Do You Have to Service a New Car at the Dealer?
Short answer: no. Routine maintenance can be done where you choose. Here’s how to keep your warranty safe while you do it.
Car Care Checklist for Duke, UNC and NC State Students
Before the semester gets busy: the five-minute checks and the once-a-term services that keep a student car reliable.
Car Overheating? What to Do (and What Not To)
Summer traffic on the Durham Freeway is hard on cooling systems. What to do if the needle climbs — and how to stop it happening.
Road Trip Checklist: Before You Leave the Triangle
Beach or Blue Ridge, the checklist is the same. What to look at a week before you go, and what to have us check.
Get Your Car’s A/C Ready for a North Carolina Summer
A/C problems are easier — and cheaper — to fix before July. The signs your system needs a look now.
Tire Rotation vs. Balancing vs. Alignment
They sound alike and often happen at the same visit, but they fix different problems. A plain-English guide.
Squealing Brakes: What the Noise Means
Not every brake noise is an emergency, but some are. How to tell a squeal from a grind — and when to stop driving.
Dashboard Warning Lights Explained
The color tells you most of what you need to know. A guide to the lights that matter and how fast to act on each.
How Often Should You Change Your Oil?
Your owner’s manual and your driving habits matter more than a sticker rule. How to work out the right interval.
Winter Car Care in the Triangle
One ice storm is all it takes. The checks that keep your car starting and stopping through a Triangle winter.
Blog
Car Care Tips, Page 2
Practical car care advice from the mechanics at Neal’s Garage in Durham, NC — how to spot problems early and keep your car running well.
Ready when you are
ASE-certified mechanics serving Durham, NC since 1950. Book online or call 919-286-1167 — Mon–Fri 8:00 AM – 5:30 PM.
