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Busted: The Maintenance-Free Myth in Colorado Springs

Busted: The Maintenance-Free Myth in Colorado Springs

There's a segment of the Colorado Springs area population that's not committed to proper vehicle maintenance. Now, the ignition system in your vehicle is electronic and controlled by the engine management computer. Spark plugs rarely get fouled and will last for as much as 100,000 miles (160,000 kilometers). So tune-ups used to force you in to Lighthouse Automotive for service, and while you were there you just took care of whatever else was on the list.Also, in recent years, a large percentage of new vehicles in Colorado Springs have been leased. These folks plan on turning the vehicle in after two or three years, so they haven't focused on the maintenance that helps a vehicle last longer.Given all that, what's the benefit to keeping up with factory scheduled maintenance? Well, your vehicle will perform better and return better fuel economy.Those benefits pay for themselves as they go along. The big plus is that majo ... read more

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Maintenance

Keeping Your Colorado Springs Air Fresh When Driving With a Clean Cabin Air Filter

Pop quiz: What is a cabin air filter? A. A filter for your Colorado Springs house?B. A fresh, piney scent?C. A filter for the passenger compartment of your car? Clever you, it's C.A cabin air filter cleans the outside air before it comes into the passenger compartment of your vehicle. It filters out common Colorado air particles like dust, pollen, spores, bacteria, pollutants, exhaust gas, odors and even sparrows.These high tech filters can block particles larger than 3 microns. By contrast, a grain of sand is about 200 microns.Not all Colorado Springs vehicles have cabin air filters. They are fairly new on the scene in Colorado. Last check, about 40 percent of new vehicles sold in Colorado Springs come with cabin air filters, but the number is growing every year. Cabin air filters make driving a lot more pleasant for people in Colorado Springs. Your vehicle can be a haven during our Colorado allergy season with very little dust and pollen getting into the cabin. Of course ... read more

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Cabin Air Filter

Getting New Tires in Colorado Springs?

There are so many tire choices in the Colorado Springs area that selecting the right one can be a bit overwhelming for drivers. And even though it's kind of fun to have new tires on your vehicle, they're a significant investment for most Colorado Springs area folks so you want do it right.Tip: talk with your friendly and knowledgeable Lighthouse Automotive tire professional. He'll help you sort through the choices.Here are some of the issues you'll talk about: One is size – you know, all those numbers on the side of the tire. The right size is . All new vehicles are required to have stability control which, along with other important safety systems, is calibrated to work with specific tire sizes. Your Colorado Springs tire professional can help stay within manufacturer's specifications or program a different tire size into your vehicle's computer.And you'll want to discuss how and where you drive to determine the type of tire you need: summer, wi ... read more

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Tires and Wheels

Tire Rotation and Balancing at Lighthouse Automotive in Colorado Springs

Tires do a lot of work for Colorado Springs drivers. They transfer engine power and braking forces to the road; they handle steering control; and they cushion all those bumps and jolts while driving around Colorado Springs. They also support the entire weight of the vehicle, including you and your passengers. With such important work to do, you want your tires to do their job well. And since replacing tires is fairly pricey, you want them to last as long as possible. There are three keys to long, even tire wear for Colorado Springs driving: Proper tire inflation Proper wheel alignment Regular tire rotation and balancing The front tires on a car take the brunt of the steering forces. As they push through turns, the shoulders of the front tires wear down more quickly than the rear tires. Rotating front and rear tires allows them to all wear at about the same rate. That's especially true of front-wheel-drive vehicles whose front tires steer and put the pow ... read more

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Tires and Wheels

Colorado Springs Drivers: Get Fresh Air Inside Your Car

Let's talk about air quality in Colorado Springs. It's a global issue, but affects us wherever we are. Many decades ago, Colorado Springs drivers began to become aware of how air pollution negatively affects health. But what about the air inside your vehicle?Now, it's only been in the last few years that cabin air filters have become common in Colorado Springs. You can look in your owner's manual to see if you have one. If you do, there'll be a recommendation for replacing it when it gets dirty. If you live in an area of Colorado where there's a lot of dust, pollen or pollution, you may need to change it more often.You can also ask your friendly and knowledgeable service advisor at Lighthouse Automotive in Colorado Springs. How hard is it to change an air filter on a car? It depends on your vehicle. Some are quite accessible; others take some doing to get to them. They're usually in the engine compartment or under the dashboard.Because cabin air filters are so new on t ... read more

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Cabin Air Filter

Can Car Scent Keep You Safe on Colorado Roads?

