A friend once said that every car is a brand new experience. The feel of the seats, the bounce and flow of the car, and even the smell. Cars smell differently, right? Doesn’t matter if they have the same air freshener – they always have a distinct smell in them that makes them unique. But what if your car smells like rotten eggs?

Now that’s something nobody wants to smell inside a car – or anyplace else, for that matter. When a car smells like rotten eggs, there is no amount of air freshener that can make it smell better. On top of that, it is proof that there is something wrong with your car (unless you do have real rotten eggs inside your car, which is a different problem altogether).

Bad Smells Inside Your Car

To any car owner, smelling different things from inside your car spells trouble. For example, if you smell something musty like used socks, then it’s probably mold and mildew within your air conditioning vents. If you don’t address that right away, you might endanger the very people riding your car.

If you smell rubber then something is probably burning or heating up. It could be your clutch plate or a slipping drive belt.

Simply put, these weird smells help you recognize if there is something wrong with your car. But what about smelling rotting eggs while your car is running?

Smelling Rotten Eggs Inside Your Car

Assuming you have ruled out the presence of actual rotten eggs inside your car, this smell should tell you that there’s something wrong with your car. This could mean a few things.

First, this could mean that there is something wrong with your car’s catalytic converter. The catalytic converter is the part of your car that converts harmful gasses into safer ones. One such harmful gas is hydrogen sulfide and this is the cause for the smell. If the catalytic converter is faulty, it cannot effectively convert the hydrogen sulfide into the harmless and odorless sulfur dioxide. If this is the case, you really need to replace the catalytic converter because this can lead to a car fire if not addressed right away.

One of the more common issues with catalytic converters is when their fuel pressure sensor fails. If it fails, the catalytic converter gets filled with oil and it affects the whole emission system, which leads to the harmful gasses to leak.

Another less common cause of a rotten egg smell inside your car is old transmission fluid. For manual cars, transmission fluid is expected to be replaced regularly. If you haven’t done that lately, the transmission liquid might have leaked into other parts of your car and stagnate – causing it to smell.

What Should I Do If My Car Smells Like Rotten Eggs?

The good news here is that smelling rotten eggs inside your car won’t mean it’s going to explode anytime soon. This gives you enough time to have an expert check your car. As a rule of thumb, if you feel something is off in your car, then you should let a mechanic check it.

If you have a Lexus, Infiniti, Toyota, and Nissan in Atlanta, then you can trust T3 Atlanta to take care of all your maintenance and repair needs. We have expert technicians ready to service your car. Call us today and have your appointments set. Our garage practices physical distancing and proper disinfection practices to comply with recommended COVID-19 guidelines.

Parallel parking is a real challenge that is a real beauty to behold, especially when an expert does it. It’s mind-baffling how they manage to make something so complicated look so easy. Not to mention very useful in different situations. For city people, learning how to parallel park is a necessary skill because it is hard to find good parking spaces.

How To Parallel Park Step-By-Step

So, how do you parallel park? Is there magic involved? Do you need years of apprenticeship to do it? Truth be told, parallel parking is a mix of familiarity with the vehicle you are using and a little bit of logic.

Depending on who you ask, there will be a good mix of answers. But here’s a definitive guide that can help you parallel park just about anywhere.

1. Remember when I told you about familiarity with the vehicle you are using? This is why. To parallel park safely, you need to be able to ensure that you find a parking spot that your car can actually fit in.
2. Line up the back of your car with the back of the front car. It does not have to be exact but you need to be as close as possible to completely lined up.
3. Stop. Breathe and relax.
4. While not moving (not moving forward or reversing), turn the wheel of your car all the way to the right – as far as it will go. Remember, your car should not be moving as you are turning the wheel.
5. Set your sights on the back of your car to make sure there are no obstructions in the way.
6. Start to back up slowly. Don’t change the orientation of the wheel. Check your left side mirror and wait until you see the license plates of the vehicle at the back. At this point, your car should be on a 45 degree angle. Stop.
7. If you see the license plate of the vehicle behind you, bring the wheel back to the middle position. Slowly back up again.
8. Wait for your front bumpers to be lined up with the rear bumper of the front car, then stop.
9. Turn the steering wheel all the way to the left to slowly position your car to be properly aligned with the rest of the cars.
10. Straighten your wheel and adjust accordingly. Make sure you give enough space in your front and back for everybody to be able to comfortably and safely drive away if needed.

