Mishawaka Auto Repair

In this first part, the Monday Morning Mechanic begins to explain what goes into an air conditioning checkup at a good repair facility

In this second part, the Monday Morning Mechanic finishes explaining what goes into an air conditioning checkup at a good repair facility

The Monday Morning Mechanic goes over AAA's four most common reasons for needing a tow and how to PREVENT them! Here's how to keep your car from needing a tow because of these items...transmission fluid, brake pads and brake fluid, oil changes, and anti-freeze

You have probably never really thought much about your windshield wipers, but the Monday Morning Mechanic explains how different kinds of wipers can keep you SAFELY on the ROAD

The Monday Morning Mechanic shows why NOT all oil changes are created equal

As I've mentioned before on this website, car repair is a lot like medicine. When you're sick and have to visit the doctor's office, you can choose to have an orderly check your illness, or you can have a qualified doctor review the problems with your health. An oil change at a discount oil and lube joint is like going to a doctor's office that doesn't have a doctor on duty. At reputable shops, ASE certified technicians are on staff in case potential problems are spotted by the lube department. It's just like a physical exam or health check-up. You should also understand the difference between ASE Certification and what most discount oil change places say they have. They may claim to have certified people working there, but more often than not, they're in-house certified! ASE Certified technicians are the cream of the crop in auto repair...they're the ones who have spent the time studying and testing to become the absolute best. It's not easy, a ... read more

How do you know if your car is overheating? Needle is toward or in HOT zone on gauge Red Temperature Light is on Steam coming out of engine What should you do? STOP NOW! DON'T OPEN RADIATOR CAP Get professional help...have a tow truck bring you to the most reputable tech in area What should I do if my engine has overheated? Have a complete Cooling System Evaluation done by an ASE Certified Technician Have all components of the cooling system -- including head gaskets -- checked for damage ALWAYS REPLACE the thermostat Make sure coolant is 50-50 mix What if needle on Temp. Gauge is just a little over the normal range? Turn off A/C Turn on heater Get out of stop-and-go traffic If in traffic jam, turn engine off

An easy way to tell how much a repair shop cares about its customers is the time its employees spend getting various certifications. Some of these certifications are more important to me than others. The 'certs' and affiliations that I believe are most important are: AAA Approved Repair Shop Automotive Service Association Gold medallion shops Member of the Automotive Management Institute (AMi) and ALWAYS make sure that the shop has ASE Certified Master Technicians A good shop will have these certifications on display when you enter the shop. REALLY good shops will also do their best to TEACH you why your car needs certain repairs. They'll take you into their bays and show you what needs fixing and teach you WHY. I can't stress this enough: You should NEVER feel like you don't know what your money is going towards...you should be able to ask questions and get REAL answers! If you're not getting this from your current shop, it's ti ... read more

Don't panic. Determine if it's smoke or steam. Pull off the road immediately. Unlock power door locks -- in case electricity quits. Turn the ignition OFF -- to shut off fuel pump and spark plugs. Pull the hood release -- so firefighters can put out fire. Get everyone out of the car. Call the fire department. Leave the sunroof, windows and doors closed. Don't open the hood -- starve the fire of oxygen. Don't fight the fire yourself. Water won't put out gasoline or electrical fires. Only TYPE B and TYPE C fire extinguisher. Dry chemical is most effective, but leaves corrosive residue. If the fire is under the car: Get out and stay away. The gas tank could explode

Here's my question to you: should price be the only consideration? Would you pay a good doctor for diagnosis and then find a cheap, back alley butcher to do your surgery? There is a huge difference in quality of labor and quality of parts in auto repair