A lot of people in the Lake County, IN. area want custom wheels. When you do this yourself (over the internet . . .) you could run into trouble if you’re not careful. Sometimes they just don’t fit right: The tires rub in turns or over bumps. Consulting a tire professional at DWR Tire and Auto in Crown Point can ensure you get the right fit for your family car. First he’ll ask you a series of questions about your driving needs and what you want in your new wheels.

Now, not every wheel can go on every vehicle. Care must be taken so that tires and wheels are not too large or that the wheel is centered too far towards the outside or the inside. If you don’t want to make any modifications to your family car, you would need to focus on a wheel and tire combination that would fit. With trucks, some Crown Point people like much bigger tires so they need a suspension lift.

Also, most Crown Point people don’t realize that you need to keep the rolling diameter of your new tires – that’s the overall height of the tire – very close to what came from the factory in order for your anti-lock brakes and stability control systems to work properly.

The family car computers that control these systems are calibrated to a certain size tire. When you go bigger or smaller, the computer doesn’t know what changes you made so it can’t tell how fast you’re going. This, of course, means it sends commands to the brakes and traction control that are based on the wrong sensor information. If you go with a different rolling diameter, your family car vehicle control computer can be reprogrammed for the new tire size. At DWR Tire and Auto, we can give you information about control computer reprogramming.

Either way, there are hundreds of wheel and tire choices to choose from in Crown Point. You can pick the style of wheel you want and then talk with your Crown Point tire professional about how big the wheel should be – and select the right tire to meet your style, performance, ride and handling needs – and the best way to do all this is to have your courteous DWR Tire and Auto tire specialist see your family car in person so mistakes are not made.

At DWR Tire and Auto, we also offer Brakes and Brakes.

Give us a call

DWR Tire and Auto
219.661.9200
1498 1/2 N. Main Street
Crown Point, IN 46307

At DWR Tire and Auto in Crown Point IN (46307) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 219.661.9200. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

A lot of Lowell drivers get custom wheels. When you do this yourself (over the internet . . .) you could run into trouble if you’re not careful. Sometimes, once they’re mounted, they just didn’t fit right. The tires rub in turns or on bumps. You don’t want that.

Consulting a tire professional at DWR Tire and Auto can ensure you get the right fit. First he’ll ask you a series of questions about your driving needs in Lowell and what you want in your new wheels.

At DWR Tire and Auto, we advise Lowell tire buyers that not every wheel can go on every car. Care must be taken so that tires and wheels are not too large or that the wheel is centered too far towards the outside or the inside so the tires rub.

If you don’t want to make any modifications to your family car, you need to focus on the wheels that fit. With trucks, some Lowell people like much bigger tires so they need a suspension lift.

Also, most Lowell people don’t realize that you need to keep the rolling diameter of your new tires – that’s, like the overall height of the tire – very close to what came from the factory in order for your anti-lock brakes and stability control systems to work properly.

The family car’s computers that control these systems are calibrated to a certain size tire. When you go bigger or smaller, the computer doesn’t know what changes you made so it can’t tell how fast you’re going. This, of course, means it sends commands to the brakes and traction control that are based on the wrong speed. If you go with a different rolling diameter, your family car’s engine control computer can be reprogrammed for the new tire size. For information on reprogramming the engine computer, call us at 219.661.9200.

Either way, there are hundreds of wheel and tire choices to choose from in Lowell. You can pick the style of wheel you want and then talk with your DWR Tire and Auto tire professional about how big the wheel should be – and select the right tire to meet your style, performance, ride and handling needs.

At DWR Tire and Auto in Crown Point IN (46307) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 219.661.9200. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

Your family car cooling system’s job is to keep your engine cool. Coolant (also called antifreeze) mixed with water flows through your engine and absorbs heat. The mixture then flows out to the radiator where it’s cooled by air flowing over the radiator. From there the cooled mix circulates back through the family car engine to absorb more heat.

