Tangent and Albany Auto Repair

Where to start...well for one I have a love for a good diesel pickup (please don't tell my husband I don't really care about which brand), and I don't mean the ones that smoke you out at the stop light. Those are just annoying and give everyone else a bad name. I am talking about the honest hard working pickups that do there job day in and out with little complaint. Really the only thing they really want is regular maintenance to keep them running like they were new, and an occasional bath for when they get really dirty.  If you are thinking of getting one the biggest thing I would ask is can you keep up with the maintenance requirements. Diesels tend to get a little cranky when they have been neglected and then it takes some time to get them back to where they want to be again.  We service diesel pickups and cars along with all of there gas counterparts. We can take care of those hybrids and electric cars too. Give us a call and let us keep you to where you are ... read more

Shocks and/or struts should be replaced every 50-100K miles. I realize that is a large variance of mileage and that is due to the type and style of suspension that you have on your vehicle. Most manufactures do not list a replacement mileage, but shocks and struts are very important to your vehicles handling and stopping ability. When they are worn it can take longer to come to a stop especially in an emergency situation. Most people don't realize that there car is even handling differently since typically they wear slowly. Why am I saying shocks and/or struts - well not all vehicles have the same components. Cars can have a combination of struts in the front and shocks in the rear, all struts or all shocks, pickups will have all shocks or on occasion struts in the front and rear shocks, I haven't seen struts in the rear of a pickup but that doesn't mean that it can't happen.  They are just as important though as your belts, hoses, fluids and other components of ... read more

Over the weekend we took the crew and my Mom on our annual summer trip. Every year we pick a new adventure and this year we decided we would go rock fishing off Newport for the day. We picked the wrong day. The forecast said it would be warm and we expected some waves. What we got was something totally different. Instead we had what Mom referred to as a deadliest catch day. We'll just say it was a little rough and cold.  I think Olivia and I have finally thawed out..   Our crew did amazing, even with a few of us who got sick, spirits were still high and we had fun. Don't they say a bad day fishing is better than...…We look forward to our day every year and we have already started to discuss what could be on the docket for next summer.   We know that you have plans for the rest of the summer and fall will be here before you know it. Are you ready for your trip? Make sure you are by scheduling a pre-trip inspection, oil change and get your maintenance do ... read more

I'm not ready for summer to be over yet, but as I look at the calendar I am seeing fewer weekends and most of those are full of obligations and things that have to get done before fall. I don't know about you but the older I get the faster the days go and the weeks just fly by. We have already started planning our fall and it's busy too. I am always trying to plan ahead of what needs to be done so it doesn't sneak up on me. Let us take care of you by planning ahead and making you a maintenance schedule for the future so you don't have things take you by surprise too.  

We opened our doors on July 5th 2005 for the first time with a prayer and knowing it was going to be hard, but doing things the way we wanted them done would be worth it. I'm not going to lie it's been hard, but I wouldn't change one day. Even after 13 years it's still a learning curve and we are doing the best that we can every single day. When we opened our goal was to take care of people and that hasn't changed. We wouldn't be here without the support of our community, and all of our customers who have put there trust in us. Our business has grown from just Jason running everything to two amazing technicians and our lovely service writer Olivia. We know that a 5 person shop is small, but to us it's perfect. We couldn't do this without them and they're our extended family.  Thank you and please know that your support means everything to us. We really don't have the right words, so .................. Thank you.     

For one when is it happening? Let's just say it's happening when you are braking. This is more than likely an issue with your brake rotors. When you apply the brakes and the pad meets the rotor it transfers a small amount of material from the pad to the rotor, if this happens at an uneven rate then it can create a variation in thickness. This variation when braking can cause the shaking.  Unfortunately there are a hundred different theories and ideas. When this happens though the rotors and pads will should be replaced for the shaking to stop.  There are many other reasons for your vehicle to shake when driving. I would recommend having it looked at just to keep you safe.  Happy Travels, Heather  

It's that time of the year when we all turn on our car air conditioning system on the first 80 degree day, it's not something we've thought about for the last 8 months and we remember it was cold the last time we used it and now it's not. No one wants to be in a hot car with no air conditioning or running around with the windows down with all the pollen in the air. It could be as simple as the refrigerant in your air conditioning system is low and it just needs a recharge, or you could have a component that went out sometime over the winter. The easiest way to know what happened is to schedule an appointment to have your air conditioning system tested. One other detail that most people don't realize is that the air conditioning compressor also turns off and on all winter when you're using your defroster, so it really works all year long. Jason and Heather

    Searching through google today so many of you had questions concerning your car while it was at an idle. Typically your car should be running smooth while you are sitting at a light, parking lot or your driveway. This will be true for the everyday vehicle, for those who have a sports car or a performance car that will is not as true of a statement, but let's focus on the majority here. If you're having an issue it could very well be a motor mount or transmission mount. Those are the parts that mount your engine and transmission to the frame of your vehicle. After a period of time they begin to break down and they can break or crack causing excess movement of your engine or transmission. Some of the newer ones are a hydraulic mount and will be begin to leak as they get older. I would consider them a wearing item on any vehicle that will eventually have to be replaced, but typically not to often.  If you're having an issue with your vehicle please let u ... read more

Spring??? It feels like it's been just an extended winter here in the valley. I've been waiting for spring to arrive for awhile now and looking at the forecast it looks like that might happen finally. While I enjoy a good fire and curling up to watch movies, I am more than ready to break out the outdoor fire pit and enjoy some time outdoors. We are so fortunate to live within an hour of great hiking or a fun day at the beach. If those things don't appeal to you it's an hour to Portland or south for what is typically a little warmer weather. While all those things are great, let's make sure you get there without a worry. Give us a call and we'll get you scheduled for an inspection and service to make sure you get to where you want to be. Jason and Heather