But What If I Am Not Good At Parallel Parking?

Good question. You won’t learn to parallel park in a day. If you live in the city then you know parallel parking is a necessary skill. Should you just leave your car at home? Not necessarily.

While parallel parking can be hard, everybody can learn it. But expect to hit a few bumps along the way (in this case, a few front or rear bumpers). If you are not yet confident, you can install parking bumpers on your car to make sure you don’t sour another person’s day.

Keep Your Car In Tip-Top Shape At T3 Atlanta

We may not be able to grab the wheel and parallel park your car on demand, but we’re always available for advice about how to parallel park and other helpful car care tips. Give us a call whether you need routine maintenance or an in-depth repair. We’ll help you get back on the road quickly!

Need your car to run faster? Maybe want it to be more fuel-efficient? How about a cleaner engine? If you are looking for these types of upgrades, then fuel additives might sound like the perfect solution. Let’s talk about the fact and fiction of these magic car engine elixirs and, hopefully, by the end of the article you can see for yourself if they are worth the extra monthly expense.

What Are Fuel Additives?

Fuel additives: you’ve probably seen them on the shelves of every store that sells car stuff. They come in different shapes and colors but they always have something in common. They promise something big.

It can be as simple to understand as “cleans your engine as you go” to something as grand as “make your car run like it was 10 years younger”.

While there are other tests or studies that show whether or not they are telling the truth or not, the fact still remains that a lot of people are using these additives for their promised effects. Depending on the additive you are looking at, they contain a variety of chemicals that “promise” to give your car the different benefits you see in their product cover.

Are They Really Effective?

This is the question you have been waiting to get answered, right? It’s hard to give a solid answer but the best one we can give is that while they do seem to be so confident with their promises – there’s really no evidence showing that they are all effective. We can attribute it all to their marketing. If you ask me, it’s all about the hype with zero evidence to back them up.

The good thing is that they rarely do anything bad to your engine so if you really want to try them out it shouldn’t cause you problems afterwards.

While there are people who stand by their claim that they are really effective it all boils down to the gravity of the problem in the first place. This means if your car is a bit older and already experiencing problems with, let’s say fuel efficiency, then you might get better results than newer cars.

However, it can be unfair to lump them all together. Not all fuel additives are full of hot air. Some of them actually work. For example, there are diesel additives that are designed to prevent diesel from gel in colder climates.

The performance boosting additives are the ones that really have a bad reputation for being misleading. There have been plenty of tests on different octane boosters and none of them have shown consistent and promising results.

As for the additives that promise to clean your engine, they are quite redundant in nature. A lot of fuels nowadays contain cleaning agents so you might not need to add more – unless you have a really old car and you need the extra oomph in the cleaning department.

Maintenance is Key

While the promises being made by fuel additives can be very tempting, they are not the best answers to your car issues. Fortunately, with regular maintenance (and a repair here and there), you can keep your car back in tip-top shape year-round. For older cars, this can become quite a challenge, but nothing is impossible if you have a team of expert mechanics that can turn back time to get your car into like-new condition.

The team at T3 Atlanta are the mechanics you need to help you out. You can schedule regular maintenance to keep your car running at its best for as long as you own it. Give us a call today and we will pen you into the schedule right away.

Fuel additives are pretty much what they sound like: a substance you add to your fuel. There are a lot of types of fuel additives at your local auto supply shop, some of which prevent problems while others improve performance. Fuel injector cleaners are an additive that sounds like a great way to keep your engine running smoothly, but do they work? Let’s find out.

But First, What’s A Fuel Injector?

A fuel injector is a small part that regulates how much fuel is sprayed into your car’s engine. In some cars, the fuel is sprayed into the engine’s inlet manifold or port. In other cars, fuel is injected directly into each cylinder.

Regardless of the exact setup, the basic function remains the same: the harder you press on the accelerator, the more fuel enters your engine, and vice versa.

Why Do They Need To Be Cleaned?

Fuel injectors are one of those ‘out of sight, out of mind’ car components. You never really see them, and as long as they’re working correctly, you don’t think about them.

The truth is, fuel injectors sometimes do need to be cleaned. Debris from the fuel system or the fuel itself can accumulate in your fuel injectors. Corrosion in your fuel system can also contribute to debris build-up. When enough carbon and debris deposits have built up, this can influence the efficiency of your vehicle, increase the emissions, and even affect the way your vehicle performs.

