Denver Auto Repair

We were notified of a post on NextDoor by a loyal customer.  Our initial instinct was to continue focusing on serving customers and repairing vehicles while letting the internet take care of itself.  However, it has become a lively discussion and we cannot sit back and let our name be dragged through the mud due to false information.  We will not go into a point-by-point debate but do want to address a few of the major points. To start, this entire conversation started with a post from “Amy H.” and although we welcome criticism, we do not appreciate defamation.  Her accusations have numerous falsities.  It would take pages to identify each of those in her narrative, but we will point out just a few.  First, let’s recap what occurred and why.  We did recommend replacing inner tie rod ends that were severely damaged because we experienced a wobble/shake during our test drive, and it was visually in poor condition.  We were concer ... read more

There are two types of hydraulic brakes that your vehicle can have, and in some cases, you may have both options at work in your car. The most common style of brakes is the disc brake that works off the brake pads pressing in towards the rotor and the friction will cause the car to slow and stop. The second option you can have is drum brakes, where the brake shoes are inside of the brake drum and will press out to cause friction against the brake drum resulting in slowing and stopping of your vehicle. Unlike disc brakes that can be found on all 4 corners of a vehicle, you will only find drum brakes on the rear axle of some vehicles.  Brief History Drum brakes were the first brake design invented in 1899 by Wilhelm Maybach and utilized by Gottlieb Wilhelm Daimler. The names “Maybach” and “Daimler” are recognizable today and emblematic of two pioneers of the automotive industry. Although disc brakes were similarly around for decades, it was ... read more

The Hotchkiss Auto Repair Team in Denver would like to thank our outstanding customers and community yet again! We have won the coveted Neighborhood Favorite award on Nextdoor for 2021. This is the 5th CONSECUTIVE year we have won this award. These last few months have been a challenge for so many, but we are grateful for our community's loyalty and as a reflection of our dedication to excellence, our customers' support. This motivates our team to continue improving each day! Even more exciting, we are proud to win the Neighborhood Favorite award in TEN unique Denver neighborhoods. We appreciate the countless customers from across the metro area that drive passed many other repair shops to visit us. Every year, the automotive repair industry becomes more complicated and costly as technology advances, and every year, our team embraces the challenge. We here at Hotchkiss Auto Repair continue to invest in the technol ... read more

Over the past couple years, Denver has seen a large uptick in the amount of catalytic converter (“cat”) thefts. Denver PD reported a 1,613% increase in cat theft between 2019 and 2020. The growth trend has continued strongly through 2021. It leads us to wonder, why there is so many thefts, and why would somebody want to steal my catalytic converter? Many other cities across the nation such as Dallas, Honolulu, Missoula, Montana, Orlando, Rochester, and San Francisco are similarly reporting a large spike in vehicle and catalytic converter thefts. Oceanside Police Department in California has predicted catalytic converter thefts to rise up to 30% in the next two years. Many experts are attributing these crimes to the pandemic. With the loss of community and youth outreach programs, many at-risk youths have resorted to criminal activity. Moreover, the economic downturn, loss of jobs, and cuts to law enforcement budgets since the start of the pandemic have further flamed vehicl ... read more

Normal activities in a pre-COVID world are a distant memory. Many people have been able to work from home rather than commute. Others have lost employment, especially industries relating to hospitality and leisure. Some have shifted to food delivery service rather than going to the grocery store. Shopping has shifting dramatically to from brick-and-mortar retailers to online vendors. Social activities have grounded to a halt. Each of these situations have pointed to less use to automobiles.  Lower Vehicle Usage Chances are if you haven’t been commuting to work, your vehicle hasn’t been getting much, if any, use during the last year. Not driving can have its financial advantages, since you aren’t gassing up as often and may even save money on auto insurance premiums. On the flipside, a vehicle that sits idle for too long could end up building up hefty repair bills. Whether you are working from home, following social distancing guidelines, or jus ... read more