Automotive Industry News & Information - South Mountain Collision & Auto Center

salesman talking to customer about a new vehicle

Whether you drive a Chevrolet, Ford, or Dodge diesel pickup, there will come a day when you have to ask the question - has the time come to get a new truck? Knowing when to throw in the towel or decide to keep the vehicle you have can be a difficult task. South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, MD is here to help you decide.

Without a working battery, your car will not be able to start. If you perform proper maintenance, however, an average car battery can start your car reliably for roughly four years. Your vehicle's radio and headlights, plus a slew of other important functions, are powered by an electrical current generated by your vehicle’s engine but a vital part of generating electricity is having a place to store it while it’s not being used, which is where a car battery comes into play. The battery holds electrical energy while a car is off in order to help the engine turn over and create a spark to start internal combustion. What you don't want is to have a bad battery!!

Getting your vehicle washed and waxed on a regular basis is one of the easiest ways to preserve its paint and keep it looking nice. It makes you feel good when you’re driving in a clean vehicle. Removing other environmental contaminants such as salt, tree sap, and bugs also goes a long way to make your vehicle’s paint last longer.

Unless you are confident in your abilities as an automotive mechanic, there is really only one rule when purchasing a flood-damaged vehicle: don’t do it. Unfortunately, sometimes sellers aren’t particularly straight-forward with their used cars. Many will try to hide the fact that it’s been damaged by floodwaters at all or try to convince potential buyers that the car is in fact fine. “It has gone months with no issues” or “technically it is flood-damaged but” are two red flags, and while it isn’t impossible for a flood car to be fine, it’s altogether a good idea to stay away.

man in car smiling at camera with hand on shifter

How long have you been driving? Most people say since they were sixteen years old or even younger. Driving for that long will obviously improve anyone’s driving, but there will always be room for improvement. Whether that’s getting rid of distractions or simply changing how you drive, here are some tips that are sure to better your driving.

At South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, MD, our goal is to help you understand your transmission a little better and keep your car, truck, or SUV reliably on the road. If you ever hit the key and your engine fails to turn over, whether it’s once a month, once a week, or every day, you’ve got the beginnings of an issue worth dealing with.

These days, it seems like the oil options for your oil changes are limitless - full synthetic, blends, conventional, high mileage, and the list goes on and on. We are frequently asked if it's okay to switch between oils, and how you know what is okay to use? At South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, MD we're here to help you answer that question. When it comes to engine oil, the answer to this question can be as complicated or as simple as you want it to be!

Flat tires are a huge inconvenience. The only thing worse than having a flat on your way home from work is having to wait on a tow truck to come to get you. South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, MD wants to give you some tips on how to change your own tire so that you can keep money in your pocket and get your car back on the road.