So, Do Fuel Injector Cleaners Work?

The idea behind fuel injector cleaners is that you add them to your gas tank, where they dissolve debris and restore your engine’s function to normal. Since fuel injectors cleaners are combustible, they are burnt off with normal engine use, meaning you’ll need to add more cleaner periodically. But do they work?

The short answer: Maybe.

The long answer: There haven’t been any scientific studies definitively proving that fuel injector cleaners work. That said, there’s a lot of anecdotal evidence that they can help. So, you can always try it and see for yourself.

There’s some debate about how frequently you need to add these cleaners to your engine. Some people suggest that you add a bottle with every fill-up. Others suggest adding a bottle with every oil change, about 3,000 – 5,000 miles depending on your vehicle’s recommended maintenance schedule.

Ultimately, if you’re set on trying a fuel injector cleaner, follow the manufacturer’s recommendations and don’t expect magical results overnight. Just like it takes years for carbon to build up in your engine, it may take a few rounds for the cleaner to take full effect.

How To Prevent Carbon Buildup In Your Engine

There’s an old saying that goes, ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure’. The same goes for your engine – and your fuel injectors. Keeping your engine clean can help prevent carbon buildup and the decreased fuel efficiency and vehicle performance we mentioned earlier.

No, we’re not talking about disassembling your engine and giving every component a detailed cleaning with a toothbrush. All you need to do is purchase high-quality gasoline on a regular basis. You’ll usually see these referred to as ‘top tier’ gasolines. Top tier gasoline contains special additives and detergents in their formula with superior fuel system-cleaning properties.

It’s true that even the best gasoline can still contain some impurities, often picked up from transit or from the fuel holding tanks at the gas station itself. However, your fuel system’s filters should effectively filter these impurities out.

AAA recently conducted a study with an independent laboratory to evaluate, among other questions, whether top tier gasoline is better at preventing deposit build-up in your engine. The answer was an emphatic yes. The study found that non-top tier gasolines caused 19 times more engine deposits than top-tier fuels. You can read the full report here.

So, if you want to keep your engine clean and running great for years to come, make sure to purchase top-tier gasoline with every fill up.

My Fuel Injectors Need Cleaning – Now What?

If you’ve purchased an older or used vehicle, you may have discovered that your fuel injectors are clogged and aren’t operating like they should be. What now? Well, as discussed above, you could try a fuel injector cleaner. But that might take time, and it might not even work at all.

That’s where fuel injector cleaning comes in. For the intrepid, you can purchase a DIY kit and follow the manufacturer’s instructions to restore your engine’s performance and fuel efficiency.

For those of you who would prefer to let the professionals take care of it, T3 Atlanta can help. We’ll assess whether your fuel injectors are causing your engine woes or if something else might be awry and recommend the best solution for you and your vehicle. Give us a call or visit us at one of our two convenient metro Atlanta locations in Smyrna and Decatur for fast and friendly service on your Lexus, Infiniti, Toyota, or Nissan.

Your car ignition switch is one of the most important parts of your car: it starts your engine, after all! But did you know that just like other components on your vehicle, your ignition switch can wear out too? Today, we’re going to talk about the signs of a failing ignition switch to help you identify when it’s time to have this essential part replaced.

The Signs of a Failing Ignition Switch

Your ignition switch is generally located on the steering column, though the exact location does depend on what kind of car you have. You’ve probably noticed that there are three different positions your key can take. The first powers on your electronics, such as your interior lights and radio. The second powers on the fuel and ignition systems, so your fan may turn on when your key is at this position. The third position, of course, starts your car.

Wait. Why is this important? We promise it is. Now let’s talk about the first sign of a failing ignition switch.

Issues Powering On Your Car Accessories

The first key position on your ignition should turn on your radio, interior cabin lights, and other electronic accessories your vehicle has. If you turn your key to position #1 and nothing happens, that’s a strong sign that your ignition may have an issue.

However, this could also be a problem with the lock cylinder or fuse and wiring problems, so it’s important to have your car checked out to make sure there isn’t a larger problem going on.

Your Car Starts… And Then Stalls

Once you’ve turned the key and you hear your engine roar, that should be that until you’ve reached your destination, right? Well, yes, unless your ignition switch is faulty. Why does this happen?

