Our Top 12 Auto Repairs and Services

Our mechanics are highly trained ASE certified technicians, and we believe that regular auto maintenance will keep your family safe and minimize your auto repair expenses in the long run. We will send you a reminder by mail when it is time for scheduled maintenance. We encourage the members of our Car Care Club to maintain their vehicles with our special pricing on regular maintenance: 4 free oil changes, free A/C check, free comprehensive vehicle inspection, $10 brake inspection and tire rotation, $10 battery starting/charging system test, $15 off power steering flush and fill, 10% off engine tune-up, 10% off timing belt replacement service, and 10% off all parts on any vehicle service. All these benefits for only $99.95 per year.

Some dealers have implied that your vehicle must be serviced by an "authorized dealer" to not void your vehicle's factory warranty. This is not the case. The Magnuson-Moss Warranty act specifies that consumers may have their vehicles serviced by any auto repair shop or even themselves to satisfy the factory warranty's requirements. They cannot require you to take your car to the dealer for service as a condition of the factory warranty.

We diagnose and repair many different auto problems, but most of our customer's problems are resolved by just 12 types of auto repair or maintenance. Here is our list of the top 12 auto repairs and services, and some tips to help you decide when you need to bring your vehicle in for repair or service.

1. Car Muffler and Exhaust System Repair

We repair auto mufflers and exhaust systems. Bring your car to us If you notice that it is louder than it used to be, you hear new noises from under your car, you start to smell fumes, or you notice that your muffler has been damaged. A loud vehicle can be unpleasant, and even exceed auto noise laws, but exhaust fumes that leak into the passenger compartment can be very dangerous. Our mechanics are ASE certified so you can be sure that we are qualified to repair your car emission system leaks, reattach or replace mufflers, and adjust the brackets that hold the muffler and exhaust system in place.

2. Auto Brake Repair

If your brakes are squealing, fading, pulsing, require pumping to stop your car, or just don't slow your car down properly, please bring your car into our shop and let us diagnose the problem. The braking system is one of your car's most important safety features. If your brakes work poorly or fail completely you are likely to have an accident and could be seriously injured or killed. We will inspect your brakes for wear. Sometimes the rotors or drums are damaged because the brake pads or shoes haven't been replaced when they wore out, so it is important to inspect and maintain your brakes regularly. We recommend brake inspections about every 30,000 miles. We will repair any brake problems that you authorize. Usually we just replace worn brake pads or shoes, but sometimes we have to replace the rotors or drums too. If you join our Car Car Club we will inspect your brakes for free once a year, when you have your tires rotated.

3. Car Timing Belt Replacement

Timing belts stretch over time, and eventually they will break if not replaced. When a timing belt breaks, your vehicle will not run, and about half the time the timing belt damages the head and bends valves when it breaks, more than doubling the cost of the auto repair. Timing belt wear is not normally visible, so we suggest replacing timing belts when your vehicle has reached the mileage recommended by the manufacturer.

4. Vehicle Oil Changes

Frequent oil changes are important to the life of your car. Your vehicle's oil breaks down and accumulates debris from the engine. Worn out and dirty oil doesn't lubricate as well, and the accumulated debris can cause your engine parts to wear quicker than expected. We recommend changing your oil every 3000 miles or 3 months, which ever comes first. If your oil level gets too low, it won't be able to cool your engine and your engine may be seriously damaged, so most car owners should check their oil levels about every 1500 miles, sooner for older cars or if you notice oil leakage. If your oil light comes on, you need to add oil or bring your vehicle into our shop immediately to prevent damaging your engine. We also offer a B6 oil system cleaning if you need a complete engine flush. Synthetic oil lasts longer (5000 miles or 5 months) than standard oil, but it costs more. We usually refill your engine with the oil recommended by your vehicle's manufacturer, but we will use synthetic oil at your request. We offer a complimentary "fluid check and top off" service for our oil change customers.

5. Factory Recommended Services

New car warranties require that you maintain your vehicle regularly. The operator's manual that came with your car spells out when you must perform specific maintenance services (by time and mileage). These services are important for the longevity of your vehicle, and to keep your warranty valid. You can probably perform some of these services yourself, but if you don't have the knowledge, equipment or time, we will take care of them for you. Our records will provide the proof necessary to keep your warranty valid.

