Difference Between Maintenance & Repair

Prevention helps minimize repairs!

Think of vehicle maintenance the same as you do about going to the dentist.   A car check-up twice a year, when you change your tires, is usually enough to find potential problems.   Finding small problems that avoid costly repairs of broken or worn out parts, helps you to keep your car safe & in good working order long before large problems happen.   By fixing the smaller issues, your yearly car budget can be dramatically reduced.

Brakes

Your vehicle sitting in the driveway on a rainy weekend may cause rust to the rotors.  The brake pads will clean the rust away when you drive to work.  However, sitting for too long accumulates significant rust, leading to pad damage that scores the rotors, as well as potential partial siezing of calipers.  We can help you prolong your braking system with a Brake Service.

Drivability

When the key is turned to start the car, but the car gives no response, it is referred to as a no-crank situation. On the way to fully starting, a car’s auxiliary functions, such as air conditioning, heating, and radio, will turn on as the engine turns over. Should this fail to occur, it could indicate a number of causes, like a dead battery, faulty starter, or seized engine, that hinder drivability.

Starting an engine is one thing – having it run smoothly afterward can be a challenge for many used cars. To determine if a car is a good buy and thus ‘drivable,’ a professional mechanic will inspect the engine after it’s started. They will verify that the engine does not stall, shake, vibrate, have inconsistent engine idle speed, or vacuum leaks. While several of these issues can be resolved through routine maintenance, if major issues exist, the vehicle will not be classified as drivable.

Intermitant ignition failure, lose of power or performance on hills, misfires, and a few other issues are annoying, but if left unattended too long they will contribute to dash lights and more indepth diagnosis to solve the problem.  Something as simply as an exhaust leak can mimic larger problems.  Our scanner will direct us to solving problems, but it is easier on your wallet when the issues are not compounded.

Leaks

Fluid leaks are not normal, on any model or year of vehicle, and can lead to big problems!  Leaks can generally be detected on your regular oil changes, and should be fixed sooner, rather than later.  If you notice any size of "drip" in your driveway, it's best to get it in for us to look at before it becomes a puddle.  Fluids are vital to your vehicle running correctly, with exception to windshield washing fluid, all other fluids have a recommended maximum and minimum level, which prevent major damage to your moving parts.  All fluids are not created equally, and are not usually interchangeable between vehicles.  Ask us to check your fluid levels the next time you are in to see us.

Suspension

Your car's suspension helps ensure that your drive is safe and smooth by absorbing the energy from various road bumps and other kinetic impacts.  Furthermore, a properly working suspension actually helps your wheels stay in contact with the road!

It's not just that your vehicle is a little bumpy during your ride, or has a clunk, if one of the very important parts of your suspension has "play" it can loosen over time to the point of breaking.  The slight play in one part of the suspension causes greater impact on other parts, leading to failure of several inter-connected parts.

If you see damage to the inside or outside of your tire's tread, you know your alignment is off, which may be an idication of suspension issues.  If that isn't scary enough, today's vehicles are heavily dependant on computers within your car, and a misaligned vehicle teaches the computer a "new norm" which will impact your steering angle.  This in turn will cause your warning system not be able to warn you of an impact danger ... because it can't see the risk.

Potholes and ice chunks on the road are unavoidable, but cause your alignment to minorly adjust itself a little at a time.  The adjustment causes stress to your suspension a little more each time.  Noises are your vehicles way of talking to you, and we understand the language.  Do you need an alignment check?

Repairs are necessary, but servicing helps keep them at bay.

We can help you by giving you a written report of our findings, which lets you know what needs to be fixed now, for your safety, and tell you what can be delayed for another day.

Although most people don't think about the mechanic shop until an oil change is necessary, or your brakes are grinding, your vehicle is an amazing machine that requires the trained eyes of a technician to keep it going.  We would like to help you keep your vehicle healthy, which actually means more of your hard earned dollars in your pocket.

We will listen to your concerns, price shop for you, and let you know what needs to be fixed now ... and what can wait a little bit.

Repair Services



Standard brake service

Usually you don't even think about your brakes until you hear squeeking; however, "squealers" are a thing of the past.   We can assess your pad material percentage, and rotor health.   If you only have rust build up, we can clean / lube moving parts, and usually have you on your way in about an hour.   This service will prolong the life of your brakes, and save you hundreds of dollars over the life of your car.

Hint:   A car that doesn't get driven much, or sits for just a few weeks, can aquire enough rust on the rotors to prematurely wear out pad material.



Lifetime service

Amazingly enough, some parts DO still offer lifetime warranty on parts.   While the labor costs may not always be included, it's worth your time to find out your options before you decide what you want to spend on repair parts.   We respect your time, and your wallet, as much as we value you as a customer.   As such, we will happily discuss your pricing & warranty options with you, so that you can make the most informed decision for your vehicle.

Part of why we are recommended over & over again, is because we take the time to look after your car, as if it were our own.