The ignition switch works well enough to power up the ignition system and fuel pump, hence why your car starts. But if it’s faulty or failing, it cuts off power the moment you let go of your key.

Your Car Stalls While Driving

This is possibly the most frightening way to realize that your ignition switch may have a problem: you’re driving along, minding your own business, when all of a sudden your car shuts off. Your power steering and brake hydraulics stop working, and you unexpectedly find yourself at the center of an accident just waiting to happen. This may sound like a tale your uncle would tell, but it’s a real possibility if your ignition switch fails while you are on the road.

As you might have guessed, if your car stalls while you’re driving, you absolutely need to bring your car in for service as soon as you can!

Fix Your Failing Ignition Switch At T3 Atlanta

If you’ve noticed any of these three signs of a faulty ignition, T3 Atlanta can help. We can diagnose the exact cause of your ignition troubles and prescribe the best solution for your vehicle. Give us a call or make an appointment today at one of our two metro Atlanta area locations!

In the market for a new car? It’s very exciting, right? The idea that you will get a brand new car with all new features. But how much of the “new” do you want? Like, have you considered getting an electric car? The idea of driving a 100% electric-powered car is no longer a sci-fi trope. It’s here and it is taking the market by storm. But the big question is, should you even consider buying them?

That’s why we created this article to talk about the pros and cons of electric cars. Hopefully, by the end of the article you will have made up your mind on whether getting a brand-new electric car is for you or not.

Pros and Cons of Electric Cars

Before we list down the good and bad things about electric cars, I will have to remind you that this is not the penultimate list of pros and cons. I will try to limit them to the most important ones that can affect your decision as a new car buyer. Ready? Let’s start.

The Pros of Getting an Electric Car

1. Getting an electric car is in a way, helping the environment. Overall, the carbon footprint of an electric car is much smaller compared to a car that runs on gas. It has zero emissions and most electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers these days are focusing on the use of eco-friendly materials for production. Some manufacturers incorporate green or bio-based materials into the interior and bodywork of the cars.
2. An electric car is much cheaper to run and maintain. The energy required to cover a distance in an electric car costs much less than that of a similar car that runs on gas. An electric car also has less moving parts than regular gas or diesel cars. Because of this, you won’t need as much servicing and parts replacement as you use the vehicle. One thing to note is that a lot of electric cars need to have their batteries replaced as they wear out but most manufacturers give an 8-year warranty on their batteries so you should be covered.
3. It’s a good investment. Now, if you don’t consider yourself a gearhead or a gadget freak then you won’t really mind what goes on your car. All you would like to know is whether it is a good investment or not. Experts believe that the resale price of an electric car will be much higher compared to a gas-powered car purchased on the same date. This is because more and more people will be buying into the electric car craze so regular cars will lose their values. So assuming you don’t care about new technology, an electric car will give you more bang for your buck in the long run.

The Cons of Getting and Electric Car

1. Electric cars may be cheaper to run, but they are more expensive to buy. The upfront cost is one of the reasons why there aren’t as many people who are interested in getting an electric vehicle. For example, the cheapest Tesla electric car sits at around $35,000 without any add-ons. Compare that with the $23,000 average price of new regular midsize sedans in the US. It’s almost as if the electric vehicles were made for people with deeper pockets.
2. Due to the nature of the car’s technology, an electric car can’t go long distances without asking for a refuel. Most electric cars have ranges anywhere from 60 to 120 miles per charge while more expensive models can go 300 miles. Regular cars can go 300 miles on one full tank on average. More, fuel-efficient cars get more than that. If you like to go on the road for long trips, this might be quite a bummer.
3. Refueling can be such a pain. It’s fine if you live in a larger city with a couple charging stations available for you to use. But that is not the case in certain locations in the US. You might need to create a trip that revolves around the location of charging stations. Also, it is worth noting that electric cars take up to 8 hours to charge on regular chargers. Fast chargers take around 30 minutes to fill 80% of the battery’s capacity. So if you are always on the go, an electric car might not be for you.

So what do you think? Already made a choice? Just remember that day by day, the technology improves and this means the concerns you might have today might be solved tomorrow. However, for all your regular or electric vehicle concerns, you can call on T3 Atlanta to help you out. We service regular gas-powered vehicles and electric vehicles at our two convenient metro-area locations. Give us a call and we’ll be more than happy to pen you in for a quick check.