6. Auto Wheel Alignment

Your car's wheels can be misaligned by sliding into a curb on an icy road, hitting a pothole, and sometimes they just go out of alignment even without hitting potholes or curbs. This is why we recommend having your wheel alignment checked once a year, or whenever you notice uneven tire wear, or your steering wheel pulls to one side or is crooked when you are driving straight down the road. If we find anything wrong with your alignment, we will tell you how much it will cost to make the auto repair and wait for your approval before incurring any more cost. Alignment problems can affect your driving and often cause uneven tire wear. Keeping your wheels properly aligned will help your tires last longer and save you money.

7. Vehicle Suspension System Repair

Ball joints, shocks, struts and other steering components wear out or get damaged and may affect your steering ability. We suggest that you have your steering and suspension inspected once a year, or whenever you notice uneven tire wear, vibrations, too soft a ride, or noises coming from the front end of your vehicle. We will check your suspension and steering systems when we change your oil, and make any repairs to your vehicle after your approval.

8. Check Engine Light Service

Modern cars use a computer to monitor engine operation and emissions, and the computer uses your check engine light to signal when something is wrong with your car. If you ignore your check engine light, your car may be emitting more pollution than is necessary, and you may be damaging your catalytic converter. When your check engine light comes on you should bring your car into our shop for diagnosis and repair. We will hook your car up to our scanner and have your car's computer tell us which system is failing. Then we will test that system to determine exactly what is wrong, give you an estimate and make the necessary auto repairs with your approval. If your check engine light starts flashing, you should park your vehicle immediately and have it towed to our shop because a flashing check engine light means that damage may be happening now. We can also reprogram your computer and make any factory recommended updates.

9. Auto A/C Repair

Failing air conditioning isn't an emergency, but it sure is nice to have working A/C when driving in the summer heat. Often auto air conditioners fail because the freon has leaked out, and all they need is to be recharged. Some of our customers recharge their own A/C systems, but most bring their cars to us for this repair. The A/C system needs to be charged correctly. The high pressure side and the low pressure side need to be charged to their own specifications in order for the A/C system to work properly. Our A/C machine does this accurately and easily, and it recycles the old freon too. We recommend testing for leaks when replacing your freon. Fixing the A/C leaks may prevent the need for another freon recharge soon. We can also retrofit your old R12 freon system to use the new R134A style freon if you request it.

10. Vehicle Emissions Repair

It looks like Colorado's Auto Emissions Program is returning sometime late this year, and we will all be required to have our vehicles checked to make sure they are meeting the standards of the new law. Vacuum leaks, catalytic converter problems, and out of tune engines are just a few of the things that affect how much pollution your vehicle emits. Most customers can't tell if their vehicle is exceeding the emission standards until they actually fail the state test, but if your check engine light comes on, you might have an emissions problem. If you suspect that you have an emissions problem bring your vehicle in to our shop and we will test it, tell you what has to be repaired, and make any vehicle repairs that you authorize.

11. Auto Cooling System Repair

Cooling system problems can cause your engine to overheat and blow a head gasket, requiring a $1000 repair, so it is worth your time to keep an eye on your temperature gauge so your engine doesn't overheat, and to check for coolant leaks that might accumulate below your vehicle. Some of our customers make simple cooling system repairs, like replacing an obviously leaking radiator hose, but most bring their vehicles to us. We run a pressure test on the entire system so we can find all the leaks, so we know everything that has to be repaired before we give you an estimate. We will make all the cooling system repairs that you approve so your vehicle can be safely back on the road again. Our complementary "fluid check and top off" service includes engine coolant too!

12. Vehicle Inspection Service

Our mechanics are experts skilled in every auto system so you can be sure we will find any problems with your vehicle. We have a special vehicle inspection service to verify that a used car is sound before you purchase it, or if you just want to make sure your car will be safe during your cross country vacation. We even offer a complementary 22-point auto inspection with every oil change. The 22-point auto inspection includes the front end, belts, hoses, suspension, exhaust, oil leaks, fluid levels and fluid condition.

Cory
Manager at Fort Collins Muffler & Automotive