SERVICES
AUTOMOTIVE SERVICES
- Air Conditioning
Warm weather or cold, you still need to think about our vehicle’s air conditioning. Most people don’t service their air conditioning until after it fails. Vehicle manufacturers have preventive maintenance schedules for air conditioning service, just as they do for transmission service, oil changes and so on.
- Battery Replacement
Batteries are very sensitive to changes in the weather. Temperature really affects your battery’s performance. A battery inspection is an important part of your spring and fall checkups. Our advisors will take a look at your battery.
- Belts and hoses
Have us inspect your belts and hoses to make sure there are no leaks! Timing belts keep everything working together – they are tough and flexible, and they last a long time but they do wear out. If they break, the consequences can spell disaster.
- Brakes
When it comes to preventive maintenance and car care, we all know how important it is to check our brakes. But brakes are more than just brake pads and shoes. There are a lot of components in the brake system, and they all need to be in good working order.
- Buying the right Tires
Every vehicle owner has to purchase tires at some time or another, so it’s a good idea to understand what the choices are. The best seasonal performance is achieved by purchasing tires to match the season you are driving in. Summer tires are designed for hot temperatures. The tread is engineered for good traction on dry or rainy roads. But the rubber compound in summer tires gets stiff when temperatures drop below 45°F, and snow and mud can pack into the tread, reducing the traction of the tire.
- Cabin Air Filter
Cabin air filters are becoming a standard feature on newer vehicles. These filters can clean particles out of the air down to three microns, which accounts for pollen, dust and most pollutants. If you suffer from allergies or have a respiratory disorder, this may be just what you’ve been waiting for.
- Check Engine Light
The Check Engine, or Service Engine light is a warning light. It is warning you that something is wrong. That something could be as simple as a loose gas cap or as important as a condition that may cause expensive damage. When the light comes on, it may burn steadily, or it might flash. A flashing light means that there is something wrong that could lead to severe damage.
- Coolant & Antifreeze
Our cars must operate in a wide range of outside temperatures and our engine coolant must be able to perform no matter what. Think for a moment about the environment where the coolant works. Very hot, high pressure, corrosive . . .
- Cooling System
If your engine has overheated, you should also check your coolant system for leaks. Check the radiator for cracks and the radiator hoses for leaks. You should also check your water pump. They don’t need to be replaced on a regular schedule, but they do need to be checked regularly. They can and do wear out.
- Custom Wheels
If you’re interested in customizing the wheels on your vehicle, there are a few things you should know first.
- Diagnostics
Modern vehicles have computers in the engine that monitor a variety of sensors throughout the vehicle. When one of those sensors has a reading that is higher or lower than the standard parameters, the computer turns on the check engine light.
- Diesel Engine Maintenance
Preventive maintenance for diesel vehicles has also become similar to that of gas-fueled vehicles in recent years. The major difference is that diesels require cleaner fuel, air and oil, so their filters are more expensive than those for gasoline engines. The engine air filter must be changed more frequently as well.
- Differential Service
Differential? What’s that? And what’s it for? I’ve been told I need to get it serviced, but is that on the level? Or am I getting charged for something bogus?
- Drive Train
The drive train in your vehicle includes all the components that transfer power from the transmission to the wheels. Those components differ depending on what type of vehicle you drive, namely, front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, all-wheel drive or four-wheel drive.
- Engine Air Filter
When a good technician changes your oil, they will also inspect your air filter. You shouldn’t need a new filter at every oil change, but you will need to change it regularly. Heed your technician’s auto advice if they tell you to change your filter. It’s not expensive, and it makes a big difference to your vehicle.
- Exhaust Service
Your vehicle’s exhaust system is more than just a tailpipe and a muffler. In fact, it is one of the most complex systems on your vehicle. Maintaining it is good auto advice, but it’s also good health advice and good environmental advice.
- Flat repair
Almost everyone has had a flat tire. Even if it’s a slow leak, get it fixed quickly – don’t just keep inflating them. Low tire pressure puts added stress on the structure of the tire itself, causing it to break down prematurely.
- Fluid inspection
Over time, vehicles have developed in complexity and variety, and their fluids have developed as well. It’s important to always use the right type of fluid for your vehicle.
- 4 Wheel drive
The drive train includes all the components that transfer power from the transmission to the wheels. Those components differ depending for all-wheel drive and four-wheel drive.
- Fuel Filter
Fuel filters clean the dirt, dust and grime out of your fuel. Both gasoline and diesel-powered engines have them. The fuel filter is located in the fuel line between the fuel tank and the engine.
- Fuel Injectors
Engines need to burn fuel to operate. Fuel is pumped from your fuel tank to your engine where it is squirted—or injected—into your engine’s cylinders. This is the function of the fuel injectors.
- Headlamp Replacement
Most new cars come with halogen headlamps. A decade ago, halogens were exotic and expensive. Now that they are standard equipment, the price has come way down. Many luxury cars are equipped with high intensity discharge, or HID, headlamps. You have probably seen them on the road, they’re very bright and have a bluish tint.
- Lift kits
If you drive off-road, carry heavy loads, tow a trailer, or put in a lot of mileage on poor driving surfaces, your shocks or struts will wear out more quickly. You’ll need to replace them more often or upgrade to better shocks.
- Nitrogen
So why nitrogen in your tires? Air’s air, right? Well it turns out there is a difference. At the heart of the matter is maintaining proper tire inflation. When your tires are properly inflated, they last longer, handle better and more safely and they save money at the gas pump.
