Honda of Ames is here to help you understand how to take care of your vehicle. If you have a scratch on your vehicle's exterior, we want you to know how to paint over that and repair it.

It is important for you to clean the place on your vehicle where you have noticed a scratch and for you to sand down that area before you get started touching up the paint. You should also be careful to find the paint that is going to be an exact match to your vehicle, the kind of paint that was made…

Are you confused between the differences between a truck's towing capacity rating and the carrying capacity? At Honda of Ames, we believe everyone should understand their truck so that they can properly use it without causing damage.

A truck's carrying capacity refers to the amount of weight that it can carry on the chassis. This includes passengers in the cab and anything that is being carried in the bed. This number is generally much lower than the towing capacity of a truck, and mixing up the two numbers can cause someone to overload their truck.

To ensure that…

Dropping multiple students at different schools can not only be time-consuming but also hard on your car. It’s that time of year again to get your vehicle checked out and make sure it’s ready for all that additional driving.

Take a glance at your dashboard and see if you have any warning lights on that have been ignored lately. It’s easy to stop by Honda of Ames and see what those lights are telling you. We can also recommend the best service and maintenance to keep your vehicle in working order.

Are you worried about taking care of your new vehicle? Are you concerned that you might accidentally chip your paint? Are you nervous about how to proceed if your paint does become chipped? Don't stress. You have options.

What many vehicle owners don't realize is that paint chips are very simple to fix and repair. It doesn't take much to paint and repair small chips in your vehicle's exterior. You'll need to clean the area around the chip thoroughly before you paint the damaged spot, though. 

A little bit of preventative maintenance will help you avoid a wide variety of problems while out on the road. Here is a look at a few steps that you can take to get your vehicle ready for the upcoming school year.

The first step in this process is contacting the service department here at Honda of Ames to schedule a checkup. We can also help you take care of scheduled maintenance such as changing the oil, topping off fluids, and rotating the tires. 

Roof racks are not only good for carrying extra luggage, but they do a good job at protecting it during your long journeys as well. However, there are some extra things you can do to make the roof racks even more secure than they already are.

After closing the cargo bag or box, you can use cam buckle straps to provide extra security. They are very inexpensive straps that will tie down the cargo to the rack. After hooking the straps onto the rack, you crank the cam buckle to tighten everything together. We suggest using a total of four…

A tire blowout is a sure way to ruin your day and make you have to waste valuable time and resources getting it fixed. Fortunately, there are ways to avoid tire blowouts, the most effective being to educate yourself on what causes a blowout so that you better know how to avoid one.

The most common cause of a tire blowout is underinflated tires. The solutions are simple: check your tires monthly to ensure that they're properly inflated. All tires don't have the same inflation rates, though, so you'll want to check your owner's manual, doorsill…

Your brakes play an important role for you and your vehicle. If your brakes stop working or aren’t working properly, you and your family could be involved in a serious accident. Why not stop at Honda of Ames and let our technicians inspect your brakes and give you the assurance you need to know you’re safe.

Often, it’s hard to know your brakes might be in need of repair or replacement if you don’t know what signs to look for. Here are some indications your brake pedals may need to be repaired or replaced.

Even if…

Cameras are located in a lot of places. Many people are placing dash cams in their cars in ever growing numbers. The reason for this increase is due in part to the fact that there are many benefits to having a dash cam in your vehicle.

A dash cam is very useful if you are ever in an accident. Video footage will allow insurance adjusters and the police to see exactly what happened. This will also protect you in case someone tries to file a fraudulent insurance claim against you. Dash cams also have some fun aspects. A dash cam…

Being knowledgeable about all aspects of your vehicle allows you to make informed decisions when upgrading your car's accessories. Often you can find upgrades that save time or are a more convenient alternative to features your car currently has.

While most vehicles have carpet floor mats as a standard feature, other alternatives do exist. For drivers who live in climates prone to mud or excessive snowfall, having a set of all-weather floor mats in their vehicle is a clear advantage over the carpeted alternative. Removing the floor mats and spraying them with a hose offers an easier...