Here's a travel tip that'll I'll bet you didn't know, and it might keep you safer...The average American commuter in Colorado spends two and a half hours daily in their vehicle.The government says 100,000 auto accidents yearly are caused by drivers who fall asleep at the wheel. (Aggressive driving is the number one traffic safety concern.)So what does this have to do with how your vehicle smells while you're driving around Colorado Springs?Well, which scent did you think makes drivers more alert? Is it: A. Strawberry B. New Car C. Pine D. Warm Vanilla Breeze It's C. Drivers are more alert and have less fatigue with pine scent in the vehicle, according to AroMetrics.And, drivers were less angry with overall improved driving performance with strawberry and pine scents.And you thought they just smelled nice. Lighthouse Automotive2499 East Platte AveColorado Springs, Colorado 8090971

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Automotive News

Alternative Fuel Vehicles in Colorado Springs, Colorado

Let's talk about alternative fuel vehicles. In their quest to reduce the use of fossil fuels and harmful exhaust emissions in our Colorado environment, automakers will have a number of alternatives for Colorado Springs drivers very soon.For instance, Flex Fuel vehicles are already available in the Colorado Springs area. Flex Fuel vehicles can run on gasoline or on E85 fuel. E85 is a mixture of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline. The ethanol is made from corn. The benefits to Colorado Springs drivers are in using less petroleum and reduced pollution. The drawbacks are that E85 gets lower gas mileage and when gas prices are low, E85 can be more than straight gasoline.Colorado Springs drivers should only use E85 if they have a Flex Fuel compatible engine. Flex Fuel vehicles have special seals and gaskets that can stand up to the high alcohol content of E85. Using E85 in a regular engine can lead to gas leaks and fires.Diesel engines ... read more

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Fuel System

Hitting The Brakes In Colorado Springs

Hitting The Brakes In Colorado Springs

  Hello Colorado Springs, let's talk about brakes. But the mechanical aspects of the brakes themselves are just one issue. There's also the power brake pump and brake fluid. And then there are the tires, which are critical to the effectiveness of the brakes.Let's step back. A new vehicle or truck rolls off a local Colorado Springs showroom floor. It has brand new brakes with brand new brake pads. The brake lines and pump are filled with fresh fluid and are completely clean inside. And the tires are brand new, with full tread. It is ready to go.Naturally, braking power is at its peak performance. Now the miles/kilometers start to add up on the vehicle. Colorado Springs drivers tend to focus on the brake pads. In the automotive business, the pads and shoes on drum brakes are called the friction material. That's because they provide the friction used to stop the vehicle. The pads are designed to be effective throughout their useful life – it's not until they are worn so thin a ... read more

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Brakes

Lighthouse Automotive: Why Replace Your Engine Air Filter?

Lighthouse Automotive: Why Replace Your Engine Air Filter?

Just as our bodies need clean air to function properly, your vehicle engine needs clean air to operate efficiently. Let's go egghead for a minute. For every gallon of gas we burn driving on Colorado Springs streets, 20 pounds of carbon dioxide comes out the tailpipe. Question: how can a gallon of gas that weighs a little over six pounds produce 20 pounds of carbon dioxide?The answer is that the carbon comes from the gasoline, but the oxygen comes from the air. You see, it takes about 12,000 gallons of air to burn a gallon of gas in your engine. Clearly, your vehicle needs a lot of air to keep going in Colorado Springs. A lot of clean air is best. You've seen the pictures of people in Japan wearing face masks. They want some kind of filter to keep unwanted pollution and germs out of their lungs. Well, your vehicle also works better when its internals are clean. When your vehicle ... read more

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Maintenance

Nighttime Visibility in Colorado Springs

There are a number of factors that contribute to the high nighttime accident rate in the Colorado Springs area, things like drowsy driving and a higher rate of impaired driving. Without a doubt, visibility is a major contributor. Let's focus on visibility…It's said that 90 percent of our driving decisions are based on what we see. Nighttime driving has the effect of reducing 20/20 vision to the equivalent of 20/50 vision. What you could clearly see at 50 feet in daylight can't be seen until you are just 20 feet away at night.Too make sure your headlights are giving you the greatest visibility, visit us at Lighthouse Automotive, located at 2499 East Platte Ave, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80909. Please give us a call to make an appointment: 719.634.0005.Accident avoidance is dependent on reaction time. Reaction time deteriorates measurably in low light conditions. One thing we can do to improve visibility is to make sure our headlights are as ... read more

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Headlamps
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