Articles | Parkside Motors

Electrical Round-Up

We just finished 3 new pages covering all areas of your vehicle's electrical system. They all need regular maintenance, so we have outlined what each system does, what to look for to diagnose problems, and how we go about repairing them to get you back on the road safely.

Our History

We just added a 4th bay to the shop, and the expansion has us reflecting on our past. So much has happened in 35 years. This photo essay shows how Parkside and the neighbourhood have changed with the times.

New Service Resources

Learn everything about how we perform our services with complete transparency. Time, expense, procedure, descriptions, FAQs, and team members all profiled here. We will build out these services pages over the next few months to help serve and educate our clients even better.

Tips: Sunroofs in Winter

During the winter, which is more like the rainy season in Victoria, there is a common problem that pops up in regards to sunroofs. We live in the perfect city for an open top vehicle, but the constant wet and rain brings leaks and flooding along with it. This is the type of problem where the maintenance is cheap and effective, while the damage caused by leaving it too long can be expensive and inconvenient.

Front End Repair Round-Up

We were hard at work last month writing in-depth articles about all aspects of front end repair. We learned about what causes steering and suspension problems, the easy way to prevent driveshaft issues, and how often to change your power steering fluid to keep your car running smoothly. Take a look at this front-end article round-up and follow the links to get more information.

Need to Know: Drive Shafts

Today we are giving you a little insight on problems that arise with driveshafts, axle shafts, and CV joints. The most important takeaway, though, is that these problems can be caught and repair quickly and effectively. All you need to do is be sure to bring your car in for its regularly scheduled oil change and we inspect these parts to catch any issues before they become big problems.

Need to Know: Suspension & Steering

You know the old story of the frog in the boiling pot of water? It heats up so gradually he doesn't even notice until it is too late. That is a good analogy for steering and suspension problems. The symptoms are very gradual and they are easy to miss. That is why we take every car that comes in for an oil change out for a test drive. We notice these symptoms right away and do a front end inspection to make sure your steering and suspension systems are up to snuff.

Need to Know: Belt Inspection

Your car's charging system is a veritable merry-go-round of energy transfer. Let's look at how belts keep your charged up and on the road, and what we can do to help keep your charging system in tip-top shape the next time you are in for an oil change.

Need to Know: Battery Load Tests

You know when you are waiting for the ferry and you see that one stranded car from the previous sailing? His car died after 20 minutes of listening to the radio without the car running. This is not typical, and a simple battery load test would have saved him the biggest hassle in island living. Learn more about how to prevent this issue right here.

DIY: Battery Clean-Up

Batteries become corroded over time, and this build up of material on the terminals of you car battery can stop the flow of electricity and give you a headache. Here is a quick and simple home remedy that can fix it in under 5 minutes for next to nothing. Check out the slideshow here.

Need to Know: Batteries

We like to say that knowledge is power, but in this case, knowledge about your car battery actually IS power. Let’s take a quick look at how batteries work, how to maintain them, and how to get out in front of a failing battery before you are left stranded.