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My 3 girls love unicorns! When they see a unicorn in a movie or in a book they fall in love. However, it is heartbreaking when dad has to bring them back to reality and teach them.......well....unicorns are just not real. What does this have to do with the brakes on your vehicle? A cheap brake job does not exist. If for some reason you are driving thru the forest and you come across what appears to be a cheap brake job, I would suggest you do the same thing as if you see a unicorn. Slap yourself across the face and wake up! At best it could be a bait a switch.

"Why does my A/C blow warm air" you ask? Well unlike the A/C system in your home, your vehicles system gets jostled around while driving through the streets of Davenport. And over time the fittings and A/C components get worn out and tired which causes freon to leak out. Since freon is a gas, it seeps into the atmosphere rather than drips down like engine oil or antifreeze making it tougher to find when there is a leak. In order to find the leak, we generally need to remove all old freon and air that is inside of the A/C system with a machine (Recover).

Because of the ever changing technology, training never ends! Even the most basic systems such as brakes and suspension can get pretty technical. With electronic parking brake systems, air ride height control and steering angle sensors we even run into problems or issues at times. Especially because we repair all different makes and models there is so much to learn about with each car manufacturer. It was nice of Napa to come into our shop with their Brake and Suspension Rep for a dinner and learn the other night.

The timing belt is important because makes the internal components of the engine work together. I could get real technical and tell you how the timing belt keeps the flux capacitor inline with the rotary girder but I won't bore you with the details. Basically, what you need to know is the timing belt is a rubber belt that controls how the valves and pistons move inside of the motor. Because the belt is rubber, it is subject to shredding, breaking or slipping which can cause all kinds of horrible engine damage.

Often times we are asked, "why do I have to flush my cooling system? How often should I flush my cooling system? Is it best to flush before winter or summer?, How do I figure out which antifreeze my vehicle takes?" Here are a couple of simple thoughts about vehicle cooling systems: Coolant, also referred to as antifreeze, is the fluid that absorbs the heat from your engine and disperses it out through the radiator. When mixed properly is has a higher boiling point and lower freezing point than water allowing the engine to run at higher and lower temperatures.

For many people allergy season is no fun! Although we have no cure for your allergies, we can help make sure your car is ready for the season. Replacing your cabin air filter at least once per year can help alleviate those sneezing and wheezing symptoms. Sometimes leaves, bugs and debris can flow into the intake vents and clog the cabin air filter. Here are a few other reasons why it is important to replace your cabin air filter: When this filter becomes restricted it can reduce the efficiency and flow of your vehicles air conditioner.

Today I went on a road test with a great customer because he was hearing an "intermittent weird noise while turning left" in the front of his SUV. Since he stated the noise does not occur all the time, I thought it would be best to go on a quick road test with him before we inspect further. Right away I thought I heard it, there was a clanging noise coming from the rear end. "Nope, that's not it. My wife left a frying pan with a lid on it in the back seat," he said.

Often times we are asked "do you think it's worth fixing?" When customers run into high repair costs on high mileage vehicles sometimes they are in for a tough decision. For the most part, every decision is unique to its own situation. We understand when you're tired of pouring money into your aging machine. Here are a couple of tips to aid your decision whether or not to trade in 'Ole Sweetie.' 1) A newer used car may not mean you will visit us less. Do your homework on the vehicle you wish to purchase. Road test a few different models.

Often times we have customers that assume or were told they need to go back to the dealership have their vehicle repaired because they have a warranty. Some customers are confused between an aftermarket and factory warranty. To clarify, a factory warranty is the warranty most manufacturers offer when you purchase a new vehicle. For instance, GM may give a 3 year, 36,000 mile warranty when you purchase that new Impala. An 'after market warranty' is an extra warranty to cover repairs when the factory warranty expires. For example, you may be offered to purchase an additional warranty on that same Impala when the odometer hits 36,001 miles.

Recently we had a gentleman come into our shop because he could not get his cell phone charger to work. "It just stopped working and I even tried a new cell phone charger." After a 'professional inspection' of the power outlet, ie try my own charger from my own cell phone, we determined the customer is absolutely right, it's not the charger cable. After a little more testing we determined that the fuse was good but still no power to the outlet. After a little head scratching and more conversation with the customer we learned earlier in the day he jump started his tractor and maybe ever since then it stopped working?