Denver Auto Repair

Great companies are built on people. At Relay Hill Auto, we have always believed that the way our team shows up every day is what sets our business apart from others! That belief is now backed by a new initiative called the Core Values Recognition Program, created to celebrate employees who bring our values to life through their everyday work. The Values We Live By Everything we do is grounded in five core values: Character - Integrity is contagious. Our success depends on how you operate. Results - Focus on excellence. Initiative and hustle lead to impact. Team - Commit to the team. Everyone achieves more. Development - Humility drives development. Stay hungry, elevate yourself. People - Everyone is a leader. Progress comes from empowerment. These values guide how we hire, how we lead, and how we treat each other and our customers. Now we have a program built to recognize the people who live t ... read more

Colorado can serve up sunshine, freezing temperatures, wind, and snow in the same week. For drivers in Denver and along the Front Range, those rapid changes are more than an inconvenience. They affect tire pressure, battery performance, fluids, rubber components, and the way an engine responds at higher elevations. Most modern vehicles are designed to compensate for changing conditions, but no vehicle is immune to wear. Understanding what Colorado's altitude and temperature swings do to your car can help you catch small problems before they turn into a no-start, a damaged tire, or an overheating engine on the way into the mountains. Cold Weather Changes Tire Pressure Tire pressure changes with temperature. A useful rule of thumb is that pressure changes by about 1-2 PSI for every 10-degree Fahrenheit change in air temperature. If your tires were set to 35 PSI on a 70-degree afternoon, a 40-degree temperature drop could leave them near 28-32 PSI the next morning ... read more

An Overview of Your Cooling System Your cooling system is made up of multiple moving parts that all must work together to operate properly. Each making a small contribution to what becomes one of the most critical systems in your vehicle. If one fails, not only is your cooling system at risk, but other major components such as your Engine, Transmission, and HVAC systems. What Does Your Cooling System Do? There are two main functions of your Cooling System. Reducing the temperature of your Engine, Transmission, Hybrid Battery, or even Power Steering, and supplying heat to your HVAC system. Improper cooling of your Engine or Transmission can lead to catastrophic failure and costly repairs that often exceed the value of vehicles we see in our shop. Improper flow or incorrect temperatures can lead to a lack of heat coming out of your vents. Cooling System Components and Their Functions: RADIATOR Reduces the temperature of coolant as ... read more

Giving Back to Our Community: Supporting ServiceSource's Lakewood Food & Wine Event At Hotchkiss Auto Repair, being part of the community means more than taking care of cars. It means supporting the people and organizations that help make our community stronger. That’s why we’re proud to support ServiceSource and its work providing critical services to individuals experiencing homelessness and other life challenges throughout our community. This year, we’re participating in the Lakewood Food & Wine event, which brings together local businesses, restaurants, wineries, breweries, and community members to raise funds for programs making a real difference. One of the programs supported through the event is the Mobile Laundry and Shower Program. This program provides access to clean clothing, showers, and basic hygiene services for individuals experiencing homelessness while also helping connect them with additional resources and support. How You Can Help ... read more

  What Happens When You Go Past Your Oil Change Mileage? Let’s be honest, oil changes are one of the easiest things to push off. Your car seems to be running fine. Life gets busy. And before you know it, you’re a few thousand miles past when you meant to get it done. At Hotchkiss Auto Repair, we see this all the time. And the truth is, skipping oil changes doesn’t usually cause an immediate breakdown. What it does is something worse… it slowly wears your engine down over time. Let’s walk through what’s actually happening inside your engine and what to do if you fell a little behind on your oil change mileage. What Engine Oil Actually Does   Engine oil isn’t just there to “keep things moving.” It has several critical jobs:   • Lubricates moving parts to reduce friction  • Helps keep engine temperatures under control  • Cleans internal components by c ... read more