Rancho Auto Service and Smog

Even for the most diehard gearheads and auto gurus out there, it’s impossible to truly know and retain everything there is to know about cars.

Holiday road trips always sound fun in theory, but let’s be honest: The irritation level can get pretty high in there about 30 minutes into the drive (especially if you’re traveling with little ones). Make this season’s car rides your most painless and festive yet with these super simple, plan-ahead tips.

With the amount of money we spend on the payments, maintenance, and repair of our cars, you’d think we’d have a better relationship with our vehicles. But understanding our carshow they work, how to care for them, repair costscan be overwhelming.

Pumping gasoline is a routine to which most people give little thought. Just stop at the gas station, pay, fill up and go. But have you ever wondered where the gas you buy actually comes from?

Flying cars may seem futuristic but from commercial jetpacks to personal air taxis, they are already here. Here’s how they could transform the way we commute, work, and live.

One way to avoid a turkey of a Thanksgiving road trip is to make sure the vehicle you will be driving is running well. A 10-minute pre-trip check is a quick and easy way to help avoid the inconvenience of a breakdown many miles away from home, says the non-profit Car Care Council.

No one wants to admit to being a distracted driver, but we’ve all texted, talked and eaten while on the road. The truth about distracted driving is that it doesn’t take much for our attention to be diverted.

Car batteries are the strong, silent member of the automotive team. They do their job regardless of heat, cold weather and the drivers who demand so much of them. While a battery that allows a car start at the first turn of the key is a joyful thing, it doesn't last forever.

We're always trying to figure out what the Golden Age of cars was, but the truth is that ever since World War II, we've lived in something of an endless Golden Age.

Standard Motor Products Inc. (SMP) has announced the winners of its SMP Women in Auto Care Scholarship. The inaugural competition has presented two female students with $5,000 each.

An air cabin filter is an important component in any vehicle's heating and cooling system. It helps protect the passengers from contaminants in the air they breathe.

With gas prices remaining low, motorists should take advantage of their savings and invest it back into their vehicles. By spending a little now to increase fuel efficiency, drivers can multiply fuel savings and save more money at the pump, says the Car Care Council.

Driving can be very stressful, particularly if you are stuck in heavy traffic or are an inexperienced driver, and this stress will eventually take its toll on the heart. However, researchers now confirm that there is a simple fix for this problem: listening to the right music while driving.

Back-to-school season is the ideal time to review your ABCs; the ABCs of car care, that is. The Car Care Council recommends that motorists brush up on their auto care knowledge to make sure their vehicle is operating at its most efficient level before the school year commences and the onset of fall and winter weather.

It starts with Hot Wheels and garbage trucks and blossoms into something more. Brett Berk dives into the psychology of why you never stopped loving automobiles.

Brake Safety Awareness Month in August is the perfect time to have your brakes checked to make sure they are in safe working condition before summer ends and the school year starts, says the non-profit Car Care Council.

Only you can protect your family or yourself from defective or noncompliant vehicles or equipment that could pose a threat to your safety.

You may love the heat of summer, but you need to help your car keep its cool when temperatures rise. An engine that runs too hot can damage the vehicle and threaten your safety. Here are some tips we’ve compiled to help prevent your car from overheating:

Summer's arrival means your vehicle's air conditioning system is going to be under a serious strain before long. If you haven't had your system serviced in a while, now's the time.