle, leaves often disguise the painted road markings, making it more challenging to know the locations of the lanes. Here are some tips to increase your safety this fall Drive slowly if you are driving on a road covered that is with leaves, especially when driving around turns. Always allow yourself plenty of room to stop in case of an emergency. When you keep a greater distance between you and the car in front of you, you keep everyone safer. A pile of leaves can make it difficult to see potholes and bumps in the road. Children love to jump into piles of le ... read more

  Summertime is here, and so is the heat. At Walt’s Auto Service, we care about you and your car, which is why we want to share summertime auto maintenance tips, so check out what you can do to extend the life of your vehicle.   Inspect the AC AC and summertime in California are synonymous. When the summertime heat hits, we want our AC system working without a struggle, so testing it is an important step in keeping ahead of the curve.  When you turn on your ac and have hot air blowing, it could mean that you need a Freon charge. This is the refrigerant your system is pressurized with. Topping off your system can be the boost you need; however, there could also be something else going on with your AC system that one of our trusty ASE-certified auto mechanics can diagnose and repair.   Check your tires' air pressure  After a long winter, wintertime wear and tear is likely on your tires. Be sure to check your air pressure and check for signs of i ... read more

  How many people in your inner circle know CPR? Do you know? It’s been researched and discovered that, sadly, 70 percent of Americans feel helpless to act during a cardiac emergency. This feeling of helplessness is due to improper training or a complete lack of it. This alarming statistic hit’s very close to home- “because home is where 88 percent of cardiac arrests occur.” - CPR.BLOG. Our team at Walt’s Auto Service wants to highlight an event dedicated to changing this significant and deadly statistic for the better. Our shop and crew are close to this organization because its founder is one of our employees’ sons, which we will get to later. Introducing the Heartshield Project. “The Heartshield Project is a non-profit organization with a mission to save lives through education about Sudden Cardiac Arrest, SCA, its risk factors ... read more