Tag Archives: Dependable Auto Repair Mechanics

Vehicle Auto Repair Blaine MN Part 2

Friday, 31 October 2014 19:55

Written by Clark Automotive

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Vehicle Repairs Blaine MN In our first blog – Vehicle Auto Repairs Blaine, MN-Part 1 – we discussed what to look for in an automobile repair shop and how to distinguish what it is that is actually important to you. Now, its all too common that our customers come to our shop unhappy with their last repair shop. Clark Automotive knows that there are great local repair shops around Blaine, MN and ones that are not so great. We know the clearly visible signs and we would like to share them with you, so you don’t unknowingly look past any red flags and get stuck paying for services that are not appropriate for your vehicle’s situation.

What indicates a car repair shop is going to take advantage of you?

A shop that can’t or won’t look at your car in the parking lot or reviewing your observations without charging you. Your observations are vital in the troubleshooting process. The more factual data the customer can provide the better the diagnostic process will go, yielding the correct repair.

The car repair shop that won’t go on a free test drive with you and instead starts a repair order and charges you. It is critical that you make sure that your complaint about your car is addressed. This is critical when we are attempting to find a noise that you, the customer, is concerned about. It has happened that you get a large repair bill, and still have the original noise to live with. This can happen because the communication from the customer through the service writer to the mechanic can frequently get garbled. At Clark Automotive Clinic, the mechanic is the service writer and the person talking with you, going on a test drive with you, and giving you an estimate of what is going to happen and calling you with an itemized estimate.

The car repair shop that tells you of required expensive repairs, without going through the diagnostic process. Diagnostics can be an issue deserving much discussion and review. We at Clark Automotive Clinic have a maximum diagnostic charge of $60.00. We have offered 100’s of second opinions to other shops diagnostics. Generally the disagreement is not due to dishonesty, but rather the level of experience needed to analyze a set of observed facts, and render a high percentage diagnostic opinion.

The shop that does not use diagnostics data services cannot possibly give you that high confidence opinion about your automobile’s problem. The two top data programs offer copies of all factory recalls and service recommendations by specific model of car. We at Clark Automotive Clinic check with a number of sources using specific troubleshooting schematics and decision grids to help with the trouble shooting process.

The shop that brings up numerous additional repairs; while your car is in their shop. It can be helpful if these are a safety issues, which you need to address shortly. Alas, generally it is just a sales pitch. We at Clark Automotive Clinic will only bring safety issues to your immediate attention. Other observations will be listed on the repair order, prioritized, and approximate cost shown. Our customers will come back for these repairs later, we don’t need to fix everything in one visit.

If you have had a bad experience or multiple bad experience dealing with auto repair shops Clark Automotive, located in Blaine, MN can change that! Stop by our shop or call us today!

Blaine, MN Auto Repair Shop

Shop Location
9985 Davenport St. NE
Blaine, MN 55449

Email: info@clarkautomotiveblaine.com

Shop Hours
MON – FRI 8:00 – A.M. – 5:00 P.M.
SAT (BY APPOINTMENT ONLY)

Brake Repair Service Blaine MN

Wednesday, 15 October 2014 15:31

Written by Clark Automotive

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Car, Truck, SUV Brake Repair Services Blaine MN

Brake Repair Blaine MN If your car, truck or SUV is in need of a brake replacement, repair or it’s running differently but you just don’t know why – Clark Automotive Repair Shop, located in Blaine, MN can offer you an affordable solution. We are a Blaine vehicle repair shop that is dedicated to helping our customers in any way we can. We are a no pressure vehicle maintenance and repair shop that is backed with over 17 years in the industry.

What Should a Brake Repairs Cost?

The first question, why are you thinking you need a brake repair for your car? If you, as the operator, have an observation about poor braking or noises, it will not cost you anything at Clark Automotive Clinic. We will go on a test drive with you and offer our recommendations. These recommendations can vary from doing some diagnostics; to saying you need rear brakes. Generally there is not much need for diagnostics, so let’s just move on to the question at hand, how much does a brake job cost? The braking system can be broken into three areas; the hydraulic area, the mechanical area, and finally the computerized control systems.

