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21155 Hamburg Avenue
Lakeville, MN 55044
(952) 469-4363
   
Open Monday - Friday
7:30 am - 6:00 pm
Schedule Your Appointment Online!
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| Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
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 | What is a cabin air filter? | | | Cabin air filters, also known as passanger compartment filters, interior ventilation filters, pollen filters, or dust filters are designed to remove nearly 100 percent of air-borne particles like pollen, road dust, soot, and other microscopic particles that decrease the quaility of the air being emitted from your vehicle's air vent. Cabin air filter's should be changed annually to ensure peak performance from your heating and air conditioning system. |
| | | What is shop supplies and why is it on my bill? | | | Shop supplies represents the addtional cost for miscellaneous parts and labor that are used for servicing and repairing customers vehicles. These costs are not itemized because they cannot be purchased on a job by job basis. A few examples of shop supplies are: solvents, cleaners, paper floor mats used to protect the interior carpet, shop towels, oil dry, elecrtical connectors, grease and other small miscellenous items necessary to repair a vehicle. |
| | | What is the difference between rebuilt and remanufactured? | | Rebuilt is the process of restoring a part to it previous state before failure. It only replaces the faulty components of the part.
Remanufactured is the process of replacing all the components of the part to a like new condition. |
| | | What is an ASE Certified Technician? And what is the certification process? | | ASE certifies the technical competence of individual technicians, not repair facilities. Prior to taking ASE certification tests, many technicians attend training classes or study on their own in order to brush up on their knowledge. ASE certification is a means by which technicians can prove their abilities not only to themselves and their employers, but also to you - the consumer.
ASE certification is recognized internationally throughout the automotive repair industry as the most valuable credential technicians can earn. And because ASE certification is voluntary, it means technicians wearing the ASE logo on their shirts have made the time, investment and effort to earn certification, which means they can be counted on to have a strong sense of pride in accomplishment and commitment to excellence in their profession. ASE certification means that a person has passed tough, industry developed exams.
The certification process includes a series of tests - conducted twice a year at various locations across the country - written to measure a technicians' knowledge of diagnostic and repair skills necessary for competent job performance. Based on the tests you take and pass will determine your level as a certified technician. For example, if you pass one or more tests in a particular series and meet the two-year experience requirement you become an ASE-Certified Technician in those areas, but if you pass all four tests in a particular series you become an ASE-Certified Master Technician. |
| | | How long can you expect your brakes to last? | | For front brakes, which do most of the work, approx 25,000 miles is a good rule of thumb. Mileage will depend on your particular driving habits. If you do a lot of stop-and-go driving, they’ll wear out faster. But if you do 90 percent of your driving on the highway and 10 percent around town, you could get 50,000 miles. Generally, you can expect the rear brakes to last twice as long as the front ones.
Even without looking at your odometer, however, your brakes tell you when they need attention:
Squealing. The brakes on most cars have “squeal pads”—brake pads embedded with small metal tabs. As the pads wear, the tabs contact the rotors whenever you apply the brakes, emitting an unmistakable high-pitched squeal. This intentionally irritating noise serves as a reminder to visit the repair shop soon, before the noise goes away. If you wait too long, the brake pad will wear away completely and the metal caliper will grind into the rotor at every stop, necessitating a more expensive repair.
Low or “mushy” pedal. The amount of brake fluid in the lines affects the pedal’s feel. When you have to push the pedal farther than normal to stop, it’s time for a check.
Unusual vibration. You usually notice the problem when you’re coming off an exit ramp, slowing down from highway speed. You may feel a vibration or a kind of surging in the pedal. It’s probably a sign of a warped rotor.
Pulling off-center. When the car pulls to one side during a stop, it may indicate a problem with the caliper hardware. It could also mean a problem with a steering or suspension component in the front end, but it definitely needs to be checked. |
| | | Why is my timing belt supposed to be replaced? | | The primary reason is that replacing your timing belt is a form of insurance against having it break while you are driving. This is important because a broken timing belt could not leave you stranded, but on many car models it could also produce very costly engine damage.
On most model cars, if the belt breaks while the engine's running, the valves will immediately stop working but the pistons will continue to travel up and down due to inertia. If it is an "interference" type motor, the tops of the moving pistons can collide with the open valves and crush or bend them. The resulting damage to the valves and pistons could require extensive repairs.
If it is a "non-interference" engine, there is enough clearence that the valves and pistons will not interfere with each other. (In which case the engine would merely stop running and could not be restored until the belt is replaced)
Another common cause of timing belt breakage could be from a seized pulley / belt tensioner or a timing belt driven water pump that is leaking coolant which has caused the timing belt to deteriorate.
Depending on the vehicle, typical replacement intervals will usually run anywhere from 50,000 to 100,000 miles. If your owners manual does not specify a mileage interval, the general rule of thumb is every 60,000 miles. If you have any questions regarding timing belt replacement, please feel free to give us a call or drop a email. |
| | | Fuel Savings Tips as Gas Prices Soar: | | Record Gas Prices Make it Perfect Time to "Be Car Care Aware"
With gas prices exceeding two dollars a gallon in many parts of the country, the Car Care Council is offering gas-saving maintenance and driving tips that really work.
"Millions of dollars worth of gasoline is wasted every day by motorists, because simple and inexpensive vehicle maintenance is neglected," said Rich White, executive director of the Car Care Council. "Loose or missing gas caps, under-inflated tires, worn spark plugs and dirty air filters all contribute to poor fuel economy."
The Car Care Council offers these fuel-saving tips:
Vehicle gas caps – About 17 percent of the vehicles on the roads have gas caps that are either damaged, loose or are missing altogether, causing 147 million gallons of gas to vaporize every year.
Under inflated tires – When tires aren’t inflated properly it’s like driving with the parking brake on and can cost a mile or two per gallon.
Worn spark plugs – A vehicle can have either four, six or eight spark plugs, which fire as many as 3 million times every 1,000 miles, resulting in a lot of heat and electrical and chemical erosion. A dirty spark plug causes misfiring, which wastes fuel. Spark plugs need to be replaced regularly.
Dirty air filters – An air filter that is clogged with dirt, dust and bugs chokes off the air and creates a “rich” mixture – too much gas being burned for the amount of air, which wastes gas and causes the engine to lose power. Replacing a clogged air filter can improve gas mileage by as much as 10 percent, saving about 15 cents a gallon.
Info courtesy of "The Car Care Coucil" |
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