Archives for August 2015

So you love your job, and your family life is great. Congratulations! You have achieved balance. But can you say the same for your wheels? Eagle Lake car owners can tell if their tires are out of balance by vibrations at higher speeds on MN interstates. If one of the front tires is out, you feel the vibration in the steering wheel. If it’s a back tire, you’ll feel the vibration in your seat.

Tires and wheels are pretty heavy. When a tire is mounted on a wheel at Hughes Automotive Inc, it is usually not perfectly balanced. So the service specialist will spin the tire on a machine to determine where it’s too heavy. He will then place weights on the wheels in strategic locations to balance it out. When a tire is out of balance, it actually bounces down the road instead of rolling smoothly. Since the average size tire rotates at about 850 revolutions per minute at 60 MPH, it is actually slamming into the pavement 14 times a second. That’s where you get your vibration.

Most Eagle Lake drivers are surprised at how smoothly their car rides after balancing all four wheels.

Most high-quality tires sold in Eagle Lake hold their balance pretty well for car owners. They just get out of balance gradually with normal wear and tear. If you suddenly feel a vibration, it is probably because you lost a wheel balancing weight along the way. Definitely get a balance at Hughes Automotive Inc in Eagle Lake if you feel a vibration, change your rims or have a flat repaired. Putting off a needed balance job leads to excessive and dangerous tire wear, wear to your shocks, struts, steering and suspension parts. Wheel balancing not only improves your ride and handling, but also can save you some expensive repair bills and possibly an accident. Additionally, you will get better fuel economy.

Some Mankato car owners have their tires balanced at every rotation. Others do it every other time. Check your owners’ manual for your requirements, or ask your honest Hughes Automotive Inc service specialist. Doing this will put you on the path to mechanical wheel balance.

Screeching tires, crunching metal – it’s an accident! If you’ve ever been in a car accident in Eagle Lake, even a minor one, you know how upsetting it can be. It’s hard to think straight and know what to do.

Let’s review what Eagle Lake motorists should do in case of an accident:

When an accident occurs, you should always stop. Leaving the scene of an accident in Eagle Lake is considered a crime – even if it’s not your fault. And hit and run penalties are fairly severe, possibly resulting in steep fines, loss of your MN driver’s license or even jail time.

Your jurisdiction may require that you try to help someone who is injured by calling for help or performing first aid if you are able. Warn other Mankato and Janesville motorists by putting out flares, using your flashers or lifting your hood. Call Mankato emergency services as soon as possible. Tell the operator if medical or fire help is needed.

Eagle Lake drivers should always file a police report. It’s tempting for Eagle Lake motorists to skip this if everything seems to be ok. But without a police report, the other guy can say whatever he wants about the accident later, and you’ll not have an objective report to help defend yourself. Discuss the accident only with the police. Emotions are strong after an accident and we naturally want to talk about it – don’t. Never admit fault or guilt to anyone including the Eagle Lake police officer. Sometimes we may feel at fault, but in the eyes of the law, the other guy is responsible.

Truthfully give the officer the facts: such as “I was going thirty miles an hour” not “I wasn’t speeding”. Remember, anything you say to the officer or anyone else can be used against you. Also get the officer’s name and ID number and ask where you can get a copy of the accident report.

Get the facts on the driver and owner of the other vehicle:

• Name
• Address
• Phone number
• Date of birth
• Driver’s license number and expiration
• Insurance information

Also take down a description of the other Eagle Lake vehicle, license plate and vehicle identification number. Most MN auto insurance companies don’t record license plate numbers, so the VIN number is the best way to track a vehicle in MN.

Ask witnesses, including passengers, to wait for the police. If they can’t wait, ask for contact information and request that they write a brief description of what they saw. If someone refuses to leave their name, write down their license plate number so the police can track them down later if necessary. Always call your insurance agent or your insurance company. Call or see a physician if you think you may have been injured. For vehicle repairs, call Hughes Automotive Inc at 507.257.3730

Contact Hughes Automotive Inc to learn more about what do do in case of an auto accident.
You can find us at:
109 E LeRay Ave
Eagle Lake, MN 56024
Or call us at 507.257.3730

Hughes Automotive Inc and AutoNetTV hope that you never have to use this information and wish you happy Eagle Lake travels.

One might say the most challenging part of being an automotive service technician at Hughes Automotive Inc in Eagle Lake MN is diagnosing a problem before it can be fixed.

Cars are made up of a bunch of complex systems. There usually could be a number of reasons for any given symptom. So it’s challenging to track down the actual cause of the problem. And it can be frustrating for the vehicle owner because it can take time and money to get to the bottom of a problem. If it’s not something obvious, it’s easy for the customer to focus on the fixing and not the diagnosing.

Let us introduce you to something we’ll call Customer Detective Work – that is helping your Eagle Lake MN technician find clues to what’s wrong.

We start with the detective basics: What, Where and When. Play along with me. You come in to Hughes Automotive Inc and your car is making a funny sound.

• Q: Where’s the sound?
• A: Around the right front wheel.
• Q: What kind of sound?
• A: Kind of a clunk, clunk sound.
• Q: When do you hear the sound?
• A: When I turn and accelerate.
• Q: Right and left? Forwards and back?…

Do you see where we’re going? You’re gathering additional information to help your Eagle Lake MN technician know where to start. Based on your car and the tech’s experience, he’ll know where to look and can start with the obvious suspects.

You can see how that would be more helpful than dropping the car off with a note that says “making a funny noise”.

