top shop talk

Top Shop Automotive I www.topshopsb.com I (805) 964-6554 Continued on page 2

Welcome to our Fall Newsletter! Isn’t it nice now that the air’s a little cooler, and we can open our windows and let crisp autumn breezes set the mood for the holi-days ahead. At Top Shop, we’re geared up to help you get your car running smoothly, especially if heat, long trips, and heavy loads during the summer months took a toll on your vehicle. Fall is a great time to take care of any maintenance items you’ve put on the backburner and to handle any necessary repairs so your car is running great for school carpools, Christmas shopping trips, family visits, and everywhere else you’re traveling in the upcoming season.maintenance items you’ve put on the back-burner and to handle any necessary repairs so your car is running great for school carpools, Christmas shopping trips, family visits, and everywhere else you’re traveling in the upcoming season.

Address: 177 S Patterson Ave Santa Barbara, CA 93111Phone: (805) 964-6554Hours: Mon-Fri: 7:30AM - 5:00PM

FALL 2016 NEWSLETTER

Eliminate Blind Spots with Three Easy Steps

1. Adjust your rearview mirror the way you normally would.

2. Once it’s in place, lean as far as you can to the left and position your left-side mirror so that you can see the back left corner of your car.

3. Lean as far as you can to the right and do the same thing with your right-side mirror and the back right corner of your car.

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Does this sound familiar? You’re on the freeway, and you need to change lanes. You’ve checked all of your mirrors, maybe even looked out the rear window, over your shoulder, and the coast is clear. But as you begin to merge, a car suddenly appears, seemingly out of nowhere, forcing you to swerve to avoid it. This is a situation every driver has experienced, no matter how cautious, because every car has a blind-spot.

You can avoid blind-spot swerves in the future by simply adjusting your mirrors properly. Follow these three easy steps, and say adios to the magically appearing car.

TOP SHOP AUTOMOTIVE

Did you know Henry Ford coined the term “tune-up” while working on his first automobile? The car’s ignition system was very simple, consisting of four spark plugs and four ignition coils, all of which made a buzzing sound. In order for the engine to start, the coils needed to transmit the same spark intensity. When in sync, they buzzed at the same pitch and were “in tune.” Accordingly, when cars weren’t working properly, they required a tune-up!

Fun Auto Repair Fact

Top Shop is proud to sponsor the Friday Night Lights Flag football team, The NY Jets!

Games are every Friday night at La Colina Jr. High. It’s fun to be had by all. Bring the kids!

read more

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Eliminate Blind Spots with Three Easy Steps (Cont.)

Once you have the new mirror arrangement in place, go to a parking lot and test it out by pulling up to a line of parked cars. A car directly behind you should first appear in your rearview mirror. If it passes you on the right, its headlights will move to the right side of your rearview mirror. As it disappears from the rearview mirror, it will immediately appear in your right-side mirror. The same should be true on the left. Some minor adjustments might need to be made, but you will have eliminated all major blind-spots.

What is a VIN Number Anyway?

You’ve probably noticed your car’s VIN number on your vehicle title, or maybe you were asked for it when you bought your auto insurance. But do you know the real significance of the VIN number? In fact, the VIN is like your car’s Social Security number, and will tell you more about your car than you probably ever wanted to know. Here’s how to decode your vehicle’s VIN number.

1. Digits 1-3 break down the vehicle’s make (1st digit), model (2nd digit), and manufacturer (3rd digit).

2. Digits 4-8 detail the features of your car, like driveline options, body type, engine code, etc.

3. Digit 9 is used to verify that the VIN itself is valid and not a fake.

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Don’t Ignore the Airbag Light!

Don’t Ignore the Airbag Light!You start your car, pull out of the driveway, and notice your airbag (or SRS) light didn’t turn off. You keep driving and wonder why would that be?

Well, the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS), more commonly known as your airbag system deploys airbags from the driver’s steering wheel, the passenger side dash, the doors, or even along the roof rail above the doors in the event of a collision.

The SRS warning light should come on automati-cally when you start your car, but should then turn off quickly. This is the system performing a self-test and activating.

If the light stays on, or comes on while driving, that means the on-board computer is warning you that the SRS system may not be working properly. If your airbag/SRS light stays on or comes on and off while driving, don’t ignore it! Have us look at it right away!



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You know fall is right around the corner when pumpkin flavors and scents start popping up everywhere, from your Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte to candles and even your car air freshener. What better way to wel-come the new season than with an autumnal-tasting, fun treat to go with your pumpkin latte?

Fall Recipe

Ingredients

• ¾ cup pure pumpkin puree• ¼ cup packed light brown sugar• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon• ½ teaspoon plus a pinch fine salt• 2 sheets puff pastry, thawed• All-purpose flour for rolling• 2 ounces cream cheese at room temperature• 4 teaspoons whole milk• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350° F. Combine the pumpkin puree, sugar, cinnamon, and ½ teaspoon of the salt in a small bowl.

2. Roll the puff pastry into two 8x8-inch squares on a floured work surface. Cut into 16 4x4-inch pieces using a pizza cutter or chef’s knife. Prick each square with a fork.

3. Spread the pumpkin mixture on half of the pieces, dividing each evenly, and leaving a ½-inch border all around. Crimp the edges with a fork. Transfer to a baking sheet and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

4. Bake, rotating the baking sheets halfway through, until golden brown, 35-40 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

5. Beat the cream cheese, milk, maple syrup, and the remaining pinch of salt with an electric mixer in a medium bowl until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.

6. Drizzle the pop tarts with the glaze, dividing evenly

What is a VIN Number Anyway? (Continued from page 2) Knowing how to decode a vehicle’s VIN number comes in handy when buying, sell-ing, or owning a car. If you’re buying a car from a private party be sure to compare the VIN number on the vehicle title with the VIN number on the car. If there are any dis-crepancies, it’s probably best to walk away.

4. Digit 10 represents the year the vehicle was made, not to be confused with the year it was sold or delivered.

5. Digit 11 identifies where the vehicle was built.

5. Digit’s 12-17 comprise the serial number and indicate the order in which the vehicle left the assembly line.

Easy Pumpkin Pie Pop Tart with Cream Cheese Glaze


Top Shop Automotive I www.topshopsb.com I (805) 964-6554 Back to page 1

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Games are every Friday night at La Colina Jr. High. It’s fun to be

had by all. Bring the kids!

Top Shop is proud to sponsor the Friday Night Lights Flag football team, The NY Jets!

The IAPA had their annual Blow The Motor Event this passed Saturday. We brought our “Cruzader” van and blew it up! If you visited the Top Shop booth, you might’ve participted in our game to win one of our 5 free performance oil change! We will be announcing our winners soon via email! We had a blast and we hope you all did too. If you missed out this year,it’s a MUST attend next year.

Blow the Motor Event


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