Redondo Beach, Whittier & Torrance Auto Repair

In 2020, we are more focused than ever before on the cleanliness and sanitization of surfaces we touch every day. Cars are no exception. We use our vehicles to get around, meaning every time we get in our car, we introduce bacteria and germs from a new environment. Cars can act like capsules these harmful particles, and with so many highly touched areas in a car’s interior, proper cleaning is important. When taking steps to prevent the spread of viruses and bacteria inside your car, it is crucial to understand the difference between cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting. Additionally, knowing the areas inside your car that are touched the most will maximize your removal of harmful germs.   We are not public health experts at Osborn’s Automotive, but we are vehicle experts. The following information can help you make decisions on how to clean the interior of your car.   High Touch Areas There are several areas in your car that can become a ... read more

In the middle of summer in California, the last thing you want is your vehicle’s air conditioning to not blow cold. Sitting in traffic without cold air coming through the vents can be a miserable experience. If your AC stopped working, you’re probably asking, what happened? In most vehicles, the majority of the AC system is located near the engine and is exposed to corrosive materials from the road and extreme temperatures, meaning components can fail over time. At Osborn’s Automotive, we can help diagnose and repair your car’s air conditioning issues and service the system to keep you cool in the summer heat. Read on to learn more about how vehicle air conditioning works and some of the most common issues that occur.   How does air conditioning work in a car? The air conditioning system in your vehicle changes the state of refrigerant from a liquid to a gas, and back again using temperature and pressure. Air is then b ... read more

Bad wheel alignment in your car can be extremely detrimental to the vehicle. It can cause your tires to wear out a lot faster and make it difficult to steer, which can result in safety hazards as well. Because of this, it is important that you know how to tell if your car is out of alignment on your own. You don’t want to have to exclusively rely on your auto repair shop to tell you when you bring in your car for any other service. Take a look at these signs of bad wheel alignment and how to avoid messing it up yourself! Signs of Bad Alignment First off, let’s talk about how your wheels get misaligned in the first place. There are many random ways that this can happen but the two main causes are potholes and hitting curbs while driving. You might not notice any obvious signs of bad alignment right about so if you do hit a pothole or curb, try to pay extra attention to how your car is operating for at least a month.   There are a few ways you can tell if your car&rs ... read more

At Osborn’s Automotive, we specialize in foreign vehicles, primarily German and Japanese. This article is going to focus on Honda cars and the specifics of fluid changing for this brand.   Over time, all fluids in your car will need to be changed, either because they’ve gotten old and dirty or due to ineffectiveness. Everyone knows that your car’s oil will need to be changed, but what about all the other fluids? Most specific types of fluid, such as brake fluid and transmission fluid, have a set amount of miles that they consistently need to be changed at. Yet, these miles may vary, depending on weather, your driving techniques, and the quality of fluid used. In general, however, you should be fine sticking to the following timelines. Honda Civic Brake Fluid Brake fluid plays a vital role in the safety and overall functionality of your vehicle. When you press down on the brakes, it’s ... read more

If you are a BMW or MINI owner this post is for you. Walnut Blasting is a dealer recommended service for BMW and MINI owners every 30,000 miles. What’s the issue? Direct injection BMW engines are prone to excessive carbon build up on the vehicle’s intake valves. Your N54’s intake system needs to be cleaned regularly to perform at it’s peak. This buildup is common and normal but as the level increases you could find your car suffering from a few of the following issues: Poor throttle response Engine misfiring Loss of fuel economy Cold start idle issues Flat spots in the vehicle's power band Lack of engine power Why does this happen? The most common reason for the carbon build up is due to contaminants in the air that pass across the engine’s intake valves. In a multi-port injection engine, fuel is injected prior to the intake valves, which allows the fuel to clean the buildup that accumulates on the intake ports and valves. Contaminants in the a ... read more

