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Best places to get your car maintained and repaired

In this era of rampant inflation and high interest rates, the challenges of acquiring a car or SUV have been well documented. And so it has never been more important to protect that expensive investment by maintaining it. In recent months, Autoblog has shared Consumer Reports' evaluation of the least and most expensive car brands to keep running, as well as tips to prolong a car’s useful life. Especially since the pandemic, a number of factors have impacted these costs: more complex vehicles, new materials and manufacturing methods, a shortage of qualified technicians and replacement parts. Since 2022, repairs costs have jumped each year by about 10 percent. This month, Consumer Reports is offering a useful primer on keeping your ride in great shape, suggesting what might be the best options for searching out a repair shop, depending, as CR says, “on your car and your situation.” Author Ben Preston identifies three basic types of repair facilities: dealership service departments, independently owned repair shops, and chain repair shops. Building up trust with a specific shop and feeling comfortable going there is important. Preston quotes John Ibbotson, chief mechanic at Consumer ReportsÂ’ Auto Test Center: "You might be able to save a few bucks by going to whichever shop offers the cheapest prices, but if you want consistent, reliable service, itÂ’s best to find a repair shop you trust and stick with it,” Ibbotson says. The story goes on to evaluate each type of service facility. HereÂ’s a breakdown of CRÂ’s findings: Dealerships These work well for owners of newer cars, especially for covered warranty work. But the disadvantage is the high labor rates common to dealer service. Satisfaction ratings for dealer service departments range from very good (Acura, Lexus, Mazda, and Volvo) to not-so-good (Jeep and Kia). Dealers are best for: Fixing infotainment system glitches: "If the screen in the center of your dash has a habit of freezing up, or the touchscreen-activated climate controls arenÂ’t working, the dealership is the most likely place to find someone with the know-how to fix problems that maybe only a factory-authorized technician can access," Ibbotson says. Safety system recalibration: "Anything from a crack in your windshield to a minor fender dent can upset the calibration of the sensors that make features like automatic emergency braking and adaptive cruise control work," says Ibbotson.

2018 Jeep Wrangler four-cylinder fuel economy revealed

Fuel economy numbers for the 2018 Jeep Wrangler with the turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder have finally been announced by the EPA. In the city, the two-door model gets 23 mpg, and the four-door Unlimited gets 22. Highway fuel economy for the two-door is 25 mpg and 24 for the four-door. Combined for the two-door and four-door is 24 and 22 respectively. These aren't Prius numbers, but they do make the four-cylinder Wrangler the most efficient version of the off-roader so far. The rest of the Wrangler range with V6 power gets 20 mpg combined, with the exception of the manual four-door, which gets 19. The most efficient V6 models in the city are the automatic models, which, regardless of length, get 18 mpg. On the highway, the best V6 is the manual two-door, which manages 25 mpg, and only loses 1 mpg in the city to the automatic. The question is, is the improved fuel economy worth the price premium of the four-cylinder? The automatic-only four-cylinder engine is an extra $1,000 over a V6 automatic, and $3,000 over a V6 manual. And when looking at the annual fuel cost estimates at fueleconomy.gov, you might only save $50 to $100 each year. The problem being that, while it's more efficient, it also demands premium fuel that the V6 doesn't. So it could be quite a while before the upfront cost is recouped. But if you want a Wrangler that's a little nicer to the planet, it's probably the way to go, plus you get an extra 35 pound-feet of torque over the V6, even if it means sacrificing nearly 20 horsepower. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

SEMA 2017 and the new Jeep Wrangler | Autoblog Video Podcast #532

On this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Associate Editor Reese Counts. We'll talk about the news and hot, modified cars from the 2017 SEMA show in Las Vegas. We'll discuss the new Jeep Wrangler, which was just reveal ahead of the L.A. Auto Show, and the Ram 1500 we have in our fleet. As always, we'll help a listener pick their next vehicle in our "Spend My Money" segment. Autoblog Podcast #532 Your browser does not support the audio element. Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown SEMA Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk and Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn Southfork Question of the week: What's the best full-size truck? Best cars from Stranger Things Spend my money Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Aftermarket Podcasts SEMA Show Jeep RAM Truck SUV Off-Road Vehicles Videos SEMA 2017