Boulder Auto Repair

The third stop on our #coloradoroadtrip is Ouray, Colorado. On your way there, you’ll go through Montrose transitioning from highway 50 to 550. As this is a longer leg of the trip you may want to start in the morning and stop in Montrose for lunch. Sitting at an elevation of 5,807 feet there’s outstanding local options for your eatery needs. Long time locals Kim and Bill Volk own the Campfire Robber restaurant operating since 1994. This home made menu has favorites for everyone in your vehicle.  After your midday stop in Montrose, you’ll continue down highway 550 to Ouray, Colorado, 7,792 feet. Known as the land of steam and ice, Ouray has every adventure activity available for you. During the summer activities include 4x4 trails, Biking, Rock Climbing, Canyoning, Fishing, Ghost Town Hunting, Hiking, Hot Springs, Rafting, SUP-ing, Boating, Camping, Horseback riding, or Ballooning. Okay that’s a lot! (...and tha ... read more

From Colorado Springs, head up highway 24 to Woodland Park through Divide to Buena Vista and down 285 to Salida. This drive is one of the best kept secrets of beauty in Colorado. Remember to have a tank of gas and snacks packed, as you’re accending in elevation and off the beaten path of restaurants and gas stations at every stoplight.    On the way, if you’re into the Colorado Craft Beer scenery, check out Paradox Brewing in Divide. Sitting at 9,165 feet, this is a great “off the map” secret to the Craft Beer Industry.    As you continue down 285 past Buena Vista you can turn west off the highway to visit Mount Princeton Hot Springs. At 8,250 feet this is a hot spot to cool down on the side of the Collegiate Peaks, a range of Colorado’s Famous Fourteeners the views are certain to take your breath away. There are 15 14,000 foot peaks in the area, another great opportunity to mark a “fourtee ... read more

Headed Southbound on I25, the first stop on our 5280 road trip will take us to an elevation of 6,030 feet in beautiful Colorado Springs, Colorado.  On the way into town on the west side is the world famous Air Force Academy sitting at 7,258 feet. Open to visitors and guests throughout the day, exit on 156 to drive through the base getting back on I25 on exit 150.  Continue down the highway to get into Colorado Springs Proper. While in town you won’t want to miss the Garden of the Gods.   The rock statutes will have you basking in the glory of the earth's ability to make such incredible rock features. While there park activities include hiking, biking, horseback riding, and rock climbing.     Another popular hike is the Manitou Incline, just 16 minutes from Garden of the Gods you can go straight up Pikes Peak with steps offering a 2000 foot incline up ... read more

Under-inflated or over-inflated tires wear out quickly and excessively. Additionally, tires with incorrect pressure may lead to lower gas mileage and negatively impact your car’s handling. It’s vital to know how to check tire pressure as it is a significant component to maintain a safe driving experience. The air pressure in tires measures in pounds per square inch or PSI. An essential first step is determining what your vehicle’s recommended tire pressure is. Your vehicle’s recommended tire pressure is on the sticker inside the driver’s door. Tire recommendations can be found in the owner’s manual as well. While the weather is cold, use a tire pressure gauge to check the pressure of your tires. With warm weather rolling into Boulder, it may be best to check the tire pressure in the early morning. If a morning time check is not possible for you, wait at least three hours for the tires to cool down before checking. Tire pressure can increase or decr ... read more

What’s the deal with emissions testing? Hint: There are benefits beyond air quality.  Clean Air Colorado is the official emissions testing company for gasoline powered vehicles in the state of Colorado. Diesel emissions testing is conducted by third-party automotive repair facilities.  The most obvious reason for emissions testing is air quality. Long-timers in the Denver metro area remember well the days of the “Brown Cloud.” Ensuring good air quality is important to everyone in the community, especially the young, the elderly, and those with respiratory illnesses.  To pass an emissions test, the emissions equipment on a given vehicle must be working properly, and the engine itself must be running efficiently - not smoking or sending excessive unburned fuel or combustion byproducts out the tailpipe.   The hidden upside of having to keep your car in good enough condition to pass emissions is that it will be more fuel efficient and last lon ... read more

