Posted on 03 October 2018
Struts inevitably wear out, and when they do, it becomes a danger to you and your passengers New struts enable your vehicle to stop as much swiftly, as much as 10 feet's worth The suspension system comprises of wheels, tires, shocks absorbers, springs, and every other part that forms a connection between the car body and the tires. it is necessary to maintain your suspension system some of the most important parts of the suspension system: springs, Dampers/Shock Absorbers, struts, Roll Bars/Anti-sway Springs - one of the most important parts of the suspensions system. In most cars the springs are usually made up of steel because of its incredible elasticity. A spring is the only part of the suspension designed to last a lifetime and is the only thing that needs little or no maintenance. However, it is better to get it checked after some time Dampers or shock absorbers - mechanical components that are designed to limit the oscillat ... read more
Posted on 26 February 2018
Internal combustion engines depend heavily on robust car batteries, which are still as much of a necessity for a vehicle as they were 80 years ago. Modern day car batteries last longer, need less maintenance and malfunction less frequently. Any battery that goes through multiple charge/discharge cycles (like the battery in your laptop or phone) will begin to weaken and degrade with time. Car battery life can be extended for years. If your battery isn’t at least 2-3 years old, and it seems to have failed, then it might be that it’s not actually dead. Car batteries can lose their charge occasionally, if you don’t drive for a long time, since shorter drives can lead to earlier corrosion and crystalline deposits on the negative terminal of your battery. Cold weather can also be a factor, since most car batteries are less capable of maintaining their charge in these conditions. At a temperature of 20 degrees, a battery can only deliver about 50-60 percent of ... read more
Posted on 06 February 2018
It's that time of the year, when we're all eagerly waiting for our tax refund. The wise among us, once it arrives in the mail, will choose to invest it. The not-so-wise will splurge on frivolous things and then look back shaking their heads with regret (we've all been there). So here's a great place for you to consider allocating your refund dollars for reaping long-term dividends, according to the Car Care Council: your car. By putting your refund towards auto maintenance, however un-sexy as it may be, you will enjoy a better performing car with a longer lifespan, save gas money, and push the major blow to your wallet that is having to purchase a new car further down the road ... read more
Posted on 19 January 2018
As you know, Winter's off to a rough start in 2017/18 and we're not out of the woods yet. With the bomb cyclone (hopefully) behind us, and who knows what else ahead of us, we want to share six valuable tips for our readers to employ in avoiding roadside emergencies this, and any other, Winter. They are as follows: To decrease the odds of moisture forming in the gas lines and potentially freezing, keep your gas tank at least half full. Because tires are prone to losing pressure in cold temperatures, vigilantly check/monitor your tire pressure. Cold weather can obviously forces you to drive with the windows closed. This makes carbon monoxide leaks that much more dangerous. So have your exhaust system checked for carbon monoxide leaks. Freezing temperatures make oil in your engine & transmission longer to circulate, so take longer than usual to warm up the car. Low-viscosity oil flows more easily in cold, so change to it during Win ... read more
Posted on 17 January 2018
Winterizing your car, so it can handle the strain of severe weather that Winter brings, should not be viewed as optional, but rather mandatory. Especially here in the Northeast. Severe winter weather, brings a unique set of challenges for your vehicle that aren’t the case other times of the year. And these issues need attending to in order to have your car properly handle the road conditions of winter. Emergency breakdowns failed batteries exacerbated brake problems tires not gripping slick roads thickened oil preventing car from starting increased risk of windows cracking moisture forming in the gas lines and possibly freezing car is running but you can’t clear your wind-shield sufficiently b ... read more
Posted on 01 August 2017
At MINHS, we may be an auto repair shop in Park Slope Brooklyn (specializing in European cars), but we're a repair shop that's been serving this neighborhood for over 25 years. And as such, we have a wealth of knowledge about this amazing community which is going to be very valuable for readers of our blog -- whether you're a resident, thinking about moving here, or just planning a visit. So we've decided to share our intimate knowledge of the community we call home with our readers, as a change of pace from just auto-related content, and as yet another way to be helpful to our Brooklyn residents beyond keeping their cars in peak condition. Included in this guide will be a lot of amazing local businesses, as we encourage you to always support small local businesses. So without further ado, we present the MINHS Automotive guide to Park Slope Brooklyn. Restaurants BRUNCH: Cafe Dada, 57 7th Ave. COFFEE: Café Reg ... read more
Posted on 25 July 2017
Objective / Main message No need to scroll to the bottom to get the point of this article; let me provide it up front to get it out of the way right now, before we go into the "why." It is as follows: don't take your car to the nearest shop, take it to one which has experience & specialization in your particular make and model. This is actually the most convenient and prudent thing to do in the long run for the well-being of your investment in a powerfully engineered European car. Transition in/hook To understand why this is so important for you as an owner of a European car, let me provide one of the best stories that illustrate this point. Going to the nearest auto repair shop in Brooklyn is a trap too many car owners in the borough succumb to, because of the false sense sense that this is the most convenient route. Why drive an extra 15 minutes to a shop when there's o ... read more