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Using a clay bar to detail your own vehicle is a vital part to car ownership. That is why we here at Matt Burne Honda wanted to be sure you knew the basics. The process begins by spraying a lubricant on a small area of the exterior of your car. You then press the clay into this area and pull it up to remove contaminants. Then, you repeat this process over and over again until you've removed all dirt and debris from the exterior of your car.

The frequency of cleanings is dependent upon where you typically drive. Those…

Tires are an important part of our vehicle and what keeps it on the road. With so many tires from which to choose, it’s hard to know which tires are best for your driving. If you’re like many, you may wonder if summer tires are better than all-season tires. Stop by Matt Burne Honda and speak to our certified techs and get some answers to your tire-related concerns.

Although both are good choices, summer tires will better match your driving needs during the hot summer months or the rainy season. They provide better traction, handling and overall gas…

If you find yourself on the market for a used or new vehicle, take a look at owning an SUV. There are compelling reasons to purchase an SUV, and here at Matt Burne Honda, we are particularly fond of the Honda SUV lineup.

An SUV is a safe choice. The typical SUV comes complete with a solid array of important safety features. Another of the main reasons to select an SUV for your next vehicle is you have room not only for human passengers, but pets as well. If you are like many people, you need a vehicle that can…

As back to school season approaches, car maintenance becomes more important than ever. During the school year, you have to ferry your kids to soccer practice, science fairs, and field trips. This means your vehicle needs to be reliable and safe. Here are a few ways to ensure your car is road-ready before school starts.

Preparation is one of the most important aspects of car maintenance. No matter how much time you devote to your vehicle, accidents can happen. Be prepared by keeping your vehicle well-stocked in the essentials, like washer fluid and everything you need to change a tire…

When the brakes in your vehicle are about to fail, you will get a soft brake pedal to give you a warning that you need to get the situation addressed as quickly as possible.

As soon as the brakes feel spongy, it is time to have an expert take a closer look at the brakes. This could be the result of air trapped inside the lines, and they will need to be bled by an expert to alleviate the issue.

The next thing that could be occurring with the spongy brakes is that the brake lines are damaged. Whether leaking…

One of the reasons that lead-acid batteries continue to dominate the automotive battery market is their ability to withstand very wide swings in temperature. Whether desert heat or arctic cold, a good performing car battery can be reliable for years of service in extreme conditions. However, when a battery begins to approach its end of life, the window of operating temperatures begins to narrow.

The chemical reactions taking place inside the cells of an automotive battery are mostly independent of temperature. However, as water is one of the primary ingredients in the lead-acid...

Brake fluid is much like motor oil in that both fluids are required for your vehicle to operate correctly. One major difference is that brake fluid doesn’t need to be replaced as often as motor oil, which is why so many drivers tend to forget about brake fluid. Stop at Matt Burne Honda and let your service technicians check your brake fluid.

Brake or hydraulic fluid plays a major role in making your brakes work. When you step on the brake pedal, the brake fluid flows through the brake lines to the brake pedal, which makes the vehicle gradually…

Both towing and payload are based on the strength of your truck's frame and its Gross Vehicle Weight Rating, but they aren't the same, despite what many truck owners think. Towing capacity is simply what your truck can pull, and payload is how much weight the truck can support inside. Simple, but do you really need that information? Yes. You do.

Here's the deal. If your truck has a towing capacity of 10,000 pounds, that doesn't mean it can carry that much. The payload may be less than half of that, and if you put…

Have you ever seen a powertrain warranty on a new or old vehicle and wondered what that covered? The powertrain warranty is one of the more essential warranties, especially if you are buying a used car. This type of warranty covers the engine and transmission, two of the most expensive parts of the car to replace. Typically, these warranties last 12 months or longer.

In addition, the bumper-to-bumper warranty is important. This covers everything between the bumpers, for the most part. Every bumper-to-bumper warranty should be checked before signing as dealerships can add or remove...

In addition to a voltmeter, to test the car battery, you'll need a wire brush, work gloves, and safety eye-wear. Open the car hood and turn the engine off. Clean any corrosion off the battery terminals with the wire brush.

Place the red cable of the voltmeter to the positive battery terminal, then the black cable to the car battery's negative side. Turn the meter on, it should be at the 12.4 mark or better if the car battery has the ability to hold a charge still. When the reading is at or below the 12.2…