Coolant, or antifreeze, is specially formulated to keep your engine safe in a wide range of environmental and operating temperatures in Crown Point.

Without coolant, the family car’s metal engine parts would expand so much that the engine would seize up and stop running.  Expensive parts could be broken or warp so badly they would have to be replaced at DWR Tire and Auto in Crown Point. It could even be so bad that the whole engine is ruined and has to be replaced.

Also, if it’s freezing outside in Crown Point, the water in your engine could freeze while your vehicle is sitting out in the IN cold. This is why you check coolant levels frequently and have your cooling system inspected for leaks. Also your manufacturer has a maintenance requirement for draining and replacing your coolant. These recommendations can vary widely, so check your Crown Point owner’s manual or ask your service advisor at DWR Tire and Auto in Crown Point.

The reason you need to change the coolant is that it has additives in it to protect the cooling system. As you can imagine, with all the heat, the cooling system’s a pretty harsh environment. The additives keep the fluid from becoming corrosive and damaging the radiator and other Crown Point cooling system components. Over time, the additives are depleted and the coolant just has to be replaced. A simple pH test can measure the coolant’s acidity.

You may have noticed that there are different colors of antifreeze at DWR Tire and Auto: it is very important that you use the correct type.  The different coolant types are different colors so you don’t mix them up.  Manufacturers use different materials to make the cooling system, and they require different types of antifreeze to protect them.

So check with your courteous DWR Tire and Auto service advisor or owner’s manual for the right kind because using the wrong coolant can void the warranty for your family car cooling system.

Ask us about Tires, Brakes and Tires.

Give us a call

DWR Tire and Auto
219.661.9200
1498 1/2 N. Main Street
Crown Point, IN 46307

At DWR Tire and Auto in Crown Point IN (46307) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 219.661.9200. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

Let’s look at what the manufacturers say constitutes severe driving conditions, and let you draw your own conclusions:

• Most of your trips are less than four miles
• Most of your trips are less than ten miles and outside temperatures are below freezing
• The engine is at low speed most of the time – not on the highway
• You operate your vehicle in dusty areas
• You regularly tow a trailer, carry heavy loads or a car-top carrier
• Stop and go driving
• Driving in very hot or very cold weather

So you can see that a lot has to do with how you drive, but some has to do with where you drive. Some areas of the country will be more or less severe than it is here in Crown Point, IN.

For many, normal driving includes elements of severe service driving. So how do you know? Picture a line with ‘regular’ on one end and ‘severe’ on the other, and make a judgment on where you fall.

If your regular oil change recommendation is 5,000 miles and the severe service recommendation is 3,000 – when should you change your oil? For some, it’s closer to 3,000 miles. For others, it’s closer to 5,000 miles. Your service advisor will be happy to have this discussion with you and help you sort it out.

If you drive where the air is dusty or polluted, fluids will become contaminated and filters will get dirtier more quickly.

So make an honest evaluation of your driving conditions in and around Crown Point. You’ve made the commitment to take care of your vehicles, so it only makes sense to follow the right schedule.

Give us a call for advice for your car based on our local Crown Point driving conditions.

At DWR Tire and Auto in Crown Point IN (46307) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 219.661.9200. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

Car batteries wear out just like any other battery and need to be replaced. There are a couple of things Crown Point family car owners should know when looking for a new car battery: one is cold cranking amps and the other is reserve capacity.

Let’s start with cold cranking amps. This can be thought of as the power output used to start a cold family car engine. The number of cold cranking amps you need depends on your vehicle and where you live around Crown Point, specifically how cold it is where you live. The two factors are that the colder an engine is, the more power it takes to turn the family car engine over to get it started. It has all that cold, sluggish oil to contend with. The other factor is that the chemical reaction in the battery that creates electrical energy is less efficient in the cold.

So the colder it gets in Crown Point, more power is needed, but the available power drops.

