Join us Saturday November 23 from 9 am to 4 pm at our Centerville shop for a Philippines Typhoon Fundraiser!   After watching the devastating news on the typhoon in the Philippines, Miles Bell, owner of Dave’s Auto Center in Layton and Centerville, Utah, decided he needed to do something. Miles served a two year mission in the Tacloban, Philippines mission, and felt helpless as he listened to the number of deaths and suffering. “I have tried to figure out how to get back there and help, but with transportation being wiped out I have been unable to make arrangements at this time”, laments Miles. “So I am going to raise some money for them through my business”. Saturday, November 23, the Centerville shop will be open to customers, all proceeds will going to the rescue effort. Customers can write a check for a minimum of $50/hour for the labor to either the Red Cross or the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints humanitarian fund. Customers can bring in their own parts for the repair, or will be able to purchase them wholesale. “We have another technician who has also served a mission in the Philippines, and our staff have shown amazing support and are willing to donate their time for this fundraiser. “The people of the Philippines are like my family. I am grateful for the opportunity to do a small service for them, and look forward to going back their soon to assist the people. I’ve recently made contact with some of my friends their through Facebook, and I am still searching for many”. An appointment is recommended, as slots will fill quickly. Call 801-295-5081 to schedule, or go to the website at davesautoutah.com. 335 South Frontage Rd, Centerville, Utah 84014.   ...read more

We love to do any auto body work our customers ask of us, but when we were asked to create a Magic School bus from an old 12 passenger school bus, we have to admit, this was a first! Our body shop went to work repairing a beat up old bus into a bright yellow vehicle with purple flames. The interior was jazzed up with animal print fabrics. Our great customer requested this bus as a fun way to chauffeur his clientele. He reports the bus has been well received by all! To read the full article follow this link: http://davesautorepairutah.com/about-us/blog/79-customer-requests-a-magic-school-bus We are ready to take care of all your auto body painting and repair, large or small. ...read more

If you had a choice between visiting the dentist and checking your tire pressure, it may be a toss up. But being an auto repair facility, it is our job to remind you of the importance of maintenance. So here is a link to our latest blog post about how and why to check your tire pressure: http://davesautorepairutah.com/about-us/blog/78-tire-pressure-basics Of course, we are always happy to help you with this.  Call us for assistance. ...read more

Parents of Young Drivers Take HeedDave's Auto Center's tow truck was recently dispatched yet again to the scene of a crash involving a young driver who was distracted when using a cell phone. Fortunately, this time there were no fatalities, or even injuries. This young lady had received her driver's license that very day. She was distracted by being on her phone talking with her brother seconds before the crash. Although she had hung up the phone, she hadn't been focusing on her driving, and had been coasting downhill with the truck in neutral while the vehicle was not running.Unable to use the brakes at full capacity, she crashed through a neighbor's yard, taking down small trees and narrowly missing the trampoline on the left of the photo. This is a trampoline area that is usually populated with young children. The owners of the home have 6 children, ages 12 and younger, who are often playing in that very area. But they were all safely inside watching a movie when the truck came careening through their backyard, ending up teetering on their retaining wall. The young driver was shaken and crying, but unharmed.We see this all too often in our towing business: wrecks caused by young drivers who have been on their cell phones while driving. Being a AAA approved shop, we sought the help of AAA for suggestions for our customers with young drivers. They recommended this series of educational videosthat can help alert teens to some of the hazards on the road. They are short and captivating video clips that cover a variety of topics, including the hazards of distracted driving.From all of us at Dave's Auto Center, we wish you and your family a safe driving experience.Visit our website for more informative articles atwww.davesautoutah.com ...read more

