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How To Change Your Windshield Wipers

Monday, April 18th, 2011

There’s nothing worse than driving on a rainy day with old, worn-out windshield wipers. It’s also a safety issue.

If you notice that your windshield wipers need to be replaced, this post will help you learn how to change them.

Before changing, it’s important to identify what type of wiper blade connector before replacing the wiper blades. The three most popular are tab, pin and screw.

Here’s how you change each of them.

Tab Connector: With this type of wiper connector, you will want to lift the wiper blade arm and then find the connector near one end of the j-hook. Press on the connector tab and pull the wiper blade off. To attach the new blade, line up the j-hook with the connector. Slide the connector over the j-hook until the tab snaps in place.

Pin Connector: If your car windshield wiper has a pin connector, you will need to press or lift on the pin on the windshield wiper. Then pull on the wiper blade to remove it. To install a new blade, slide the blade onto the arm until the pin locks in place.

Straight Connector: With this type of blade, screws hold the blade in place. You will need to remove the screws to get the blade off. Once you remove the old blade, place the new blade on the arm and put the screws back in place.

The tips above provide you with a general overview on how to remove windshield wiper blades. For more information, consult with your vehicle owner’s manual. You also can get a mechanic to help you during your next Tucson car tune up or your next Albuquerque brake check.

Tags: changing wipers, windshield wiper, windshield wiper replacement
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Spring Cleaning And Maintenance Tips For Your Car And Truck

Thursday, April 14th, 2011

With April in full swing, a lot of people like to open the windows and clean their homes.

We’re here to tell you that you should not forget about your car or truck in April. It too needs to be cleaned and it needs maintenance as well. Here is what you need to know.

Check the Fluids: If it’s been awhile, have the fluids in your vehicle checked out. Have mechanics take a look at the coolant, brake fluid and windshield washer fluid during your next Phoenix oil change.

Get the Battery Checked: This is especially important in warm climates where batteries wear out faster. Go to the mechanic to get your battery tested this spring before summer arrives.

Get the A/C Checked: It’s likely that your car’s air conditioning system has not been running for several months. If this is the case, you’ll probably want to get it inspected. In some cases, you may need Sacramento air conditioning repair.

Clean Your Car or Truck: Finally, you’ll want to get your car or truck cleaned from top to bottom. A lot of times, people will forget or avoid cleaning the interior of their vehicle during the colder months. Take some time to thoroughly vacuum and dust the interior of your car or truck.

Following these four tips will help get your car or truck ready for summer. You’ll have a cleaner vehicle that also runs more efficiently.

Tags: car cleaning tips, car maintenance tips, car spring cleaning
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Summer Getaway Spots That Will Keep You Cool

Tuesday, April 12th, 2011

We’ve been talking a lot recently on our blog about staying cool this summer and your car’s air conditioning system.

Today, we thought we’d tell you how to keep your family cool this summer while vacationing. It all starts with picking the right destination.

Yes, palm tree and sand-covered beaches are popular summer vacation spots. However if you’re looking for cooler temperatures, you might want to visit these places.

The Mountains: There are lots of great mountain ranges where you can go hiking and camping. Best of all, the temperatures typically stay below 80 degrees on many mountains in the United States. California, Utah, Colorado and Northern Arizona area all great places.

The Great Lakes: Temperatures around the great lakes are much cooler than other areas of the country. Most importantly, you still get the scenic blue water and waves. Consider taking a road trip and renting a cabin near one of the great lakes.

Canada: If you’re looking for cooler temperatures this summer, take a road trip up north. Canadian cities are typically significantly cooler than most U.S. cities during the summer months. The average high temperature in Vancouver in July is 71 degrees.

Southern Hemisphere: If you’re going to fly somewhere, take a trip to Australia or Argentina. In the southern hemisphere it’s winter. Average temperatures in Sydney, Australia in July are 61 degrees.

These are all great destinations if you’re looking for cooler temperatures this summer.

When you’re not on vacation, make sure your car’s air conditioning system is working properly to keep you cool. Take it in for Las Cruces auto air conditioning repair or for Santa Fe auto air conditioning repair when needed.

Tags: cold summer trips, cool summer trips, summer vacation trips
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Congratulations to the Winners of Our $1000 Visa Gift Card Giveaway

Monday, December 27th, 2010

We are very excited to announce that we have chosen the winners of our Visa gift card giveaway.

During the month of December, our contest gave customers the opportunity to visit a Brake Masters location and receive a free brake inspection. They were then entered in the drawing for a chance to win a $1000 Visa gift card. Our Five lucky winners are:

Veronica Martinez from El Paso
Richard Loyd from New Mexico
Mari Ostdiek from Sacramento
Mark Spriggs from Phoenix
Tom Spehn from Tucson

Being a fan of Brake Masters on Facebook can really pay off! Each week we select a fan of the week who receives a year’s worth of free oil changes. We also give exclusive offers and contests. We encourage everyone to visit our Facebook page and become a fan and stay tuned for future offers and contests.

