Tangent and Albany Auto Repair

Glow plugs aide in the starting of a cold diesel engine. Over time they can be less effective and as they age it can lead to an increase of starting time and a possible no start condition. Glow plugs are not like spark plugs they do not need to be changed by mileage. You will know they need to be changed when you have a long crank time, rough running at an idle or a check engine light. We do advise for them to all be changed at the same time to save you time and money.  Give us a call and let us take care of you.  Happy Adventures,  Heather

When your car is overheating you should pull over as soon as it's safe and turn off your engine. You should never open your radiator cap when your engine is hot, the coolant is under pressure and it is very hot and cause burns. You should also never pour cold water into a hot radiator the water could instantly boil and then shoot out of the radiator causing burns. The best thing to do is to wait until your engine has cooled off this could take 20 minutes to up to an hour.  Give us a call and let us take care of you.  Happy Adventures, Heather

Tomorrow is the big day!! We're all so excited for her as she starts this next chapter and we know you are too. The next time you're in tell her congratulations and ask how it went. She'll be gone for a few days, so I will be here filling in for her the best that I can.  Give us a call and let us take care of you.  Happy Adventures,  Heather

Today's did you know gets to you a day early as tomorrow we have a special post dedicated to Olivia.  Did you know that gear oil is just what it sounds like - it's oil that lubricates the gears in your front and rear differentials, it is also used in manual transmissions. Gear oil is very heavy and thick which is why it does such a good job of lubricating all of those moving parts. It comes in conventional and full synthetic.  Questions? Give us a call and let us take care of you.  Happy Adventures,  Heather

If you have a front wheel drive car this isn't something you need to worry about since you don't have a rear differential. If your car is rear wheel drive, 4 wheel drive or all wheel drive then this is for you. Your rear differential should be serviced every 30,000 to 50,000 miles and this depends on if you tow and the type of fluid that your rear differential takes. When we service your rear differential we remove the cover, clean and inspect all the gears and components then put it all back together with new fluid.  Give us a call and let us take care of you.  Happy Adventures, Heather  

Anytime that your car starts to do something out of the normal or it makes a noise that isn't a sound you normally hear then it needs to be checked out. It is most likely something simple that you don't need to worry about or it could be a safety concern  that needs to be addressed to keep you safe on the road. Either way keeping you going on your adventures is a priority to us.  Give us a call and let us take care of you.  Happy Adventures,  Heather

Typically if you car is shaking while braking it means that you have an issue with your brakes. It could be that your rotors are warped due to your brakes getting overly hot. Your car could also have the wrong type of brake pad material which is causing it to transfer to much material while braking. We do free brake inspections for your piece of mind.    Give us a call and let us take care of you,  Happy Adventures,  Heather

At one time there were only a couple of options for brake pad material. Now there are many types and they are very application specific.  Semi-Metallic : These are typically used for heavier applications. For heavier vehicles and specifically for vehicles that two. They are also used in high performance vehicles where high grip is more important than the life of your brake rotor.  Ceramic : This is becoming the most common type of brake pad material. These are used primarily on passenger cars and mini-vans. They provide good stopping power with less dust and noise. They typically have a longer life span and do not wear down brake rotors as quickly.  Carbon Ceramic : These are typically used on high performance exotic sports cars. These provide unparalleled braking performance. These components are more expensive than traditional braking components.  Give us a call and let us take care of you. Also if you have questions about what type of brakes your vehicle ... read more

Many times when purchasing a new car either brand new or new to you it may only come with 1 key. This can be problematic if you have more than one driver in your house or if you happen to lock your keys in your car. Yes we can get you a new key. Almost all keys now have a computer chip in them, so they will need to be programed before use. Depending on who manufactured your vehicle it could be simple to replace your key or sometimes they do try to make it a bit more complicated. For instance if you have a Mercedes and you would like an additional key then you will need to produce your title or copy of registration and a copy of your drivers's license. This is to make sure that no one else is trying to steal your vehicle. Either way we can get you a new key and get you back to where you want to be.  Give us a call and let us take care of you.  Happy Adventures,  Heather

A transmission fluid service is when we take all of the fluid out of your transmission and then put in new fluid. This is an important part of your vehicles maintenance and for the life of your transmission. Depending on your vehicle and the fluid we recommend to have your transmission fluid serviced every 30,000 to 50,000 miles. We know there are places that say you never have to service your transmission fluid and we've found that when your transmission fluid is not serviced on a regular basis then you end up having transmission problems and rebuilding or replacing your transmission is much more expensive than just keeping it in good condition.  Give us a call and let us take care of you.  Happy Adventures,  Heather