Hamburg Auto Repair

Welcome to 2021! We hope you and your family have managed to cope in the past year. 2021 will likely have challenges of its own, but here’s to positivity and grace in the New Year. Speaking of the New Year: have you made any resolutions yet for 2021? We’ve compiled a short list of the sins we think need the most addressing to keep the roads safe… small commitments you can make to improve the driving around Hamburg. Paying attention: There’s so many distractions in a car these days. Phones, chatty passengers, kids… it’s important to get our distractions sorted before you begin driving. Set your phone up as hands free, ask your passenger to let you concentrate on the road, and remind the kids to be on their best behavior until you reach your destination. And be sure to know the route you are taking before you start the journey, so there’s no fiddling with a navigation app in the middle of your trip! Defensive Driving ... read more

At Schultz Auto & Truck Repair in Hamburg, New York, we’re more than just your local service shop. We’re a NAPA Auto Care center as well. You might wonder, “what does that mean for me?” Let us explain it for you! When you bring your car or truck into Schultz Auto & Truck Repair for service, all qualifying labor and parts are covered with the nationwide NAPA AutoCare Peace of Mind Warranty, protecting you for 36,000 miles, or 36 months (3 calendar years).  That warranty is honored at more than 14,000 locations nationwide, protecting you wherever you roam. That’s more than any other automotive repair brand warranty. And it comes standard with all our labor and our parts.  Here’s what included with the NAPA AutoCare Peace of Mind Warranty: FREE with your qualifying repair or service work Covers parts and labor on qualifying repairs and services for 36 months/36,000 miles Honored nationwide by over 14,000 NAPA AutoCare Center loca ... read more

Computer diagnostics are an important part of auto repair and maintenance service. Why? To put it simply, it is a testing system that allows our mechanics to find the root cause of why your Check Engine light is on, or why your car is having issues.  In this month’s blog, we thought it would be a great idea to share information with you about the ins and outs of computer diagnostics. To begin, let’s talk about the high-tech, computer modulated system that runs your automobile. Your car is essentially a sophisticated computer network on wheels, and because of the many computers, it is not easy for a DIY mechanic to pinpoint any issues without the specialized computer diagnostics testing equipment. Gone are the days when the mechanical aspects of a Domestic, Asian, or European vehicle are deemed simple. Because of the many computers that monitor pressure, speed, airflow, temperature, cameras, erratic driving, and more, your vehicle needs the attention of technicians w ... read more

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, some families spent little time together. So many fathers and their children were crazy busy with work, with school, with church commitments, and hobbies. After Shelter-In-Place orders, the world, as you know, got a whole lot quieter. Yes, it’s been hard, but the time spent at home with loved ones has also been a blessing. It has given us time together, but in an unhurried and less-chaotic sense.  That is why for our June blog, we want to celebrate our Fathers by listing five ways to bond with the father figures in your life for Father’s Day. Fathers are important, and we found a touching TED Talk that brings that point home: <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Eu22Wgu98VE" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe> Did you shed a tear watching the video? Yes, so d ... read more

Road trips aren’t reserved for warmer months. Some of the most beautiful road trips are during winter when everything is a magical white. It may be cold, but if you prepare ahead of time, you will stay warm and safe.  The best way to stay safe is to be smart about your driving. Giving yourself plenty of room around you, having properly fitted chains, not being in a hurry can all add up to safe driving that will get you to where you want to be rather than stuck in a ditch. You’ll also want to make sure your vehicle is in prime driving condition. Here are a few things you’ll want to check on plenty ahead of time in case you need an adjustment or repair:  Tires: Look for the proper tread depth, inspect for general wear and tear, and inflate tires accordingly knowing that they tend to expand and retract based on weather. Proper inflation alone can help your tires grip the road. Lights: All lights need to be in proper working order. Check headlights, running l ... read more

There are pros and cons to both light diesel and gasoline engines. Let’s take a look at both and give you an opportunity to figure out what will work best for you.  Diesel engines are more fuel efficient. They also have more low-end torque. Diesel fuel has 10-15% more energy than gas, which means that they have the potential to go 20-30% than gasoline-powered vehicles. There have been many improvements made to diesel engines over the years that make them so much better than they once were.  Thanks to improved technologies that affect fuel injection and electronic controls, diesels have increased power, improved acceleration, and significantly increased overall efficiency. They are now quieter and run more smoothly. This is due to new engine designs as well and vibration and noise dampening technologies. They also now have much better cold-weather-starting abilities.   They run cleaner than they did, but they are still behind gasoline engines on this level ... read more

Skates are great for the ice arena, but when our roads turn into ice rinks, you’ll want the best snow tire possible. Even though this year’s winter forecast for Hamburg, NY is warmer than usual, you know it will still be cold with plenty of snow. Make sure that you and your vehicle are ready for the snow. The proper snow tires are going to matter! Schultz Auto & Truck Repair can help you with the right snow tires, and here are some other helpful suggestions for handling this year’s New York winter: You have great snow tires, now you need to make sure they are in the best condition possible. Check for tread depth as well as wear or other damage to the side walls. This can help you stop when you need to even with snowy conditions. Know that all the great de-icing salts and chemicals help to keep the ice down on the roadways but they also wear down your brakes. Make sure to have your brakes checked out this winter. Plan ahead for any winter road trips. Make sure y ... read more

Most of us like to jump in our cars and go without thinking much about anything other than where we are headed. Especially when we are young and we can’t wait to get to a party, a friend’s house, or some other fun event. It is, however, important that everyone holds a bit of knowledge about the powerful vehicle under the control of our foot on the pedal, hand on the shifter, mitts on the steering wheel.  Know your car: Make sure someone teaches you about your specific car. From lights to brakes to everything in between, set it all up the ways that will keep you safe before ever pulling away from the curb. Understand all of your lights, set all mirrors to provide you with the least blind spots, and set your seat to provide you with comfort but also with the best ability to properly handle your steering wheel.  Owner's manual: Contrary to popular belief, your owner’s manual isn’t just there to take up room in your glove box or to satisfy the automa ... read more

Many of us love to travel with our dogs. In fact, many of us don’t even like to leave our best friend behind when we go to the grocery store. We love our pooches, but that doesn’t mean it’s always best for us to bring them with us wherever and whenever we go out. It’s important to realize that our vehicle’s interior heats up very fast. When it’s only 70 degrees outside, a car interior can climb to 104 in a half an hour and up to 113 within an hour. The penalties for leaving a pet in your car ranges from a $50 fine up to a felony. Never leave your pet alone in your vehicle. There are other ways to protect your pooch when traveling or running errands that won’t leave your pet behind waiting for you in the car. It’s not a law in New York to restrain your dog in the backseat, but there are plenty of discussions encouraging lawmakers to take that stance. Some states already have those laws in place. While we don’t here, it is the safes ... read more

Though we don’t repair motorcycles, we are huge fans of them. Schultz Auto & Truck Repair in Hamburg, NY will do motorcycle safety inspections as required by the State of New York. For Motorcycle Awareness Month, consider getting a safety inspection, triple-checking your blind spots, and keeping a watchful eye for any motorcyclists on the road. After all, motorcyclists could be your father, mother, brother, sister, son, daughter, or friend.  :-) May is Motorcycle Awareness Month. There are ways for the average motorist to be better at sharing the road and there are definite ways that motorcycle riders can better protect themselves. The more that motorists understand basic motorcycle driving behavior, the easier it is to help keep them safe. The more that motorcyclists understand their limits, the roads, and their bikes, the best they can protect themselves. It’s all of us paying attention and having a willingness to share the road that will keep all of us driving ... read more