Colorado Springs Auto Repair

Brian was in the market to buy a used car, and he had his eyes on a Subaru Outback for sale here in the Colorado Springs area. However, he is a smart consumer who knows his rights as a pre-owned vehicle buyer. Brian wanted to get the Subaru properly inspected by a professional automotive shop—a neutral third-party expert—before he committed to purchasing the vehicle. He wanted it done while he was in town looking at the SUV, so he called LightHouse Automotive. "I was looking for a place that could give my potentially future Subaru Outback a pre-purchase inspection on short notice," Brian says. "I was thankful LightHouse was able to squeeze me in SAME DAY!!" If you are thinking about buying a used car, it's always a good idea to have a pre-purchase ... read more

There are some people who like to get a new vehicle every few years, whether they are on dealer lease programs or they trade-in and purchase a new or used car. Then, there are those of us who buy a vehicle and want to drive as long as it will keep running. We are proud when that odometer rolls over past 100,000 miles and maybe even 200,000 or 300,000 after many years of dependable driving.  Sometimes, you can get really lucky with a vehicle that lasts a long time. However, the best way to ensure that a car lives a long and healthy life is by performing proper preventative maintenance and taking care of minor problems before they turn into major repair jobs.  Here are 10 tips to extend the lifespan of your car, according to the Colorado Springs auto repair team at LightHouse Automotive: 1. Change the Oil This is the most common and most important preventative maintenance procedur ... read more

Because of today's manufacturing standards, a lot of auto manufacturers will leave plenty of room for improvement with most cars that roll off an assembly line. They use affordable, standardized parts to fit a large quantity of mass-produced automobiles. They aren't concerned about maximizing each vehicle's performance, especially when it comes to torque and horsepower. This is why many vehicle owners opt to install aftermarket exhaust systems. It's one of the best way to boost horsepower, torque and other performance factors. In addition, a custom exhaust designed specifically for your car and your engine can improve things even more than a bolt-on kit. Here are 7 reasons why you should consider installing a custom exhaust system, according to the Colorado Springs auto repair experts (and custom exhaust specialists) at ... read more

Edmund appreciates having a local mechanic in Colorado Springs that he can trust. He recently visited LightHouse Automotive for some auto repairs, and he was nice enough to share his feedback in a Google review. "Great service that you most definitely wouldn't see at any standard mechanic," Edmund writes. "LightHouse Automotive is the best mechanic I've been to since living here in Colorado Springs. They actually talk to you about what is wrong with your vehicle—about things other than how much it is going to cost." The most important thing to us at LightHouse Automotive is making sure our customers understand exactly what is going on with their vehicles. We listen to their concerns when they bring in their cars, trucks or SUVs. Then, we'll perform a thorough m ... read more

When people do their own vehicle maintenance at home, the engine air filter is often one of the most overlooked items. It's easy to remember changing the oil and oil filter or rotating the tires based on specific mileage driven, but the air filter isn't quite as memorable because its need for maintenance will fluctuate. However, it serves a very important function and it needs to be replaced periodically. When to Change Your Air Filter How often you should change your air filter can vary depending on a number of things. The general rule of thumb is somewhere between every 15,000 and 30,000 miles. How you drive the vehicle, the air quality where you drive, the age of your vehicle and several other factors can play into how much work your air filter has to do. It's a good idea to check it any time you are changing the oil or getting other maintenance done. Once it gets too dirty ... read more

Rotating the tires on your car may seem like a silly maintenance task that you have to do every once in awhile. However, it actually makes a big difference in how long your tires will last and how well they will perform. Without rotating your tires periodically, you will find that one or more of them will wear out more quickly than the others. It ends being a lot more costly when it comes time to replace them because changing out one tire a time is definitely more expensive than buying a whole set and having them installed at the same time. How Often Should I Rotate My Tires? Most mechanics will tell you that tire rotation should be done every 5,000-6,000 miles. Some may even push that number to 10,000. At LightHouse Automotive, our general rule of thumb is to coordinate tire ... read more

Jasper recently visited LightHouse Automotive in Colorado Springs to get some work done on his car. This was the first time he had been to our shop, and he walked away very happy according to his Google review. "I'd give this repair shop a big fat 10 stars!!!!" Jasper wrote. "They worked with me in every way they could, which was very, very helpful. Got my car fixed as fast as they could and it's been running great." One issue that Jasper did run into was coordinating his personal schedule with our business hours. At LightHouse Automotive, we understand that our customers live busy lives. They don't always have time to deal with auto repairs because of work, family a ... read more

Sometimes you might hear the terms “powertrain,” “drivetrain” and “driveline” used interchangeably. They are all very much related, but there are important differences between these automotive terms. Everyone knows about the engine and the transmission, and most people have at least a basic understanding of how those work. The engine supplies power and the transmission controls the power as it is sent out to the wheels. The driveline is often the most misunderstood part of this equation. It is ultimately what transfers that torque from the transmission to the drive wheels when the vehicle is in motion. The first thing we want to look at is the differences between the terms powertrain, drivetrain and driveline. One way to think about is like a Russian nesting doll. Each term describes components that are part of the previous t ... read more

It can be really disheartening when you try to turn on your car in the morning and it is struggling to start. You never want to have that feeling that you are going to be stranded somewhere because of a dead battery.  Winter Battery Concerns Though there are numerous reasons why your car may be struggling to start (spark plugs, alternator, engine problems, cooling system problems, starter, etc.), a weak battery is one of the most common issues. Especially during cold winter months, the battery is put through a lot of extra strain. It gets really cold when the vehicle isn't running for awhile, and that causes it to lose its charge faster.  Keeping Your Car Battery Healthy You need a healthy battery to make the car run and to control all your electronic components. You may notice that your headlights or interior lights are startin ... read more

Kari needed new brake pads and rotors on her car and she was in a pinch. She needed the work done as soon as possible. After calling around, LightHouse Automotive was the only shop in Colorado Springs willing to get her in the shop that day for her brake repairs. “I had called several places and he was able to work me into the schedule,” Kari says. “None of the other shops I called were willing to work with me and they said I’d have to leave it. Rylan [Blair, owner] took the time to inspect our car and get it done!” At LightHouse Automotive, we do our best to work around our customers' busy schedules. Emergency repairs can be tough, especially because we never know what issues we’ll find when we inspect the vehicle. Kari’s ... read more