Latest News From Bumper Radio

Thank you Bumper to Bumper Radio Preferred Auto Care Network Members!

The participating Bumper to Bumper Radio preferred Shop members teamed up again in a record breaking effort by raising over $10,300 for Phoenix Children’s Hospital this year. Last week, the team was invited by PCH to a special thank you breakfast and tour of the hospital.

We'd like to invite all our listeners to join us in this effort by signing up to become a Phoenix Children’s Hospital Miracle Maker.

I-17 Collision Repair, one of Bumper to Bumper Radio's preferred shops recently helped sponsor a golf tournament benefiting The Real Gift Foundation. This local charity helps homeless moms and their kids.

The Real Gift Foundation creates volunteer projects and coordinates efforts to raise awareness and resolution of the issues relating to children of homeless families. Activities include organizing programs to provide health maintenance and health care services, food and clothing, holiday assistance, educational programs and similar services. They are committed to as many people as possible participating in the opportunity and privilege it is to make a difference in the life of a child.

Find out more at http://www.therealgift.org .

Photo: Daryl Hayes and Kevin Rowe of I-17 Collision Repair

As a follow up to ABC News "20/20" going undercover at mechanic shops, Frank Leutz of Desert Car Care, a Bumper to Bumper Radio preferred shop, gives you a few pointers to empower you before you go in for your next auto repair job.

Would your car be ready if you had to leave at a moment’s notice? If you were stranded in your car, would you be prepared? During National Preparedness Month in September, the non-profit Car Care Council is reminding drivers of the importance of regular maintenance and do-it-yourself checks, as well as a stocked emergency kit.

“Emergencies and natural disasters come in a variety of forms, and you don’t always have time to prepare,” said Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council. “It is important and gives you peace of mind to know that your vehicle is always ready for the task.”

During Brake Safety Awareness Month in August, the Car Care Council reminds motorists that routine brake inspections are essential to safe driving and maintaining your vehicle.

“When it comes to vehicle safety, the brake system is at the top of the list, so have your brakes checked by an auto service professional at least once a year,” said Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council. “Knowing the key warning signs that your brakes may need maintenance will go a long way toward keeping you and others safe on the road.”

CHICAGO, April 17, 2014 -- In a growing vehicle service market, auto dealerships are at risk of losing a substantial portion of their fixed operations revenue to national chains and local repair shops, according to an independent study commissioned by Cars.com. In the 2014 Service and Repair Report, leading market research firm GfK found that consumer perceptions about cost of repairs, lack of price transparency and underutilization of effective digital marketing strategies has called dealership profitability, specific to service, into question.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., April 3, 2014 -- Anyone who's ever been involved in a car accident knows how stressful and disorienting it can be, and simple mistakes can add insult to injury by costing you thousands of dollars in medical and repair bills. Here are 4 steps you can take to ensure you aren't taken advantage of in an auto accident.

Stay Calm: In the seconds after an accident, take a moment to keep control over yourself. Do your best to stay calm in the wake of an accident. The last thing you want to do is condemn yourself by admitting guilt (even saying "I'm sorry" is an admission of guilt), and don't get into a fight with the other people in the accident. Before getting out the car, check yourself and any passengers for injuries, then when it's safe to exit your vehicle, ask any other drivers involved in the accident if they are alright. IF YOU OR ANYONE ELSE HAS SIGNS OF A SERIOUS INJURY, CALL 911 IMMEDIATELY AND FOLLOW THEIR INSTRUCTIONS.

Sad but true story of a guy who always got great deals on inexpensive oil changes at local Arizona oil chain shops. They changed his oil alright -- but what he never got was a new oil filter!

Check out this video and showing what they found at Good Works Auto Repair in Tempe, AZ the very first time they ever changed his truck's oil. You'll never go to a discount oil chain again.

Other Common Errors Include:

• Drain plugs are often put back in crooked, crossthreading it and ruining the threads in the pan.
• Failing to put oil back in the engine.
• Using inferior oil filters.
• Using inferior oil.

Ten years ago, Matt Allen of Virginia Auto Service got a phone call that is every business owner's nightmare; his shop was on fire.

The fire, which was set by an arsonist, burned everything but the three bays in the back. If those bays had not have been spared, he would have been put out of business.

Although most of the building was destroyed, Allen continued operating in the undamaged areas and temporary mobile offices and opened two weeks later offering limited services. After nearly a year of rebuilding, the Phoenix shop was fully functional in May 2005.

Matt is happy to be here today and he's grateful to all the friends, family and customers who kept on coming coming in for repairs even though it took nearly a year to get everything back to normal.

Click here to read the entire story.

Click here for the Virginia Auto Service shop profile on Bumper to Bumper Radio.

Photos of the June 22, 2004 Fire at Virginia Auto Service

{gallery}virginia-auto-fire:165:165:0:2{/gallery}

ARLINGTON, Va. — Many teenagers are driving vehicles that don't offer good crash protection and lack important safety technology, new research by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety shows. To help guide parents toward safer choices, IIHS has compiled its first-ever list of recommended used vehicles for teens.

IIHS is known for its ratings of new vehicles, but for many families, a 2014 Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+2014 Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+ isn't in the budget. In a national phone survey conducted for IIHS of parents of teen drivers, 83 percent of those who bought a vehicle for their teenagers said they bought it used.

With that reality in mind, the Institute has compiled a list of affordable used vehicles that meet important safety criteria for teen drivers (see below). There are two tiers of recommended vehicles with options at various price points, ranging from less than $5,000 to nearly $20,000, so parents can buy the most safety for their money, whatever their budget.