How do you find a great mechanic? Dave's Auto Center, in Centerville and Layton Utah, knows this is a big question for consumers. Centerville, UT (BizHWY) July 17, 2013 - The short answer of how to find a great mechanic is probably word of mouth. Another option is to check if they are ASE certified, or even better if they are ASE master certified. Since there are no state licensing requirements, tests, or educational requirements to be a mechanic, ASE is one of the ways to qualify a mechanic.ASE is a voluntary program for mechanics. The acronym stands for The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence. They offer a series of tests, run by the same people who do the well known ACT testing. A mechanic can become ASE certified in 8 different areas of auto repair, after completing 2 years of on the job work. They undergo rigorous testing to qualify. In fact, there are only about 350,000 ASE technicians in the U.S.Miles Bell, owner, says "We believe it is important to our customers that the technicians who work on their vehicles are well trained and qualified. We require this certification of our technicians because only the cream of the crop are willing to do it. ASE certification is demanding and ongoing, they need to be retested every 5 years to maintain it."This is what is said about ASE mechanics:Because the ASE program is primarily voluntary, ASE certification becomes a self-selecting credential that weeds out the incompetent. And while ASE does not certify repair shops or police individual business practices, it stands to reason that those shop owners and managers who support their service employees' efforts to become technically certified will be as concerned about the other aspects of their business as well. (ASE Website)At Dave's Auto Center, we are proud of our hard working and dedicated technicians. Of our 5 employees, ALL of them are ASE technicians. And 3 of them are Master ASE technicians.Contact InformationPlease visit our website for informative articles or contact us:335 South Frontage RdCenterville, UT 84014801-295-50811365 N Main StLayton, Ut 84041801-593-1889 ...read more

Is your car running hot? Is your vehicle’s air conditioning not blowing cold? After reading this article, you will have a basic understanding of your car’s cooling system, the problems associated with it, and the services needed to properly maintain the vehicle and avoid further costly repairs. This article is one of a series of Consumer Education articles from Dave’s  Auto Center, in Centerville and Layton, Utah. Antifreeze and the Cooling System As most consumers are aware, the cooling system has antifreeze; the most common antifreeze is ethanol glycol.  Basically the ethanol glycol is mixed with water and it raises the boiling point of water. Water has a boiling point of 212 degrees at sea level.  When you add antifreeze to it, the boiling point is increased to about 240-250 degrees. The other important thing that antifreeze does is lower the freezing point. You do not want cars in cold climates to have the coolant freeze because that can cause cracking of blocks, cylinder heads and water pumps when the water freezes inside of a motor. So it is very important that there is a proper amount and mixture of coolant. The antifreeze has the added component of rust protectors, the importance of which will be discussed below. The importance of a Cooling System Flush Coolant is so important, that the take home message today is: Don’t be guilty of reducing the life of your vehicle by failing to get the cooling system flushed regularly! It should be done every 30-50,000 miles.  Normally in an average car or light truck the price is less than $100 for the service.  The benefit to regular cooling system flushes is that it prolongs the life of the radiator, water pumps, thermostats, hoses, head gaskets, and everything that is exposed from the inside out to that coolant. The coolant also has rust inhibitors in it. If you neglect this service, coolant becomes corrosive over time and it tears up the seals in the water pump, corrodes the head gaskets, and eats holes in the radiator and heater core. So that $100 service is a tenth of the cost of some of those things to repair. Like any other service, it costs money, but it is a lot cheaper than the repair of those components. What is involved in a cooling system service If you take your car in to us for a cooling system flush and service, we will first of all visually inspect for external leaks. We will also inspect the drive belts, hoses, the fan clutch or your electric fan operation. We will check the front of the radiator for debris.  What we find here, especially in Utah, is a problem stemming from our roads having a lot of dirt and other matter on them.  Over time, some of that debris can go through the front of the condenser. The condenser sits in front of the radiator and is what cools off the air conditioning gases.  The radiator is right behind the condenser. The debris will go through to the front of the radiator and impact into the radiator. You get what looks like a birds nest, and is made up of a bunch of material similar to what a bird uses to build its nest. It can get so impacted that you have no air flow through the radiator. What we have noticed is that people do not recognize that their car has been running warm; but they will bring it to us in the summer and say that their air conditioner has stopped blowing cold. They often think that they need a recharge for the air conditioner. But what we find more commonly is this blockage problem from debris. The cooling fan, which is behind the radiator, draws air through the radiator. It also has to draw air through the condenser to cool off the gases. When that debris is blocking air flow, there is no air flow through the condenser and it becomes a problem. With those high pressures in an air conditioning system from the gases that are being compressed to make the air conditioner work, without cooling that condenser off, it ruins air conditioning compressors and other parts. The cooling system service is very important because we also look at other items that may be affected from lack of maintenance. After looking at all those components, and making an assessment, we will then pressure test your cooling system. It is like your grandmothers pressure cooker. The boiling point of a liquid can be raised by putting it under pressure. Every cooling system has a radiator cap, which holds between 10-15 psi of pressure. The coolant has a boiling point of 240 degrees. By putting it under pressure you can raise it up to, depending on where you are at sea level, about 270 degrees. It doesn’t mean that you want to run the car to that temperature; it means that you have protection to that temperature. We install a pressure pump with a gauge and pressurize the system to 15 psi for about 10-15 minutes. The system must hold that pressure without dropping. If it drops, that means there is a leak. The easiest leak to diagnose would be external, and we should be able to see it leaking from a hose clamp, radiator, a gasket, or water pump seal. Alternatively, the leak could be internal. It is usually harder to find an internal leak, and can be more costly to repair than an external leak. An internal leak could be a head gasket or an intake manifold leaking coolant either into the combustion chamber or into the oil system of the engine.  These are the types of problems that can be severe, so AVOID them in the first place! If the pressure gauge holds pressure, we know that we have a cooling system that has good integrity.  We will hook up a machine and back flush the block, the cylinder head, the heater core, and the radiator. By the way, your heater core is inside the dash of your car and looks like a small little radiator. That is what your fan, when you turn on the heat, blows across; as water circulates through it, it blows air across that warmed up heater core, and that is how you get heat in the cab. So we will flush that heater core and radiator until we have all the old antifreeze and corrosive material and particles cleaned out. Then we will drain it and charge it up with a 50/50 mix of the proper level of antifreeze. Finally, we will start the car up, double check our work, make sure that the cooling fans, if it has electric fans, come on at the proper temperature, road test it and deliver to a happy customer! Please visit our website atwww.davesautorepaircenter.comfor more car repair articles and videos. We offer full service car repair, including an in house machine shop, restoration facility, collision center and towing services with locations in Centerville, Utah and Layton, Utah. 801-295-5081/801-593-1889 ...read more

