Manual transmissions are generally more reliable than automatic transmissions. They don’t have as many parts, aren’t as complex, and can take a lot more abuse. However, if an issue is allowed to persist, more and more damage to surrounding components on your manual transmission will occur. R.C. Bratcher, Inc in Owensboro, KY can help you take care of your car as soon as you notice a problem.

At R.C. Bratcher, Inc in Owensboro, we know that transmissions are one of the greatest technological marvels of the automotive world. How does a standard shift transmission work? Why should you care? Our expert technicians here at R.C. Bratcher, Inc in Owensboro have the answers.

No matter what type of car, truck, or SUV you drive, maintenance is the key to giving your engine a long life. At R.C. Bratcher, Inc in Owensboro, KY, we focus on keeping your engine running strong.

Your drive belts run everything - your AC, power steering, alternator, and water pump are all dependent on the belts that turn them. At R.C. Bratcher, Inc in Owensboro, KY, our goal is to keep your truck maintained, so you’re never stuck out on the road. Drive belts are a critical part of that goal.

When driving around town, your vehicle's engine needs clean air to burn the fuel – and it needs a lot. In fact, a typical vehicle needs about 216,000 gallons of air for every tank of gas. All that air passes through a filter that catches the dust and dirt. Eventually, the filter gets completely full, and because the filter can only hold so much, dirt starts getting through. At R.C. Bratcher, Inc in Owensboro, we want to help you get the best air quality in your vehicle, but first, we want to explain the process of where this dirty air is going. 

When driving around town, your vehicle's engine needs clean air to burn the fuel – and it needs a lot. In fact, a typical vehicle needs about 216,000 gallons of air for every tank of gas. All that air passes through a filter that catches the dust and dirt. Eventually, the filter gets completely full, and because the filter can only hold so much, dirt starts getting through. At R.C. Bratcher, Inc in Owensboro, we want to help you get the best air quality in your vehicle, but first, we want to explain the process of where this dirty air is going. 

You know how often to change your engine oil; but what about the gear oil in your standard shift transmission? Here’s a short guide, from R.C. Bratcher, Inc in Owensboro.  Unless you’re lucky enough to own a car with a transmission dipstick, inspecting the gear oil in a manual transmission is a lot more inconvenient than doing so with an automatic, or checking your engine oil. The car must be jacked up, supported, and the oil checked from underneath. As a result, you may just want to change it when the time is right. But how do you know when that time comes?

Your car, truck, or SUV is equipped with various filters that keep the air going into your engine clean, the air you breathe in the vehicle, the fuel that supplies your engine, and the oil that keeps it going. How often should you have them replaced? It depends on the filter, the vehicle, and the environment. Here’s what you need to know, from R.C. Bratcher, Inc in Owensboro, KY.

At R.C. Bratcher, Inc in Owensboro, we understand that big trucks mean bigger risk on the road. Here are some tips to remember, to reduce the likelihood of an accident resulting in large repair costs next time you're on the job.

Foggy headlights are a problem that has arisen in the past couple of decades, as we have moved away from glass sealed beam bulbs and into an era of plastic lenses with bulbs inside. While modern headlights are superior to the sealed beam headlights of years ago, they do tend to fog up after years of use. It’s a good trade for far better illumination and easier replacement, but an issue nonetheless. Hours and hours of heat, sunlight, and age eventually cause them to cloud up, which can reduce visibility at night in addition to worsening the appearance of your car, truck, or SUV. From R.C. Bratcher, Inc in Owensboro, KY, here are some tips on taking care of your foggy or cloudy headlight issue.

At R.C. Bratcher, Inc in Owensboro, efficiency is a concept that interests us. While your fuel economy is largely dependent on what kind of car, truck, or SUV you drive, there are a variety of tips and tricks to get the most bang for your buck. We’ve provided a few of our favorites here.

As your vehicle ages, it not only gains sentimental value but a number of maintenance measures arise as well. Vehicles from previous decades have the potential to keep their value and functionality for many years. But how can you make that possible? Here are some tips from R.C. Bratcher, Inc to keep your older vehicle running and on the road for a long time!

If you drive a vehicle with a manual transmission, you know that clutch replacement can be an expensive and time-consuming job. R.C. Bratcher, Inc in Owensboro has some tips to keep your clutch replacements as infrequent as possible.

If you want to avoid nasty and unexpected surprise maintenance costs, sticking to a regimented schedule of preventative maintenance is something you are going to want to get used to. The reason being is simple – frequent maintenance will keep your vehicle in good health, ensuring you get the most out of all those expensive-to-replace parts. While it might sound counterintuitive, the best way to reduce maintenance costs is to stick to a prescribed maintenance schedule.

If you drive a performance or luxury vehicle, there are important points to remember in preserving not only your car or SUV, but it's resale value as well. Luxury and performance vehicles depreciate more quickly than other cars. Many who own these cars like to have the newest and the best of the best. In that way, the odds are stacked against you when trying to get a good price for your car. Fortunately, R.C. Bratcher, Inc has some steps you can take to ensure you get the most for your car when it’s time to sell. 

If you drive a performance or luxury vehicle, there are important points to remember in preserving not only your car or SUV, but it's resale value as well. Luxury and performance vehicles depreciate more quickly than other cars. Many who own these cars like to have the newest and the best of the best. In that way, the odds are stacked against you when trying to get a good price for your car. Fortunately, R.C. Bratcher, Inc has some steps you can take to ensure you get the most for your car when it’s time to sell. 

Eventually, the time comes to replace your car, truck, or SUV. Often, you’ll decide to go used to save some money. This can either be a great financial decision, but it takes a little more groundwork to make sure you’re getting a good deal and a reliable vehicle. From researching, to test driving, to inspecting a used vehicle, R.C. Bratcher, Inc in Owensboro, KY has a few tips to help you get there.

Ride quality is an essential part of your driving experience. At R.C. Bratcher, Inc in Owensboro, we strive to keep your car, truck, or SUV as smooth and comfortable to drive as the day it came off the lot. Your shock absorbers play a huge role in ride quality; here’s what you should know.

If you drive a luxury or performance vehicle, you’re an owner of a reliable machine. Still, occasionally problems do arise. On vehicles like these, with so many electronics, a dead battery is a common issue. At R.C. Bratcher, Inc we want to keep our customers informed, here’s how to jump-start your vehicle safely. 

At some point or another, it’ll happen to you. You leave your headlights on, your battery finally fails, or for some other reason, you don’t have enough juice to start your car. Don’t call a tow truck just yet, though...R.C. Bratcher, Inc in Owensboro has the info you need to properly jump start your car.