When you think you need to bring a vehicle in, make some notes about the problem. Rather than just saying “it’s leaking”, tell the tech the color of the fluid, and approximately where under the car you see the puddle.

Things like ‘the car is stalling or sputtering’ are often very hard to diagnose because they’re intermittent. They may not happen every time you drive and usually aren’t happening when you actually bring the car in. So, it is a big help for you to describe what’s happening in as much detail as possible.

Your Eagle Lake MN technician at Hughes Automotive Inc will need to be able to duplicate the problem if possible so he needs to know details, like ‘it stalls after it’s been driven for about 20 minutes and I go over 50 miles an hour’.

If the tech can experience the problem personally, he’s better able to make a diagnosis and repair. And, then test to see if the repair solved the problem.

If the fuel system in your sedan is dirty, you will be hurting your gas mileage and losing performance as you drive around Eagle Lake, MN.

Unless they drive a vintage car, Eagle Lake car owners have fuel injectors which need to be properly maintained. That is why your sedan owner’s manual has a schedule for cleaning your fuel injectors and other parts of your fuel system.

Your honest service advisor at Hughes Automotive Inc in Eagle Lake has the tools and chemicals to do the job right. Hughes Automotive Inc uses a process that gives your car a deep, professional fuel system cleaning. The particles, gum and varnish that build up in your fuel system are removed so that it can run cleanly and efficiently.

After a professional fuel system cleaning at Hughes Automotive Inc, you’ll notice more power, improved MPG and reduced exhaust emissions. AutoNetTV strongly recommends you follow your auto manufacturers fuel system cleaning service recommendations to keep your sedan running strong.

Eagle Lake auto owners don’t need the added expense of replacing a fuel injector that’s been damaged by neglect. Check with your honest Hughes Automotive Inc tech and see when your car is scheduled for an important fuel system cleaning.

Everyone in Eagle Lake, MN knows we are advised to go to our Eagle Lake dentist twice a year.  Oral-conscious Eagle Lake residents have a teeth-cleaning and examination. Once a year, we get x-rays to look for problems that can’t be seen with the naked eye. When our dentist is done, he/she tells us what was found – “Everything’s fine, see you in six months.” Or “You’ve got a small cavity starting, let’s schedule an appointment to take care of it.” By the time you leave, you have a plan for addressing any necessary issues.

This system works so much better than waiting for a painful problem before going into the dentist. Small problems are fixed before they turn into big costly problems. And you avoid those huge bills.

If Mankato folks understand the wisdom of using this system for handling dental care, why do many resist when facing the same system for our critical car maintenance?

Hughes Automotive Inc
109 E LeRay Ave
Eagle Lake, MN 56024
507.257.3730

Following the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended intervals can be confusing. First, there are recommendations for so many things: oil changes, transmission, coolant, air conditioning, power steering, brakes, fuel system, filters, belts, hoses, alignment, rotation, balancing …you get the point.

Every item has a recommended interval and it’s hard for Eagle Lake motorists to keep it all straight – even if you’re part of the 1% of the MN car owners that read their owners’ manual.

And if you have more than one sedan, the complexity is multiplied. You’d need a computer to keep track of everything. Well, that’s how your service center Eagle Lake does it. For example, Hughes Automotive Inc subscribes to automotive databases that have your vehicle’s recommended intervals. You may have wondered how they know what else to recommend when you take your car in for an oil change – it’s all in the database.

Well, it’s not all in the computer. There are other variables that can’t be accounted for in the schedule. Things like Mankato weather conditions, altitude, and where and how you drive in MN. Talk about these things with your honest Hughes Automotive Inc service professional and you may decide that the severe service schedule in your owner’s manual is more appropriate.

Since anything that’s not interstate driving in moderate Mankato weather is considered severe, most of us do at least some of that around Eagle Lake, MN and it should be taken into account.

Let’s take your basic oil change as an example – what issues are involved? The oil you put in your sedan is a blend of base oil and special additives. There are detergents to clean the inside of your sedan engine and corrosion inhibitors. A good quality motor oil will not only lubricate your engine, it will help it stay clean inside and run cooler.

Now, these additives deplete with use and time. That’s why most auto maker’s maintenance recommendations include both a time and mileage element – like 3 months or 3,000 miles, whichever comes first.

It’s easy for Eagle Lake car owners to think, “Gee, I’ve only driven 2,000 miles in the last 3 months. I can wait on that oil change.” But you need to remember that the inside of your engine is a detrimental environment. The oil is contaminated with combustion by-products that starts degrading its effectiveness even when it’s just sitting there.

A lot of people in Eagle Lake don’t realize how harmful it is to skip an oil change. There are a lot of harmful metal parts moving around in your engine. Small bits of metal wear off and are floating around in your oil. They can be carried to more delicate areas of the engine where they cause damage. Your oil filter is designed to trap metal particles and other dirt, but if it’s clogged up because you haven’t changed it, it can’t trap any more.

Oil sludge is another problem for Eagle Lake motorists. Sludge is oil that has turned to a gunky jelly – think ‘Vaseline’. Obviously, sludge doesn’t lubricate. It can also clog small oil passages so that all the parts don’t get properly protected by the oil. That’ll lead to premature wear.

If you’ve missed some oil changes, don’t despair. Just talk with your honest Hughes Automotive Inc technician. Fess up – you’ll feel better. And he can help you get back on track. Following recommended intervals is the key to keeping your sedan on the road and avoiding costly repairs.

Take a look at the auto tips video in this post for more information.