Do you want to understand the importance of the timing belt, and timing belt maintenance and the cost for your car? This is one in a series of articles written by Dave’s Auto Center, in Centerville and Layton, Utah, to educate the consumer about what a timing belt is, and how often they need to be replaced. What is a timing belt and why should it be replaced? The timing belt is an important component of a lot of engines. There are over 1,000 different engine makes and models that have timing belts on them. It is a cog belt, having little teeth that run between the crank shaft and the cam shaft of an engine. The cogs are there so that it never slips. If it slipped, it could cause catastrophic engine damage. Most timing belts are replaced between 60-90,000 miles. The mileage intervals are different depending on the manufacturer’s recommendations. Check with us for the correct replacement interval. Of all the jobs we do at our shops, a timing belt is the one that is the most like exploratory surgery. We don’t know until we pull the engine down, which usually takes between one to two hours, if there are additional but necessary parts that will need to be replaced. The timing belt, as it makes its way around the front timing cover, usually runs the water pump. There are also idler pulleys, tensioner pulleys and engine seals. All these items need to be inspected to be sure they will go the distance for the next 60-90,000 miles. If they don’t, and one of them seizes up and takes out the timing belt, you may end up with very costly repairs. What is the cost of a timing belt? Most timing belt services will cost about $300-500. However, if a timing belt breaks, all of the sudden you may be in the unfortunate position of looking at the repair of the engine that can be between $2,000-3,000, or more depending on the engine. So it is obviously very IMPORTANT that the timing belt be replaced on time, and that the other components listed above are inspected when the job is torn down, and replaced if recommended. What is included in a timing belt service? When you bring your timing belt in to us to be replaced, our service advisor will show you a picture of what your particular car’s system will look like when we get it tore down. Think of it as at the “guts” of an engine. The advisor will explain to you how many pulleys you have, if it is driven by the water pump, and where the engine seals are located. You will gain an understanding of the guts of your particular motor. When the engine is pulled down, there is usually a front motor mount and drive belts. The drive belts are the ones you can see. They drive the air conditioning pulleys, power steering pump, the alternator and other parts. The labor is free to replace those items at that time, but they have to come off to replace the timing belt. Normally if you replace the water pump when you do the timing belt, that is a good time to flush the cooling system, because you have to drain the antifreeze. Antifreeze should be replaced every 30-50,000 miles. It becomes corrosive and can cause damage to the internal cooling system components of the motor. Please visit our website atdavesautorepairutah.comfor more car repair articles and videos. We offer compete car repair, including an in house machine shop, restoration facility, collision center and towing services with locations in Centerville, Utah and Layton, Utah. 801-295-5081/801-593-1889 See the full article at http://new.pitchengine.com/pitches/f20d04cd-f4c2-4ee7-8ba6-520f36972094 ...read more

