How often should I have my car aligned?
Follow the vehicle manufacturer´s recommendation noted in you owner´s manual. But, as a general rule, have your vehicle´s alignment checked every 10,000 miles or at least once a year.

How important is a Wheel Alignment?
Think of it this way. Research indicates that the average car is driven about 12,000 miles per year. A car with toe alignment just 0.34 degrees (Just 0.17 inches) out of specification has dragged its tires sideways for more than 68 miles by the end of the year!

My Check Engine light is on! What does it mean?
When the yellow or orange Check Engine (or Service Engine Soon) light is on, the car´s computer is monitoring the fuel injection, smog system and some ignition systems. If the car is running normally, don´t worry too much. Look at the other gauges and warning lights. If they are normal, you probably have a sensor or emissions problem. Bring it to your repair shop at your convenience. You are probably using extra gas, but you will not get stuck with your car.

If your car is sluggish or missing and the Check Engine light is on and the rest of the gauges look normal, you need to drive to a shop as soon as possible. Your car´s ignition system or injection system may be malfunctioning and you could get stuck!

If your Check Engine light is on and the other gauges are not normal, TURN OFF YOUR CAR! Tow your car in to prevent further damage and to avoid getting stuck on the way to a shop!

How do I keep my car from breaking down?
Most people driving today´s cars do not understand how to repair their own car. Regular, routine maintenance from a high-tech auto repair shop will help avoid a breakdown. During routine maintenance, the shop can catch problems early before they become major repairs. Routine maintenance will also keep your car in better shape for a longer period of time.

We would like to see our customers every 3,000 miles for a Lube, Oil & Filter. At that service interval, we can get a good overall look at your car. Depending on your driving habits, rotate your tires every second or third service. Every 15,000 miles change your air filter. Every 30,000 miles service the automatic transmission and replace fuel filters. 60,000 miles is usually the biggest service interval. Tune ups, cooling system and timing belts are all done at 60,000 miles. This service is expensive, so remember to budget for it in advance.

We can always estimate the price to you in advance.

What is a Tune-up?
The term TUNE-UP was first coined back when Henry Ford was working on his first prototype for the automobile. This first ignition system was very simple, one ignition coil for one spark plug, so if there were four spark plugs there would be four ignition coils. These coils needed to be adjusted to provide the same spark intensity for better idle and acceleration. As these coils worked they made a buzzing sound so when you adjusted them properly they all buzzed the same, therefore they were in tune. That´s how the term TUNE-UP was coined. The term stuck and was associated with replacement of spark plugs and any performance or rough idle problems. Once the distributor was developed the term TUNE-UP had no bearing as to how an engine performed, but the consumer, who was used to hearing this term around a garage, automatically associated poor running quality with the need to be in tune.

Today´s automobiles do not require tune-ups. Automobile manufacturers have set forth, in their recommended maintenance schedules, intervals for replacing spark plugs, PCV valves, fuel filters, etc. while recommending that other items related to engine operation be checked for proper function and/or adjustment such as ignition timing, idle speed and other emission control related devices. When and only when the maintenance has been performed should a performance problem be addressed to correct any given set of problems. If an opearating or performance problem were present after the maintenance has been performed, an engine analysis would be required. Therefore the term tune-up indicates the need for routine maintenance and should not be associated with poor performance. If your vehicle experiences any operating or performance problems between maintenance intervals, that specific problem should be addressed by performing and engine analysis to isolate that particular problem.