At Cowden's Automotive & Exhaust in Buhl, we know that transmissions are one of the greatest technological marvels of the automotive world. How does a standard shift transmission work? Why should you care? Our expert technicians here at Cowden's Automotive & Exhaust in Buhl have the answers.

Your drive belts run everything - your AC, power steering, alternator, and water pump are all dependent on the belts that turn them. At Cowden's Automotive & Exhaust in Buhl, ID, our goal is to keep your truck maintained, so you’re never stuck out on the road. Drive belts are a critical part of that goal.

If you drive a car, truck, or SUV that runs on gasoline, there's a good chance you’ve run it low on fuel a few times (or more than a few times,) and maybe even run out of gas completely a time or two. At Cowden's Automotive & Exhaust in Buhl, ID, we like to provide information applicable to you. Running a vehicle low on fuel is something we’re all guilty of, and most of us don’t think twice about it. But, can it be bad for your car?

You know how often to change your engine oil; but what about the gear oil in your standard shift transmission? Here’s a short guide, from Cowden's Automotive & Exhaust in Buhl.  Unless you’re lucky enough to own a car with a transmission dipstick, inspecting the gear oil in a manual transmission is a lot more inconvenient than doing so with an automatic, or checking your engine oil. The car must be jacked up, supported, and the oil checked from underneath. As a result, you may just want to change it when the time is right. But how do you know when that time comes?

Your car, truck, or SUV is equipped with various filters that keep the air going into your engine clean, the air you breathe in the vehicle, the fuel that supplies your engine, and the oil that keeps it going. How often should you have them replaced? It depends on the filter, the vehicle, and the environment. Here’s what you need to know, from Cowden's Automotive & Exhaust in Buhl, ID.

Foggy headlights are a problem that has arisen in the past couple of decades, as we have moved away from glass sealed beam bulbs and into an era of plastic lenses with bulbs inside. While modern headlights are superior to the sealed beam headlights of years ago, they do tend to fog up after years of use. It’s a good trade for far better illumination and easier replacement, but an issue nonetheless. Hours and hours of heat, sunlight, and age eventually cause them to cloud up, which can reduce visibility at night in addition to worsening the appearance of your car, truck, or SUV. From Cowden's Automotive & Exhaust in Buhl, ID, here are some tips on taking care of your foggy or cloudy headlight issue.

At Cowden's Automotive & Exhaust in Buhl, efficiency is a concept that interests us. While your fuel economy is largely dependent on what kind of car, truck, or SUV you drive, there are a variety of tips and tricks to get the most bang for your buck. We’ve provided a few of our favorites here.

As your vehicle ages, it not only gains sentimental value but a number of maintenance measures arise as well. Vehicles from previous decades have the potential to keep their value and functionality for many years. But how can you make that possible? Here are some tips from Cowden's Automotive & Exhaust to keep your older vehicle running and on the road for a long time!

If you drive a vehicle with a manual transmission, you know that clutch replacement can be an expensive and time-consuming job. Cowden's Automotive & Exhaust in Buhl has some tips to keep your clutch replacements as infrequent as possible.

If you want to avoid nasty and unexpected surprise maintenance costs, sticking to a regimented schedule of preventative maintenance is something you are going to want to get used to. The reason being is simple – frequent maintenance will keep your vehicle in good health, ensuring you get the most out of all those expensive-to-replace parts. While it might sound counterintuitive, the best way to reduce maintenance costs is to stick to a prescribed maintenance schedule.

If you drive a performance or luxury vehicle, there are important points to remember in preserving not only your car or SUV, but it's resale value as well. Luxury and performance vehicles depreciate more quickly than other cars. Many who own these cars like to have the newest and the best of the best. In that way, the odds are stacked against you when trying to get a good price for your car. Fortunately, Cowden's Automotive & Exhaust has some steps you can take to ensure you get the most for your car when it’s time to sell. 

Eventually, the time comes to replace your car, truck, or SUV. Often, you’ll decide to go used to save some money. This can either be a great financial decision, but it takes a little more groundwork to make sure you’re getting a good deal and a reliable vehicle. From researching, to test driving, to inspecting a used vehicle, Cowden's Automotive & Exhaust in Buhl, ID has a few tips to help you get there.

Ride quality is an essential part of your driving experience. At Cowden's Automotive & Exhaust in Buhl, we strive to keep your car, truck, or SUV as smooth and comfortable to drive as the day it came off the lot. Your shock absorbers play a huge role in ride quality; here’s what you should know.

If you drive a luxury or performance vehicle, you’re an owner of a reliable machine. Still, occasionally problems do arise. On vehicles like these, with so many electronics, a dead battery is a common issue. At Cowden's Automotive & Exhaust we want to keep our customers informed, here’s how to jump-start your vehicle safely. 

At Cowden's Automotive & Exhaust in Buhl, ID, our main goal is to keep your car, truck, or SUV always performing at its best. Valve adjustments are an integral aspect of that goal.

If you own or operate any type of vehicle, you understand the importance of resale value. Some owners keep the same vehicle until it’s time for the scrap yard, but by and large it makes more sense to sell a vehicle and replace it at a certain point. From Cowden's Automotive & Exhaust in Buhl, ID, here’s how to make sure you get the most cash possible when it’s time for your vehicles to hit the auction block or when you're ready to sell it to its next owner.

At Cowden's Automotive & Exhaust in Buhl, we know that a key aspect of taking care of your transmission is understanding how it works. Here’s some info on transmission fluid types, in case you’re having trouble finding yours.

If you drive a vehicle with more than a few miles on it, there’s a good chance you’ve noticed an occasional drip underneath it that leaves spots wherever you park. Identifying what is leaking from your car will help you determine whether or not it’s a cause for concern, and what to do about it.

Something will go wrong with your car, truck, or SUV eventually. The important thing is knowing what to do, and how to deal with it. Just knowing what to do in a situation often means the difference between a quick repair and thousands of dollars worth of work. If you see steam coming from under the hood, it’s important to deal with it appropriately and quickly. Here’s what’s going on, and what to do, from Cowden's Automotive & Exhaust in Buhl, ID.

At Cowden's Automotive & Exhaust in Buhl, we believe it’s important for you to know how different systems in your car, truck, or SUV operate. Whether you want to know what to watch out for, or you’re just curious about how things work, we’re here to supply the answers.