Brake Masters would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year!

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Do You Need a Brake Inspection?

Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010

With all the talk about potential issues with Toyota Prius brakes, we’ve seen a lot of people worried about the brakes on their own vehicle, Prius or not. While it’s a good thing people are taking a sudden interest in their brakes, you probably shouldn’t worry too much.

Even if you own a Prius, chances are you don’t need Phoenix brake repair. The problem has been reported on only about 100 vehicles and only on 2010 models.

That being said, keeping your brakes maintained is important to your safety and the life of your vehicle. If you are driving an aging vehicle or are noticing any issue whatsoever with how your brakes feel or perform, it’s best that you get a brake inspection to check it out.

Getting your Tucson brake check may not be your favorite way to spend an hour but it’s well worth it when you consider the alternative is having your brakes stop working while driving.

Tags: Brake Inspection, brake repair, Toyota Prius brakes
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Tips To Save On Gas

Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010

8 Easy Ways You Can Save Money on Gasoline.

The cost of driving to work, running errands, and just using your car does not have to be as high. These tips on saving gas may help you reduce your driving costs significantly.

Make sure your car is maintained and tuned correctly and regularly with a Santa Fe car tune up. Cars that are not tuned properly can use up to 25% more gas!
Unless you have a high performance engine, your car absolutely requires it, or your auto manufacturer recommends high octane gas, do not use it. You can save a significant amount of money by using a lower octane gas and your car will run just as well.
Check tire pressure often. For every pound your tires are underinflated, you lose up to 6% on your gas mileage. This is just with one pound, so as that number creeps up, so does the amount of gas you will use. Have this checked at your Las Cruces car tune up.
When it is warm out, gas expands and can overflow if you topped off your tank. When the pump stops pumping gas, you should not force any extra in.
Accelerate gently.
Avoid stopping when possible. Coming to a complete stop and then speeding back up uses far more gas than driving at a steady pace for a longer amount of time.
Maintain a steady speed. Speeding up uses more gas and slowing down and then speeding back up also increases the amount of gas you use.
Follow the speed limit. Driving too fast or slow can cause you to use up to 30% more gas than is necessary.

Follow these tips and start using less gas. You will save money and time by not having to visit the gas stations as frequently.

Tags: Gas Mileage, Increase MPG, Santa Fe Car Tune Up, Saving Gas
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Stuff The Bus For Haiti

Thursday, January 21st, 2010

Come out to the Brake Masters on 22^ndSt. and Kolb Rd. in Tucson, AZ, on January 22^nd and help us as we collect donations for Haiti earthquake victims.

We are working with Journal Broadcast Group and SunTran to help raise awareness and collect donations for the earthquake victims in Haiti.

This Friday, January 22^nd from 5am-6pm there will be a SunTran bus outside of our 22^nd St. and Kolb Rd. location in Tucson, AZ. Our goal is to stuff the entire bus with donations of non-perishable food, clothes, and money for victims of the earthquake in Haiti. We need your help, so please bring any of the items listed above to our store located at:

7085 E 22ND St
22nd St. & Kolb Rd.
Tucson, AZ 85710

Click here for a map of this location

We look forward to seeing you tomorrow as we “Stuff The Bus” for Haiti!

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What’s New at the 2009 SEMA Show?

Wednesday, December 30th, 2009

The future looks greener at this year’s SEMA Show.

The 2009 SEMA Show annually features the latest and greatest products set to innovate all markets within the specialty equipment industry. It’s an exciting event where all of the big shots in the industry come together in Las Vegas for a week of aftermarket innovation.

This year was no exception with sharp new products and sleek new automotive designs making their debut. These cars were so new that they won’t need their first Phoenix timing belt replacement for many years to come.

However, maybe the biggest focus this year fell on greener pastures as the spotlight featured a move toward becoming more environmentally friendly. Everything from vehicles running on alternative fuels to more custom cars displaying water-based paints put the green on SEMA this year.

The focus on going green, signals an important area of growth for the industry and for SEMA. SEMA continues to educate members about the shifting market and the newer technologies that emerge. Hopefully soon we will see a green Tucson oil change.

Tags: Alternative Fuels, Green Oil Change, Green Specialty Equipment, SEMA Show 2009
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Brake Masters Holiday Greeting

Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009

Happy holidays from Brake Masters!

We want to take this opportunity to let you know how much you are appreciated. Every one of our customers means the world to us and we’re so thankful for your continued support.