Different Types of Vehicle Brake Issues

Noises are generally mechanical, soft or low brake pedals are hydraulic, and the ABS and Traction control lights on your dash are the computer controls. So if we are just addressing noises it should end up being the mechanical aspects of the front or the rear brakes. Parts and labor for front or rear brakes will be in the vicinity of $200 to $350 dollars. You generally will not need to repair both the front and rear brakes at the same time. The variables in cost are caused by the quality of parts and differences in labor. If the estimate is much higher, then the repair shop will need to inform you about what they will be repairing beyond brake pads and rotors for the front or rear brakes.

Hydraulic Brake Repairs

The repair of the hydraulic portion of the brake system may or may not require diagnostics. If there is an obvious leak at a caliper or a rusted steel brake line an estimate can be prepared without diagnostics. Because there are so many variables there is no estimate in cost I can provide. If you are getting an estimate from an unknown repair shop because you’re having problems on the road, call you regular repair shop for advice. We at Clark Automotive welcome that request and will communicate with the other company to resolve questions you may have.

ABS Dash Light Lite Up

The repair of the computerized control systems can be difficult to diagnose. In short when the ABS light is on, you have your regular hydraulic brakes but do not have anti-lock brakes. This is not a safety issue, but for optimum braking should be repaired. Repair of this area of your brakes requires some level of trust between you and the repair shop. If that is not present we recommend a second opinion be sought. Again the cost of repair is all over the place and requires extensive trouble shooting and expensive parts.

If you have concerns about your vehicles brakes, would like us to complete a free test drive or are looking for a second opinion on another repair shops estimate drive in or call us today.

Clark Automotive Repair Shop Blaine, MN

Shop Location:
9985 Davenport St. NE
Blaine, MN 55449
Phone: (763) 784-7944

Email: info@clarkautomotiveblaine.com

Shop Hours:
MON – FRI 8:00 – A.M. – 5:00 P.M.
SAT (BY APPOINTMENT ONLY)

Affordable Brake and Auto Repairs Blaine MN

Friday, 10 October 2014 15:40

Written by Clark Automotive

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Trusted Blaine Auto Repair Shop

Free Test Drive Blaine MN Our auto repair shop in Blaine, MN takes a different approach, when completing car, truck or SUV brake repairs we don’t start this process with your car on a hoist, we start it with a free test drive. The reason for this is that you have more control of the situation and we have the needed experience to be able to determine your vehicle’s problem with just a drive and a simple inspection on the ground. We don’t pressure you into a sale your budget will regret and we don’t bring up unnecessary repairs. We understand that you work hard for your money and it needs to go a long ways.

Benefits of a Test Drive

You decided to take advantage of the free brake inspection offer. Again, we at Clark Automotive don’t offer free inspections, but rather a test drive and visual inspection on the driveway for free. The biggest difference is that your car remains fully drivable. You are not placed under any pressure to execute an immediate repair, because it is in the shop up on the hoist.

What Could Go Wrong With a Free Brake Inspection

You’re at the repair shop offering the free brake inspection, sitting there enjoying the free coffee. You thought something was wrong with the front brakes, because they were pulsating. Your were expecting that they would tell you that you needed a $100 dollar brake job on the front, because that is the price they have on the wall as a special offer. They go over the estimate with you and explain that you need to spend $265 dollars for a front brake job. Now this is where things break down, a fair and good service writer would have explained that they can get the job done today if you wish, or set the brake job up for a future date, and ask you what you think? That is not what happened!

You ask, “What happened to the $100 dollar brake job”. They explain that your brake failure is more severe than that, and requires more parts for the repair. They were pleasant and fully explained what needed to happen to fix your brakes. One problem, you don’t have the funds for three more days, and do need to get to work in about two more hours. So you ask to have your car back, so you can get to work. They inform you that your car is all apart, it will take them some time to get it back together. So you now have to call for a ride to work and pick up your car that evening, if you can get back there in time.