Excited about buying a “New Used Car”? Don’t get emotionally attached or commit to a purchase without first having a third party pre-inspection done. Regardless of the stunning exterior beauty, the fantastically low mileage or the amazing deal you may be buying a “little car of horrors”.  Remember most “New-to-you” vehicles are typically sold “As Is”, meaning you now own all that vehicle’s carefully hidden problems. No person or business is exempt from the shady business of “Used Car Sales”. While small used car lots are the worst of the bunch don’t let dealer “pre-certified cars”, CarMax or even, the nice person down the street, fool you into a costly mistake. Ideally, we (Osborn’s Automotive) are doing the pre-purchase inspection for you, but in a pinch locate a trained, qualified technician to do the inspection. Most AAA Approved Repair Facilities offer pre-purchase inspectio ... read more

It's About You, Not Your Car. Written by Jaime Sanders Scott “Oz” Osborn, recently wrote the book Making Smart Choices: A helpful guide to maintaining your vehicle. Not to inflate his ego (over-inflate, may be the more appropriate term) but Scott’s dedication and passion for people, not cars, is his true calling. This passion ultimately led to his success in this industry. I share this passion, which is what led me to Osborn’s Automotive in the first place. When Scott published his book it inspired me to finally start writing a blog that could possibly wind up being the best nighttime “bound to put you to sleep” blog available on the web. Speaking of sleeping here is a quick story that will ensure I have captured your attention. I am currently looking at buying a new car, out of need not want. The ideal car will be safe, fuel efficient, reliable and hopefully sport a bit of power.  The car I choose will have to be built to last, at least a ... read more

During the Month of October, Osborn's Automotive in Redondo Beach and over 100 other Independent Auto Repair Shops across the US are raising funds for a breast cancer vaccine as part of the Brakes for Breast fundraiser.   As part of the fundraiser, the auto repair facilities are giving away FREE (quality) brake pads or shoes.  The customer simply pays the labor and any other ancillary parts necessary to complete the brake job and the shops then donate 10% of the brake job directly to Dr. Vincent Tuohy & the Cleveland Clinic Breast Cancer Vaccine Research Fund.   100% of what we donate goes directly to research!   2015 marks the fifth year for the Brakes For Breasts fundraiser.  2011 Our 1st year - 5 shops in Ohio raised $10,000  2012 Our 2nd year - 27 shops  in 17 states raised $32,848 2013 Our 3rd year - 66 independent auto repair shops in 27 states raised $66,499 2014 Our 4th year – 143 independent auto repair shops in 29 sta ... read more

Award reflects company’s consistently high level of customer service Osborn’s Automotive has earned the service industry’s coveted Angie’s List Super Service Award, reflecting an exemplary year of service provided to members of the local services marketplace and consumer review site in 2014. “We’re very proud to accept this award, it’s definitely a result of hard work from the whole crew and as a team effort” – Scott Osborn “Only about 5 percent of the Automotive Service companies in the Los Angeles area have performed so consistently well enough to earn our Super Service Award,” said Angie’s List Founder Angie Hicks. “It’s a really high standard.” Angie’s List Super Service Award 2014 winners have met strict eligibility requirements, which include an “A” rating in overall grade, recent grade, and review period grade; the company must be in good standing with Angie’s List, pass a background check and abide by Angie’s List operational guidelines. Service company ratings are update ... read more

From several thousand auto repair shops in Southern California, Osborn's Automotive was one of only 54 auto repair facilities to earn the coveted AAA Approved Auto Repair Quality Service Award for customer satisfaction and service quality. REDONDO BEACH, Calif. -- The Automobile Club of Southern California has announced its 2009 Quality Service Award honorees and Osborn’s Automotive was one of just 54 auto repair shops, selected from 600-plus AAA-Approved Auto Repair facilities in Southern California, to have earned the award. And, one of only 7 shops in the Los Angeles County to have earned it more than once. To receive an award, extremely stringent Auto Club standards must be met for a consecutive two-year period: • No more than one complaint from an Auto Club member. • A minimum 99 percent customer satisfaction rating during two consecutive surveys. • No facility deficiencies during either of the Auto Club’s detailed annual shop inspections or the bi-monthly shop reviews ... read more