Brake rotors are important because they spin with and stop the wheels when the brake pads clamp down on them. The brake rotors withstand a lot of heat during the process of braking, and need to dissipate this heat quickly so that the brake pads will be able to be pressed down again. Because of this mass amount of heat, the surface of the brake rotors can become uneven over time, which is often referred to as warping. This can cause your vehicle's brakes to become jittery and less effective.  Brake rotor warping isn't as severe as it sounds. Warping actually just refers to an uneven surface, mainly caused by heat. The brake rotors can be warped in the following ways:  The brake rotors can become glazed with material from the brake pads. This happens when the brake pads get very hot which causes the pad material to rub off onto the brake rotors. This causes the brake rotor surface to become uneven and decrease the overall efficiency of the brakes.    The s ... read more

How often should you check the oil in your car?  Would you consider checking it every time you filled your vehicle with gas? On one hand, checking the oil every time you fill up might seem excessive. On the other hand, doing so may very well save you thousands of dollars.  Checking the oil costs nothing, and it takes just a few seconds. Given the potential savings, why not make it a routine? Click here for a Haglin Automotive Tutorial on checking the oil. Forget for a moment the obvious “blown engine.” Plenty of damage happens long before a catastrophic engine failure - and that fact may be the most compelling reason to check your oil regularly.  Bonus! There is a less obvious, but nonetheless compelling reason to check your oil regularly. More about that in a minute.  A brand new car may use a surprising amount of oil, and every engine will burn some ... read more

  At Haglin Automotive, we understand the major uncertainty that the COVID-19 outbreak has caused. With shelter in place orders, many of us are struggling to make good use of our time while following CDC regulations. While staying at home indefinitely is difficulty for most, it is so vital to the overall health of our nation's people and is a crucial step in preventing the spread of this virus.  First and foremost, protecting your health should be a priority. This means regularly washing your hands, avoiding touching surfaces outside of your home, keeping a 6 foot distance between you and others, sanitizing regularly, and avoiding touching your face with unwashed hands. Secondly, don't forget about your mental health - this is just as important during this time.  Here are some of our tips to follow when it comes to staying busy at home during COVID-19 shelter in place orders:  Read a new book Give yourself a cleaning project, such as deep cleaning the ... read more

Haglin Automotive remains open and committed to serve the automotive public during the Covid-19 Emergency.   We understand how important it is to have safe and reliable transportation - perhaps more than ever in situations like this.   We have enacted recommended precautions to guard against transmission of the virus and to safeguard your health and ours, including best practices as published by the Centers for Disease Control and other health authorities. These efforts include the following:  1. A strictly enforced absence policy - employees are to report to work only if feeling fully well.  2. Enhanced cleaning and disinfecting of our workspaces. 3. Direct cleaning of “touch” items in the process of and upon conclusion of our services and repairs - door handles, steering wheels, transmission shifters, and controls such as the radio, lights, and HVAC systems. 4. Digital delivery of inspection reports and invoices, together with secure te ... read more

Who is your mechanic? What can we tell you about the man or woman that goes to work each day ready to maintain and/or fix your vehicle? One common trait among technicians is an innate desire to understand how things work and solve mysteries.  Knowing what’s wrong isn’t as valuable as knowing why a particular system in a vehicle isn’t working properly.  This is the orientation that facilitates expert diagnosis, which is the first step in a complete repair.    Good mechanics are also lifelong learners, which is why all of our technicians attend continuing education classes and strive to earn third-party certifications such as ASE Master Technician.   Let’s start with Dana Haglin. Like so many mechanics, Dana had an early love of cars.  In fact, he still has a car he bought while in high school (it’s an Austin Healey)!  Dana has a music performance degree from the University of Colorado, Boulder, but ultimately ... read more