Automotive News & Information - Oliver Automotive

At Oliver Automotive in Novato, we understand all too well the importance of changing your oil regularly. Three to five thousand miles sounds like a lot, but it doesn’t really take that long to rack them up. The busier you are, the more you probably drive, and the more likely you are to forget it’s time to change your oil. Here are some reasons to pay attention to your oil changes, and help you better understand why oil changes are so important.

At Oliver Automotive in Novato, we understand that safety and driving comfort are largely dependent on truck maintenance. Driving in the rain can be a hassle, especially if your vehicle isn’t prepared.

Essentially, there are a few things you can do to ease the burden of driving in the rain. Keep good quality windshield wipers installed, maintain a clean windshield, and regularly coat your windshield with Rain-X or comparable water-resistant chemicals. If applied properly, water-resistant coatings will dramatically increase visibility on rainy days. Quality windshield wipers, in good condition, are equally effective.

If your wipers don’t completely wipe away water with each pass, get them replaced. Driving in the rain is hard enough; inadequate equipment to deal with the situation only makes it that much more difficult. A clean windshield also goes a long way...rain won’t wash off the dirt that has had adequate time to adhere to your glass.

If you need new wipers, bring your truck to Oliver Automotive and let one of our experienced technicians get you fixed up. No matter your repair or maintenance needs, our team has you covered.

A huge part of what the hydraulic system in your transmission does is tell the mechanical components what to do and when to do it. Even if you don't understand how that works, our technicians at Oliver Automotive in Novato, CA have trained with the best to make sure they understand all the ins and outs of your system. We want you to understand what we're talking about when we talk to you about your vehicle so we'll break down some aspects of your hydraulic system.

Fuel economy isn't far from the minds of our Novato drivers and we hear these questions daily such as: Why can certain cars zip along at close to 40 mpg while others are lucky to get anywhere near 20? As it turns out, there are as many factors that go into how well your ride does at the pumps! Here are the 10 factors that have the greatest impact on fuel consumption that we would like to share with you.

Since the first automobiles, there have been radiators. Every liquid-cooled engine on the road has, and has always needed, a radiator; without it, the engine would overheat in no time, causing catastrophic engine failure. While the efficiency of radiators, the materials they’re made out of, and the shape and size of them have changed over time, radiators haven’t actually changed much over the last century or so. At Oliver Automotive we know that even though radiators generally last a long time, they do occasionally fail. When your radiator is malfunctioning you can trust our technicians to repair yours and get you back on the road.

Fluid levels, tire condition, dashboard lights, and a variety of other items typically are briefly explored whenever you bring your vehicle in for maintenance here at Oliver Automotive in Novato, CA, where we are good at noticing things that need repair, but the fact of the matter is that only you know your car. You know when your car feels off when it's been serviced last (or that it hasn't been serviced at all,) and have at least some vague idea of what’s going on with your vehicle day to day. Here are some questions you can ask us next time you come by the shop;

If you drive a Mercedes, Porsche, Subaru, BMW, Jaguar, or other performance and luxury vehicle, you’re a person who appreciates the value of quality. At Oliver Automotive, we share that appreciation - that’s why we specialize in quality cars and take pride in quality work.

Your drive belts run everything - your AC, power steering, alternator, and water pump are all dependent on the belts that turn them. At Oliver Automotive in Novato, CA, our goal is to keep your truck maintained, so you’re never stuck out on the road. Drive belts are a critical part of that goal.