If you live where it’s cold, you need a battery with more cold cranking amps than you do where it’s moderate or hot. You should always get at least as many cold cranking amps as the manufacturer recommends, but may want to upgrade at DWR Tire and Auto if you live where it gets real cold.

An important note: Batteries may also list the Cranking Amps – CA – number. It is the Cold Cranking Amps – or CCA – that is the important number here. CCA is the number to use in your comparisons.

Now with all this talk of cold temperatures in Crown Point, it’s important to note that heat is the real enemy of long battery life. In other words, the damage that’s done over the hot summer months in Crown Point shows up with the increased demands on the family car battery when the weather turns cold.

Now on to reserve capacity: It’s a measurement of the number of minutes of reserve power the battery has at a given load. The number is more important these days because of parasitic drain. Parasitic drain is the battery energy that’s used when the key is off. So the power drawn by the family car security system, the remote start system, even the power the family car computers require to maintain their memory.

Reserves are also needed when you make very short trips around Crown Point. You’re not driving long enough for the battery to recover the energy it used to start the family car engine.

So go with the minimum recommended by your manufacturer and upgrade if you need more. Talk with your courteous DWR Tire and Auto service advisor about options. If you need more from your battery, a larger capacity battery may be called for.

Batteries are a big ticket item for most Crown Point motorists, so the warranty gives peace of mind. Be sure to ask about the car battery warranty at DWR Tire and Auto so you know what you’re getting. At DWR Tire and Auto, we have been providing quality auto service in Crown Point for 18 years.

Give us a call

DWR Tire and Auto
1498 1/2 N. Main Street
Crown Point, IN 46307

At DWR Tire and Auto in Crown Point IN (46307) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 219.661.9200. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

Every Crown Point car owner who has taken their car in for an oil change has been told that their engine air filter’s dirty. Here’s what goes into the determination of when to change the filter: First, your family car owner’s manual will have a recommendation of when to change the filter. Second, a visual inspection by your Lake County, IN. technician may determine that your filter it is visibly dirty and needs to be changed.

So between your family car owner’s manual and your Lake County, IN. technician’s inspection there’s really no guesswork involved.

Now, most air filters purchased in Crown Point don’t cost a lot to replace. It’s just that IN people hate getting caught with an unexpected expense. On the plus side, though, changing a dirty air filter at DWR Tire and Auto can often save enough on gas to pay for itself before your next oil change.

Think about a dirty furnace filter in your St John home. When it’s all clogged up, enough clean air can’t get through. In your family car, that means that your engine can’t get as much air as it needs to burn the fuel efficiently. So it makes do with less air and has to use more gas to move your vehicle around Crown Point roads.

Your family car actually needs about 12,000 gallons of air for every gallon of gas it burns. Engine air filters don’t cost much in Crown Point at DWR Tire and Auto. When it’s time to change yours, just get it done. You’ll save money, have better performance and protect your engine.

At DWR Tire and Auto in Crown Point IN (46307) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 219.661.9200. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

Lake County, IN. auto owners sell cars for a lot of different reasons. Maybe they just want something new or maybe they’re selling the car because it has a problem or two. So how do you know what you’re getting into when you sign the papers for a used car in IN?

When a car comes into DWR Tire and Auto in Crown Point with maintenance records, we can see if the factory maintenance schedule has been followed.

If it doesn’t come with records, St John and Lowell used car buyers have to assume the worst. How many Lake County, IN. people who are turning in a leased vehicle at 36,000 miles will perform the transmission service recommended at 35,000?

So what do you do? At DWR Tire and Auto, we suggest getting on track with the maintenance schedule and staying on track. Lacking evidence to the contrary, assume it needs an oil change. The thorough DWR Tire and Auto inspection that comes with a full service oil change will reveal basic problems.

Be sure to bring up any specific concerns with your DWR Tire and Auto service consultant. When buying an older used vehicle in Crown Point, there’s more to be concerned with because there’s been more time for things to go wrong. A used vehicle inspection at DWR Tire and Auto is a good idea: the peace of mind is well worth the money.

