A local car specialist is advising vehicle owners on the ways they can keep their cars safe during the rainy season.
Mike Kefalas, President and CEO of JK Volvo Specialists in Pasadena, said he’s not limiting advice to luxury cars alone, but to any vehicle that may be exposed to water damage due to rain. Neglecting to have your car inspected for possible water leaks can lead to more costly repairs than just being watchful and attending to the first sign of trouble – whatever your vehicle type, he said.
More importantly, it pays to prepare your car for the rainy season.
“Day in, day out, we see vehicles, especially here in Pasadena, parked underneath trees and what not. They get their sunroofs clogged up with debris and leaves and things like that. So one of the things I would highly recommend is: before the rains come, get your car in and have a service center clean out your drains from the cowl, and make sure your sunroof drains are clearing,” Kefalas said. “Do a quick inspection on the windshield to make sure no water has leaked through it. Otherwise you could have several gallons of water interfere inside your car. When that happens, your interior will need to be removed.”
Removing the interior, drying and cleaning the carpet and repairing corroded parts of the vehicle could cost the owner a few thousand dollars, he said. That work involves hanging out the carpeting to dry so it doesn’t turn into mold, repairing the leak itself, and replacing some of the parts – especially electronic control units – that have been broken or shorted out. That amount of work could already cost anywhere from $1,000 to $4,000, Kefalas said.
Wiper blades, he added, are another highly important thing to inspect in the vehicle, so make sure the wiper blades are wiping well.
“Here in California I would just recommend clients once a year changing them during the wintertime, and let them go in the summer, although you do get occasional rain storms here and there in the summer,” Kefalas said. “That’s another thing I would highly recommend taking a look at. And then looking at your tire condition: if you’re headed towards tires, but you think you could get another several months out of it, what’s the point? Do them now that you’re in the rainy season, if you need them. Make sure traction is good.”
For Volvo owners, Kefalas said keeping a tarp ready to cover you vehicle during a downpour would be helpful, since it would keep the water out. Regular servicing and maintenance by licensed Volvo specialists, like JK Volvo, is also “extremely important” especially during the rainy season.
“Because we’re specialists, we know where to look, we know where to go right away, and it will cost them less money to repair,” Kefalas said. “We know what parts to use; Volvos are specific when it comes to quality of parts, and the type of parts are very important that you use on these cars. Not so much for American cars, but more for European cars. A lot of general repair facilities don’t have that knowledge sometimes on the quality of parts to use.”
JK Volvo Specialists has its shop at 1587 E Walnut Street in Pasadena, where qualified Volvo technicians use specialty tools and diagnostic systems that are specific for this type of vehicles.
By specializing in Volvo cars, technicians are able to provide model-specific care for your vehicle, and can quickly diagnose issues and get corrections underway immediately, saving you labor charges and errors resulting from misdiagnosis.
The shop has been servicing the Pasadena area community for 51 years, “since before many of our customers were born,” Kefalas said. His father, John Kefalas, built this business on hard work and integrity, he said.
“He instilled in me through the years growing up that ethics and honesty with our customers would ensure our company survived until I was old enough to step into his shoes,” Mike Kefalas added. “He was right.”
For more information, visit www.jkvolvospecialists.com.