You get back to the repair shop in time to pick-up your car; but it is still on the hoist apart. They explain that they will need to put in new brake pads. They will do the new pads and reassemble your front brakes in the morning for the $99 dollar fee, but your front brakes will still pulsate. All you can think about is what happened to that free brake inspection, why didn’t they call me to let me know. You told them, “I will call you in the morning”, lucky your ride waited for you. Do you want to blow up and mandate your car be reassembled? Do you tell them to put in the new pads for the $99 dollars? A friend says make a call to the shop I use see what they have to say. After checking your options and calling that other shop you decide to put the cheap pads in and live with the pulsating. That other shop informed you that the charge for front brakes would be $250 dollars, unless your calipers became defective due to the pulsating. The other shop didn’t think that would be too likely. So you wasted $99 dollars, some time and a lot of frustration.

We are not saying all repair shops that offer low upfront cost will do exactly this but it unfortunately has been the experience of many of our customers, prior to them coming to Clark Automotive. If your looking for a trustworthy mechanic that will offer you only needed repairs, quality parts, as well as respect you – contact our shop today or stop by.

Blaine, MN Vehicle Repair Shop:

Shop Location
9985 Davenport St. NE
Blaine, MN 55449

Phone: (763) 784-7944
Email: info@clarkautomotiveblaine.com

Shop Hours
MON – FRI 8:00 – A.M. – 5:00 P.M.
SAT (BY APPOINTMENT ONLY)

Automotive Brake Repairs Blaine MN – Part 2

Tuesday, 16 September 2014 20:47

Written by Clark Automotive

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Brake Repair Blaine MN Clark Automotive Repair Shop, located in Blaine, MN would like to continue to add onto our latest blog titled – Automotive Brake Repairs Blaine MN – Part 1. We are a no pressure, no sales goal orientated vehicle repair shop that wants to help you steer clear of the other shops giving every repair facility a bad reputation. Let’s talk about how some may lure you in…

What about that advertised free brake inspection?

With so many vehicles in need of repairs that the operator has deferred or is not aware of, repair shops offer free brake inspections and cheap oil changes to increase revenue. To a degree, this is an honest exchange, it can make your car more operable and safer to drive. The difference here is that your car is in the shop and on the hoist just to check things out, not on a test drive. You are at a psychological disadvantage and may be more inclined to authorize a repair. Having a good working relationship with an automotive repair shop is the difference. The large national chain repair shop, with you responding to an advertised bargain, maybe the start of a problem. There are no bargains, they are all processes to get you into the shop and sell services.

Do not hesitate to get a second opinion regarding extensive auto repairs. Recently a new customer calls seeking just that, a second opinion. A large national shop had quoted him over $600 for a rear brake repair. Granted it had a 3 year 36,000 mile warranty, but the customer did not have that level of funds available. We accomplished the same job for $390 complete. This was an example of an honest estimate by a large shop. Free inspections more times than not lead to some overzealous marketing and support the belief all shops are out to get you and your hard earned money.

What you need to know about brake noise?

You, as the operator of the vehicle, can help when you can be as specific as possible about when, where, and how the noises occur. For example is the noise speed specific? Does it happen only when turning left or right? Or happens only when at the last few feet of a stop? The more facts that you can bring to the free test drive Clark Automotive provides the better. Brakes all make noise; we certainly want this noise to be insignificant. Generally a few squeaks coming from the front brakes are not a problem unless it becomes annoying. It is possible that this noise can be addressed inexpensively and without rebuilding your brakes. If you just had someone repair your brakes and they squeak bring your vehicle back to whomever serviced your brakes, it can be addressed.

If you want to make sure your car, truck or SUV is safe to drive, at no cost to you or pressure to complete any work, drive on by to Clark Automotive today – we are conveniently located right off Highway 65 near the Menard’s.

Clark Automotive Shop location in Blaine MN:

9985 Davenport St. NE
Blaine, MN 55449
Phone: (763) 784-7944
Email: info@clarkautomotiveblaine.com
Shop Hours
MON – FRI 8:00 – A.M. – 5:00 P.M.
SAT (BY APPOINTMENT ONLY)

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