Tangent and Albany Auto Repair

99% of us have a map built into our phone and yes I use mine all the time, but before any long road trip make sure you know the route you're taking and get yourself a good map. A few years ago I went and purchased an atlas of the USA and also one of Oregon.  We've been planning a road trip for a few years now. We haven't decided on when or where yet, but it's great to be able to look at the map and find places that we would like to go and to put them on the list. Most of us have GPS on our phone and while those are great, there are times that you may not have service and knowing how to read a map is important for those times.  Give us a call for all your automotive needs and let us take care of you.  Happy Adventures,  Heather

If you put off your maintenance it can cause damage to your engine and the other components. It can also leave you stranded on the side of the road with a broken vehicle. Your coolant is an important component to your engines health without it your engine would overheat and damage your engine. Over time your coolant breaks down and no longer cools your engine properly. We recommend that you have your cooling system fluid serviced every 60K miles and your hoses to be serviced at 120K. Give us a call and let us take care of you.  Happy Adventures, Heather

Happy first day of summer! It's here finally, I think summer is our reward for all those gray days that we have over the winter. Today has the longest daylight of the year and we hope you have a moment to enjoy it.  Now that the kids are done with school and it's summer, it's time to go somewhere and do something. Whether it's a drive to the beach, the lake or river give us a call prior to your trip to make sure you're ready to go.  Happy Adventures,  Heather

If your car is making a rattling noise then it should be checked out. Unfortunately there are more than a few things that can make that noise from a rock that is stuck in a heat shield to something being wrong with your exhaust.  Give us a call and let us take care of you.  Happy Adventures, Heather

It's that time of year that harvest is starting and with that you have a lot of farm equipment on the roads. Please be patient as they are doing there best to get to the next field. The equipment is large and it does move slowly, sometimes it's hard to see around so be cautious when you're passing.  Happy Adventures, Heather

When your ball joint goes bad it can cause extreme tire wear and in the most dangerous of conditions it can break and cause you to lose control of your vehicle and cause an accident. If you've been told that your ball joint has excess movement and needs to be changed, then it probably does. You'll also need an alignment to make sure all of your steering and suspension components are correct.  Give us a call and let us take care of you.  Happy Adventures,  Heather

Camping is great, but it can be stressful so we made a top 10 list of things to make your adventure a little less stressful. 1. Try it at home first - give it a dry run. If you've never put your tent up or set your trailer up before; you need to try it before you get to your camping spot. Nothing makes tempers flair faster and will ruin a perfectly good day than arguing with your husband/wife/friend/significant other about how things should go. Trust me - try it at home first, a good dry run will save your sanity and your trip. 2. Your camp site. If you thought about it ahead of time you likely have a reservation in your favorite area or you're adventuring somewhere new for the first time. Summer in Oregon is a bit fleeting so the campgrounds fill up fast around here, so if you're head somewhere without a reservation be prepared to have to go to more than one campground to find a spot.  3. Packing list for people - you'll need one for everyone who is going ... read more

Happy Father's day to all those Dads out there. We hope you're able to enjoy your special day and that you have plenty of time with your family.  Wives, sons and daughters, you know what makes a great gift for Dad - besides BBQ stuff. Get them a gift certificate for an oil change - they get to spend more time doing what they want and less time laying in the driveway getting upset the oil filter won't come off.  Give us a call and let us take care of you.  Happy Adventures, Heather

Number 4 - Chargers Most all of us have smart phones and if you're anything like me I would rather listen to the playlist on my phone rather than the one the radio is providing. Many times I am also using my phone for navigation or I am just browsing while Jason is driving. No matter what you're using your phone for the likelihood is that it's going to drain your battery and that means it needs to be charged. Make sure you have the right charger for your phone and maybe an extra for those traveling with you. Keep the peace in the back seat - bring extra chargers.  Give us a call and let us take care of you.  Happy Adventures, Heather

Number 3  Tire checkup - before any trip to either the beach or the grocery store you do a walk around your vehicle to make sure all of your tires are properly inflated. It's a quick and easy way to make sure you're safe on your journey. A few years ago we were headed out for the weekend. I had everything and everyone loaded in the car. We were ready to leave when Jason did the walk around and we had a flat tire. We had picked up a nail at some point and had to have it repaired before we could leave town. It was just a little hiccup, but I am glad we checked before getting on the freeway and having a bigger issue.  Basically just make sure you're ready and safe too. If you're concerned about your tire pressure or if you need us to take a look for you stop by or give us a call and let us take care of you.  Happy Adventures, Heather