We all hate to see the price go up at the pump, but there is something we can do economize, besides driving less. A driver has some control over fuel consumption by taking care of his/her vehicle, and driving in a more conscientious manner. As far as taking care of your vehicle, we recommend keeping it properly tuned, which can improve gas mileage by about 4 percent. Check that your tires are properly inflated, which improves mileage by almost as much. Dirty air filters are going to significantly decrease your gas mileage, as well as dirty spark plugs and dirty oil. So as you can see, basic maintenance such as oil changes and regularly scheduled services, will help pay for themselves with increased fuel economy by as much as 25 percent! Most of us could improve our driving habits and this will help us save money. Following the speed limit will help as fuel economy quickly decreases above 60 mph. Idling can be very detrimental to fuel consumption, as of course you get 0 miles to the gallon. Try accelerating smoothly and avoid fast starts, which will suck down your fuel. How quickly do you need to race to get to the next red light? Finally, lighten the load. Extra weight in the trunk, as much as 100 pounds, is going to reduce fuel economy 1 to 2 percent. And that is another great bonus for losing weight! And obviously, try to get your errands done efficiently by planning ahead so you avoid excessive trips. Please call us with any questions on tire pressure or routine maintenance. Happy and safe driving! ...read more

Flag day hardly receives any attention these days. It is overshadowed by the  bigger celebrations, the 4th of July and Pioneer Day. But one Utah business would like children to celebrate our country's flag, and wants to do so by trying to pass out a flag to every child in their city. Miles Bell, owner ofDave's Auto Centerin Centerville and Layton, says "I remember learning to love the flag as a child. I loved the respect the flag received as a boy scout, and vividly recall how it inspired me when we retired several flags in ceremony".It is fitting that flag day is thought to have developed with school children back in 1885. A school teacher, BJ Cigrand, arranged for the pupils in the Fredonia, Wisconsin Public School, to celebrate the flag on June 14th to recognize the anniversary of the Flag Resolution of 1777.Later, inspired by three decades of state and local celebrations, Flag Day was officiallyestablishedby the Proclamation of President Woodrow Wilson on May 30th, 1916. While Flag Day was celebrated in various communities for years after Wilson's proclamation, it was not until August 3rd, 1949, that President Truman signed an Act of Congress designating June 14 of each year as National Flag Day.Miles states that he hopes in some small way he can help children in his community to reflect upon the meaning of the flag as he passes out flags to children the week before June 14th. Please stop by for a free flag at either location. 335 S Frontage Road in Centerville, or 1365 N Main in Layton. The website has informative articles, videos and more atdavesautorepairutah.com. ...read more

When Miles Bell was three years old, his parents asked him what he would like to be when he grew up. He answered, “the boss”. Now his childhood dream is being fulfilled as he takes over Dave's Auto Center in Centerville and Layton, Utah. “I was raised in a shop growing up, handing my dad tools and playing on the shop equipment with my brothers. It is home to me”, states Miles. “We have updated the name to include Center to distinguish our new emphasis. We are not only an auto repair facility, providing everything from oil changes to engine building with our machine shop, but we have an auto collision center, as well as used car sales.” Miles states that he gets a taste of how hard his dad has worked over the years. He now works 10 hour days and attends automotive and business classes at night. “I am getting my ASE certifications, because we encourage all our technicians to be ASE Master Certified technicians”, adds Miles. He returned from a mission in the Philippines for his church two years ago, and knew he wanted to continue in the auto business as he had done all his life. “It may sound odd, but I actually have fun working on cars. I want to continue to provide the honest, quality service our community has trusted us to provide”. ...read more

