Wipe Out! New Wiper Blades for Tampa Drivers
June 2, 2024
When people in Tampa talk about vehicle safety, they think of tires and brakes. But do we think about our windshields? Isn't the ability to see a prime safety factor when it comes to driving around FL? Yet we often don't even notice our windshields until we can't see through them or our wiper bl... More
Slipping into Fall (Driving with ABS Brakes)
May 26, 2024
As the weather changes over from hot to colder, drivers will have to deal with more slippery streets. And it's important to know how to drive with the brakes you have on your vehicle. In the 1970s, anti-lock braking systems (ABS) started to be installed on vehicles and they've been a game chang... More
Always on Guard (TMPS)
May 19, 2024
One of the most important things you can do to keep your vehicle running safely is to make sure your tires are properly inflated. If one or more is vastly over- or underinflated, that has the potential to cause major handling problems and may result in a dangerous accident. All vehicles in recen... More
Fuel Saving Tip: Auto Myths Around Tampa
May 12, 2024
With high fuel prices in Tampa, FL, comes lots of gas saving advice. Some of it, like what you hear on is great. When you get one of those e-mails that's going around telling you how to save gas, try to think it through.Does it really make sense? Does it defy the laws of physics?Do some resear... More
Don't Be Shocked (Shock Absorbers)
May 5, 2024
If you've ever ridden down a rough road on your bicycle, you know how hard a ride it can be. Yet drive down the same road in your car, truck or SUV and it miraculously will smooth out the ride. That's because it is equipped with shock absorbers. They are built to dampen impacts from road irreg... More
More than Pads and Rotors (Brake Caliper Replacement)
April 28, 2024
You might be familiar with brake pads and rotors, two components of your vehicle's brakes that have to be regularly serviced. Here's another important component of your brakes: the calipers. Calipers are used in disc brakes, the type of brakes now found in most recently manufactured vehicles. A... More
The Third Brake Light (Third Brake Light Service)
April 21, 2024
So you thought you only had two brake lights. Look again and you'll see one in the center at a higher level than the two on either side of the vehicle. They're sometimes in the inside of the vehicle behind the back window, or they could be in the deck lid, on the roof or on the spare wheel carr... More
Beginning to See the Light (Check Engine Light Diagnostics)
April 14, 2024
It's a light many drivers fear they'll see turn on at the most inopportune time. It's the one on the dash that says "Check Engine," "Service Engine Soon," or it may be simply an engine-shaped light. Your first instinct may be to pull off to the side of the road and turn off the engine. The truth... More
Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Tampa (Gunn Hwy) Service Tip: Why Synthetic Oil Is Good For Your Vehicles
April 7, 2024
Hello FL! Today's vehicle care topic is: Synthetic Oil vs. Petroleum Based Oil. Synthetic motor oil is a substitute for petroleum based oil. If you aren't currently using it, why not? Synthetic motor oil maximizes engine power and fuel economy. To see why, we'd need a microscope, so we'll have t... More
Singing a Different Tune (Up) (Tune Ups)
March 31, 2024
Engines required a lot more maintenance in earlier times. You'd have to have your spark plugs, wires, rotors, caps, distributor points, fuel and air filters changed periodically. There were mechanical adjustments of a vehicle's timing, dwell, spark gap and idle mixture, too. Unless you like to ... More