- Oil Changes
Oil lubricates your engine and keeps it running smoothly. If you’re running low, there is increased friction in your engine. Friction creates drag, which means more fuel to keep the motor running. This all translates to lower gas mileage.
- PCV Valve
Did you know that the first federally mandated emissions control device was introduced in the 1960’s? The Positive Crankcase Ventilation valve, or PCV valve, has been installed in vehicles since 1964 and represents the first legislation by the United States government to regulate harmful emissions as well as to improve fuel efficiency in the country’s vehicles.
- Power Steering Service
Power steering is now standard on all vehicles, but there are several ways that power can be delivered. Most vehicles use a hydraulic power steering system. In this system, a serpentine belt from the engine powers a pump that pressurizes the power steering fluid. The pressure activates a hydraulic cylinder that provides steering power.
- Preventive maintenance
A little routine maintenance can prevent a breakdown. The key to good vehicle maintenance starts with the oil change. When you come in for a full-service oil change, we will check all your fluids. If one of them is low...
- Radiator Service
The radiator is the best-known and most recognizable part of the cooling system. Hoses filled with coolant (also known as antifreeze) connect the radiator to the engine. The coolant draws heat from the engine, and then flows to the radiator. Air passing through cooling fins on the radiator cools the coolant. The coolant then cycles back into the engine to start the process over again.
- Roadside Assistance Services
Stranded on the side of the road or forget your keys in your car? Is a dead battery or a flat tire holding you up on the highway? One of our mobile unit mechanics will come out to you and safely handle the issue that stalls your vehicle.
- Serpentine Belt
The serpentine belt powers a lot of engine systems. It runs the alternator, which charges the battery; the water pump (on some vehicles), which cools the engine; the air conditioning, which cools the driver and passengers; and the power steering pump, which allows for easier steering. When the belt breaks, all these systems shut down.
- Shocks & Struts
Springs do most of the work of the suspension system. The most common types of springs are coil and leaf, but air springs and torsion bars are becoming more common. The body of the vehicle is “suspended” by the springs.
- Snowplow Maintenance and Services
We’re your go-to service specialists for snowplow repair and maintenance. Inspecting your plow seems like common sense, but often it is left to the wayside, or — in the summertime — not even thought about at all.
- Snow Removal Services
When the snow hits and it’s too much to handle, leave it to the professional snow removal crew
- State Emissions
Emission testing is to check the level of hazardous materials that break away from vehicle engines; these pollutants can harm humans and animals as the carbon dioxide dispelled is a greenhouse gas, which can contribute to global warming.
- State Inspections
Whether it is state-mandated or a routine checkup, we performs quality vehicle inspection for your car, truck, or SUV. State-mandated inspections are performed to regulate government safety and emission requirements that contribute to safer driving conditions.
- Suspension Service
If your suspension is in trouble, you often feel it in how your vehicle drives. If the vehicle pulls to one side or wanders, if the steering is erratic, if your ride isn’t as smooth as it should be, or if your vehicle handles poorly, you should get your suspension system checked. Uneven tire wear can also indicate worn parts in your suspension system.
- Timing Belt Replacement
The timing belt is so named because it keeps the pistons and valves operating in synch with each other, just as a conductor keeps all of the instruments in an orchestra in time with one another. Thus, the timing belt is critical to the proper operation of your engine.
- Tire installation
Trust the tire experts to install your next set of wheels.
Whenever a tire is changed on newer vehicles, the service technician will have to deal with the Tire Pressure Monitoring System. Sensors will have to removed, then re-installed and re-activated.
- Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
A new federal law requires manufacturers to include a Tire Pressure Monitoring System – or TPMS system – in all vehicles by the 2008 model year.
- Tire Rotation
Rotating tires allows all four tires on a vehicle to wear evenly. Front tires get more wear than rear tires because they do most of the work on turns.
- Towing Services
It never seems to fail, your vehicle can go down at any minute, while you’re at work or while you’re on the road. Whether you’re stuck in a ditch, have an electrical issue, or your engine is stalled or overheating, these issues can leave you and your loved ones stranded on the side of the road.
- Transmission Service
When your transmission is running properly, it transfers more power from your engine to the drive wheels and improves fuel economy. That’s why its recommended to change your transmission fluid at regular intervals.
- Tune Ups
Your engine has many component systems that each need to be working properly. And the components need to be working in sync, all timed up together in order for the engine to work efficiently.
- Vehicle Inspections
Beyond routine maintenance, your vehicle also requires regular inspections. These inspections are usually recommended at specific mileage intervals, like 15 or 20 thousand miles.
- Water Pump
Replacing a water pump is a car care issue that almost all of us face eventually. They don’t last forever. On the other hand, we can extend the life of most of the components of our vehicle, including the water pump, through preventive maintenance.
- Wheel Alignment
One of the most important parts of preventive maintenance for your vehicle is keeping the wheels in alignment. Poor alignment causes your tires to wear unevenly, which can significantly reduce their lifespan. This means you will have to replace them more often, which is costly. It can even damage your suspension system, which is very costly to repair. But even more importantly, uneven tread wear can lead to blowouts on the road, a dangerous and potentially deadly safety risk.
- Wheel Balancing
Balancing your tires is part of preventive maintenance. It keeps your vehicle in good repair and prevents damage to many of its components, including some expensive ones.
- Winter Tires
If you’re shopping for winter tires, look for a mountain with a snowflake in it. This symbol means the tire complies with severe snow standards.
- Wiper Blades
You really ought to replace your wiper blades twice a year – in the spring and the fall. If you live in a place that has harsh winters, you may even want to get special winter blades in the fall.
