Automotive News & Information - Cowden's Automotive & Exhaust

Your drive belts are simple but integral components to the function of your car, truck, or SUV. At Cowden's Automotive & Exhaust in Buhl, ID, belts are one of the first things we assess when looking over a vehicle, as they alone are in charge of operating your AC, water pump, alternator, and power steering.

At Cowden's Automotive & Exhaust in Buhl, we understand that safety and driving comfort are largely dependent on truck maintenance. Driving in the rain can be a hassle, especially if your vehicle isn’t prepared.

Essentially, there are a few things you can do to ease the burden of driving in the rain. Keep good quality windshield wipers installed, maintain a clean windshield, and regularly coat your windshield with Rain-X or comparable water-resistant chemicals. If applied properly, water-resistant coatings will dramatically increase visibility on rainy days. Quality windshield wipers, in good condition, are equally effective.

If your wipers don’t completely wipe away water with each pass, get them replaced. Driving in the rain is hard enough; inadequate equipment to deal with the situation only makes it that much more difficult. A clean windshield also goes a long way...rain won’t wash off the dirt that has had adequate time to adhere to your glass.

If you need new wipers, bring your truck to Cowden's Automotive & Exhaust and let one of our experienced technicians get you fixed up. No matter your repair or maintenance needs, our team has you covered.

Your vehicle configuration determines how it should be properly towed to avoid transmission damage. Specifically, it matters if your vehicle is front-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive and whether it’s an automatic or a manual. From the professionals at Cowden's Automotive & Exhaust in Buhl, ID, here’s how to tow your vehicle:

Your vehicle's belts and hoses are essential to the cooling, air conditioning and charging systems, and the engine. Don’t take these routine replacement intervals for granted because they can break down and leave you stranded.

What is the purpose and importance of your belts and hoses? The timing belt keeps the crankshaft and camshaft mechanically synchronized to maintain engine timing. Whether serpentine, V-belt, or fan belt (the belts on the outside of the engine), they all transmit power from the front of the engine to accessories that need to be driven, such as the air conditioning, the charging system, and fans. Radiator and heater hoses carry coolant to and from the engine, radiator, and heater core.

Fuel economy isn't far from the minds of our Buhl drivers and we hear these questions daily such as: Why can certain cars zip along at close to 40 mpg while others are lucky to get anywhere near 20? As it turns out, there are as many factors that go into how well your ride does at the pumps! Here are the 10 factors that have the greatest impact on fuel consumption that we would like to share with you.

If you're prepping to go on a road trip, you need to be sure that your vehicle is ready for the journey. An unmaintained vehicle could be the difference between a good trip and a trip that goes south really quickly. Here at Cowden's Automotive & Exhaust, we want to remind you of some things to do so you and your vehicle are ready for the road.

Your car’s belts and hoses are essential to the cooling, air conditioning, and charging systems, and the engine. Here at Cowden's Automotive & Exhaust in Buhl, our team takes them seriously as we understand that ignoring the routine replacement intervals will result in a costly breakdown that could leave you stranded. There are so many components tied together with your belts & hoses that it isn't just a simple belt or hose requiring repairs when you allow things to progress to the stage where your car or truck has a breakdown due to a faulty belt or hose.

For the first several decades of automotive history, transmissions weren’t reliant on electronics for operation. Today, that simply isn’t the case. At Cowden's Automotive & Exhaust in Buhl, ID, we have the knowledge and equipment necessary to take care of even the most complex transmissions, no matter what type of car, truck, or SUV you drive.