Automotive Industry News & Information - Jim Van Dyke's Automotive Center

At Jim Van Dyke in Washington CH, we understand that safety and driving comfort are largely dependent on car maintenance. Driving in the rain can be a hassle, especially if your car isn’t prepared.

At Jim Van Dyke in Washington CH, cars are our passion, so naturally we like to keep up with new technology on the market. At the moment, surprisingly the current trend is moving towards a goal you may not expect; self-driving vehicles. You’ve probably heard about self-driving cars a little bit here and there on the news, but it likely still seems somewhere in the realm of science fiction to you. However, the reality is that self-driving cars are on the way and may be here sooner than you think. Already, almost all major automobile manufacturers are dumping billions of dollars into research and development for self-driving cars, and even companies like Uber are jumping on board. What this says to us, is that self-driving cars are not just some gimmick. When the first automobiles hit the road, people laughed at the idea of them someday becoming a viable source of transportation, much less reshaping the entire global community. Nevertheless, just around two decades after the first automobile hit the streets, Ford’s Model T became widely available to the general public, and the rest is history. It seems likely that we’re facing a similar situation in the present. The automobile, for all its modern bells and whistles, has not fundamentally changed since it was invented over a century ago. Self-driving cars will likely redefine the transportation industry as we know and understand it...and it’s less a question of if, but when it will happen.

At Jim Van Dyke in Washington CH, we understand that driving style affects your vehicle’s performance and reliability. You probably know that frequent, hard acceleration is bad for your engine and transmission, but what about speed?

If you love popcorn, congratulations; today is for you. Popcorn has actually been around for thousands of years - in Mexico, popcorn remnants at least as old as 3600 BC have been discovered. Popcorn gained the popularity it enjoys today much later, however. As a result of the great depression and sugar rationing during WWII, popcorn rapidly became a favorite snack among Americans, and with the invention of the popcorn machine, became the choice movie theater snack as well. So, go on, celebrate, and pop a few kernels.

No matter what type of car, truck, or SUV you drive, old or new, it probably has doors. Those doors are heavy, and they see a lot of use. Naturally, from time to time, parts wear out. If your door doesn’t function as well as it should, here’s why, courtesy of Jim Van Dyke in Washington CH.

This is a clutch gone completely WRONG and something you want to be very sure doesn't happen with your vehicle! VERY SURE!

So how do you ensure you are not having an issue with your clutch when most drivers simply get in and drive? What do you look for? That is a question many of our customers ask us here at Jim Van Dyke in Washington CH and one this driver did not.

Regular maintenance checks of your vehicle will help you avoid a catalytic converter that looks like this resulting in large repair costs which is what our team here at Jim Van Dyke in Washington CH want to avoid at all costs! We feel that every customer has a need to know what repairs are in their future and exactly how to budget for them if need be so we check your vehicle thoroughly and keep you informed.

There are several indicators that your catalytic converter isn't functioning at maximum capacity such as:

Amazing people!!!! Great service. They really care about people!!! - DJ B. (5 star review on Facebook)