In addition to the scheduled maintenance items, look for uneven wear on the tires. That could be a symptom of an alignment problem, worn shocks, or some other suspension issue. Listen for unusual sounds and pay attention to strange odors. Keep track of any problems you have when driving so you can consult with your courteous service advisor at DWR Tire and Auto in Crown Point.

If you just bought a used car in the Lake County, IN. area, give us a call at 219.661.9200.

At DWR Tire and Auto in Crown Point IN (46307) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 219.661.9200. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

First, adjust your rear view mirror to give the best possible view directly to the rear of your family car or other vehicle type. You don’t need it to get a better view of either side of the car, the kids in the back seat or your dazzling smile. The rear view mirror should look to the rear.

Next, lean your head until it almost touches the driver’s side window. Adjust your side mirror so that you can just barely see the side of your car.

Now, lean your head to the middle of the car and adjust the outside mirror so that you can barely see the right side of the car.

With your family car mirrors adjusted this way, you’ll have maximum coverage. Of course driving in Crown Point is a dynamic process – things change every second. So it’s wise to take a quick look to the side when passing to make sure that another vehicle hasn’t moved into an area you couldn’t see in your mirrors.

As you drive in the Lake County, IN. area, avoid staying in other diver’s blind spots. You can’t count on them to be watching their mirrors and looking out for you. Pass large trucks and buses on the left whenever possible. A trucks’ blind spot is much larger on the right.

Be attentive and wear your seat belts, and thank you for reading!

At DWR Tire and Auto in Crown Point IN (46307) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 219.661.9200. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

Let’s suppose you’re going to take some friends out on the boat for some water skiing on a beautiful Crown Point area lake. Of course, you get the boat ready, but what about your tow vehicle?

Think about it – heavy Crown Point traffic, hilly IN terrain. Maybe some dirt roads – and it’s going to be pretty hot. And all the time you’ll be towing several thousand extra pounds around Crown Point roads. That all adds up a lot of severe strain on your transmission. It’s going to be working overtime, spending more time in lower gears. The internal transmission temperature is going to be much higher than normal.

Crown Point drivers need to make sure they have enough transmission fluid. If it runs low, the transmission will run hotter and won’t have the protection it needs to cope with the added stress of towing. Transmission fluid breaks down and gets dirty over time. Whether your family car has an automatic or manual transmission, you need to have it serviced on schedule at DWR Tire and Auto to make sure it runs efficiently.

Neglect your family car transmission for too long, and it can fail. You really don’t want to pay for a major transmission repair even with the reasonable rates at DWR Tire and Auto.

Before you leave your Crown Point home and head to the lake, bring your vehicle in to DWR Tire and Auto for a trip inspection. Your DWR Tire and Auto service technician will check your fluids, belts and hoses and let you know if your brakes are in good shape. Now, don’t forget the sunscreen.

At DWR Tire and Auto in Crown Point IN (46307) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 219.661.9200. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

Too often, Lake County, IN. police and rescue workers must sift through pockets, glove compartments, wallets, purses and cell phone directories for clues – often wasting precious time.

A brilliantly simple solution is now spreading around the globe: ICE. ICE – standing for ‘In Case of Emergency’, is a way of identifying emergency contacts in your cell phone directory.

Simply put ‘ICE’ before a contact name, like ‘ICE – Dad’, ‘ICE – Nancy’, or ‘ICE – Doctor Roberts’. Rescuers will be able to quickly identify your emergency contacts, saving valuable time.

It’s easy and just takes a few minutes to designate some ICE contacts in your cell phone. Remember to keep the listings current.

From your friends at DWR Tire and Auto in Crown Point IN, we’d like you to be as safe as possible while out on the road. Give us a call any time for great automotive advice.

At DWR Tire and Auto in Crown Point IN (46307) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 219.661.9200. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.