Here are my 8 tips for a creative and organized fundraiser. Let me start by giving you an example of one we are involved in right now. My youngest son is autistic, and attends a small charter middle school for high functioning autistic children. We are having a car wash in my business parking lot that the kids will be involved in. Our technicians will donate their time and do oil changes (more about this later). All of the proceeds will go to the school. You can use about any small business and target their services for a unique fundraising idea. For example, a beauty salon/barber shop offering a "hair cut day"; a bakery offering loaves of bread at a "no loafing around for xyz school". Use your local, successful businesses to help you. TIPS Start Early!Organizing generally takes longer than you expect. You can count on running into unforeseen issues to work through. Give yourself plenty of time. Recruit a few movers and shakers.You will need a select group of advisers to bounce ideas off of. Brainstorm with them. Create a plan.You will want to approach the business with a well thought out plan. If someone comes into my store with just a rough idea, I want to turn and run the other way because I know the responsibility will fall on my shoulders. Tell them how it will benefit the business. Will it give them exposure with the media? Will you advertise it on your school's reader board? Will you send emails with the business name on it to all the parents? Get support sponsors to sign up, or suggest that the business can do so. In our oil change example, we have our local parts supplier donate the oil filters, and our oil supplier donates the oil. They are usually happy to do so, if we put up their banners on the big day. They also help advertise at their places of business to their customers. Come up with a list of specific jobs, and recruit responsible and motivated people to oversee these tasks. Trust me, it always turns out to be more work than you thought! For our fundraiser, I will need a mom/dad/teacher to be in charge of advertising/marketing; someone to be in charge of the car wash supplies and supervising; and I need extra help supervising our autistic kids. So I am recruiting a local church youth group and their advisers. Before the event, please be sure to rally the troops!People actually tend to forget, and need reminders the big day is near. Get ATTENTION on the big day.Posters, balloons, people dressed up, etc. In our example, we are having our advertising parent make posters to get passing motorists attention. Don't make the mistake of having posters with small words, and a few people holding them right in front of the event location. Have you ever driven by a fundraiser, trying desperately to read the poster and figure out what is going on. By the time you do, you are already past the event! Make the words on the posters BIG, and place the posters far enough away so the passersby can read and prepare to attend your event. We will be having about 6 posters on each side of the street, spaced in intervals starting a block away, with key words on each poster. People holding signage is great. But you may not have enough recruits, and instead need to plant them using stakes or H stands. After the event, be sure to thank everyone.Write a card, or have the kids write thank yous on a poster, or make cookies. Everyone appreciates a nice thank you. And if the event was successful, you can repeat it next year. No need to reinvent the wheel. Good luck to you, and happy fundraising. Our schools need your help. Feel confident knowing that you are doing a great service. Visit our website athttp://www.davesautorepairutah.comfor more informative articles and videos. Dave's Auto is a full service auto repair facility, the best equipped shop in the state of Utah. We work on all makes and models, as well as offering a 24/7 towing service. We have two location in Centerville and Layton, Utah. We serve all of Davis county. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7643669 ...read more

The warm weather is upon us here in Utah. Time to head to your friendly neighborhood Dave's Auto Center in Centerville and Layton for a quick check of your A/C system. Bring in our coupon on this site for extra savings! For a newer model car, you may only need to have the A/C recharged. If your vehicle is a little older, extra attention may be required. Is the system blowing cool, but not as cold as it should be? It may just need a recharge. This can be done yourself if you know what you are doing. If you don't, it can be dangerous, as refrigerants displace oxygen and can literally push the air out of your lungs. To perform an A/C service, our technicians will measure the pressure in your system. If low, they will add until it reaches manufacturer's specifications. After the car has run for awhile with the A/C on high, they will again check the systems output. If it is low, there may be a leak. If there is a leak, we use the correct equipment to drain the gas from the vehicle. The next step is to check the hard lines for cracks. A dye is used if the cracks are not apparent. If it is not a crack causing the leak, the next step is to check components. The compressor is the first stop. R-134a has been used since 1994, and requires a supplementary oil to be added. Hopefully the compressor has not been run low on oil, or the interior seals could have failed. Compressors are not cheap, so make sure you have your A/C system serviced once a year. Call us today for a quote or if we can be of help with any questions. We are at your service. Enjoy your summer! 801-295-5081 ...read more