How to Improve Your Gas Mileage

Like Jerry says "some people drive their cars like a light switch", meaning they are all in the gas or all in the brake. Transitioning from stops to cruising or vise versa has much to do with gas mileage. Temperance while accelerating and developing space between your vehicle and another allows more coasting and less braking hence less accelerating. Also when approaching a stop light begin coasting long before the brakes need to be applied to stop. The #1 way to increase gas mileage is to have your tires properly inflated. Don't buy any snake oil mileage gimmicks. We did a lot of work a few years ago when people bought the airnado devices which supposedly would swirl the air to help mix with the gas in the engine. What a total rip off. The #2 rip off was the magnets that went around the fuel lines to allegedly make the hydrocarbons molecules equally disperse thus making combustion more efficient.

We like to offer tips for our clients and readers.  Little actions we take usng our vehicle will help save you money in the long run.  Gas is at a good price right now however, I think we all realize prices will not remain low forever.

Todd Frank
Owner Jerry Garage

How to Know When Your Air or Cabin Filter Needs Changing in Your Car

It is always a good time to buy. It cannot always be a good time to buy what somebody is selling. Next time you are told you need an air filter, or cabin air filter, ask to see it. If you can hold it up to the sky and see light coming through the pleats it does not need to be replaced. Check your records if you are replacing your vehicles air and cabin filters more than once in three years you are most likely being retailed. Exceptions would be if your constantly shedding dog shares a lot of windshield time with you, or if you drive in a very dusty environment frequently.

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Transmissions Fluids and Education on Repairs

Does it really matter what fluids are used when a service or part requires topping off of a system? We build several transmissions a year because an improper fluid was not used. Some businesses will use a less expensive universal fluid and then use an additive to allegedly convert the fluid to the proper characteristics. Why would a business even attempt this? Profit margin. Some transmissions, transfer cases, differentials and even power steering units, require expensive fluids. Always use the proper oem fluid. Don't trust any product which claims to be an equivalent. Think about your favorite meal your Mom makes, are really going to be happy when ingredients are substituted? It is not going to be the same. Cars want and need the real McCoy.

We offer full turkey transmission service. Short Video I talk about transmissions.

Quality of Auto Parts (Cheap vs Dealer)

We are all looking for a good deal, right? At Jerry's Garage we take a realistic approach to the parts we use to repair your vehicles. We usually give our customers as many options as possible and will issue warnings if needed. A childhood friend of mine needed a hub bearing for his truck a year ago, and a cheap bearing was around $200 and a dealer bearing was almost $500.

 I explained to  him the dealer bearing would last longer, he opted for the cheaper price.

Here we are a year later putting a new OEM (original equipment manufacturer) bearing on to replace the aftermarket bearing.  Be aware Cheaper is not always less expensive if you pay for the job twice. 

If a job is expensive in labor to replace a part, would you rather risk putting a cheap part in or would you want the best part available? At Jerry's we advise our customers based off our knowledge and experience. We provide out customers with best information and pu the final choice in our customers hands.

We are located in Round Rock Texas.  Family owned business open the doors in 1967.  We take great pride in taking care of our customers.

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Maintenance For Your Vehicle

What is it that you seek? Over maintenance, under maintenance, or just the wright amount. 


How many times a year does a vehicle need an air filter?  Depends on operational environment, for instance if you have a work truck that is always in the dust or out the fields maybe a few times.  But for those who are not in a dirt/ dust/ grass/ grain free environment maybe only a filter every few years.  I personally have owned cars for over 7 years and the air filter never needed changing.


It drives me crazy to see how many filters some people have paid for when I go through their receipts from other shops. Other things which are often over sold is fuel injection services or decarbonizing services.  Sometimes these are needed services but many times they are just commission driven sales.


Ever been a shop and thought "My car drives just fine... how could these problems exist?"

Goldilocks Maintenance II Transmissions

Maintenance is indeed important for longevity and avoiding usually unnecessary repairs.  A long time customer had a transmission go bad.  He wanted to know why and I asked if he had ever serviced the transmission because the fluid was nasty.  He stated that his father told him servicing a  trans was the quickest way to have them go bad. 


My question back was if this was so, why is there a serviceable filter? Would the filter never clog or become restricted?


Myth: Serving transmission is bad.
Truth: Changing the fluid and or filter helps keep fluid flow and quality of fluid good, hence longevity for the unit.


Could the repair of this transmission been avoided? Yes and no.  In this case yes, but even with proper maintenance  sooner or later all transmissions wear out, so later in this case would have been preferred. 

Should I Flush My Transmission

To Flush or Not to Flush?     


A flush service entails hooking up a machine which takes new fluid and forces it through one transmission line and then through the transmission and back out the other trans line.  Trans fluid is not only a lubricant but also has conditioners and cleaners. 


Think of a small babbling brook, that twists and turns down a gentle hill side.  There are small sand bars and pools with still water interspersed.  There are birds singing and a frog living on the bank.  On the horizon comes a great storm, which causes the silt and sand to be deposited where it is usually not. The brook has been reshaped how sad.


So in the process of flushing, the normal build up of clutch and metal debris (think still pools with sediment) can break loose and move into the heart of the transmission (valve body) and then cause all types of mayhem.


Do not Flush a Transmission!  If a shop offers or recommends this, see if there is any fine print which indemnifies them from any responsibilities should there be an issue once the service is done.  We have seen this happen many times over the years.