Questions and answers

Call or text 437-438-8192, or send the request form on the contact page. Tell us the car and what it is doing, and we will come back to you with a time. A request is confirmed once we reply.

The year, make and model, what the car is doing, when it happens and which warning lights are on. A photo of the dash or a short video of the noise, sent by text, helps a lot.

Yes. We find the cause first, then you get a quote. Nothing is repaired until you have said yes.

133 Manville Rd, Unit 32, Scarborough, ON M1L 4J7. We are open Monday to Friday 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM, Saturday 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Sunday closed.

European makes including BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Volkswagen, Porsche, Land Rover and Jaguar, plus Lexus, Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Ford, Chevrolet, GMC and Jeep and most other makes.

Call us first and describe what happened. If it needs a tow, have it brought to the shop address and let us know it is coming so we can plan for it.

Cash, debit and credit.

Start with what the car is doing. The problem finder on the home page and the guides walk through the common ones, or just call and describe it.

If the light is steady and the car feels normal, it is usually fine to drive to the shop. If it is flashing, the engine is misfiring and you should ease off and get it looked at right away, because raw fuel in the exhaust can damage the catalytic converter.

Yes. The fuel system is sealed and the car tests it for leaks. A cap that is loose or has a worn seal fails that test. Tighten it until it clicks. The light can take a few days of normal driving to go out on its own.

It depends far more on how and where you drive than on the calendar. Stop and go city driving wears pads much faster than highway driving. The honest way to know is to measure them, which takes a few minutes with the wheels off.

Not always. A rotor that is still above its minimum thickness, runs true and has a clean surface can stay. Many modern rotors are made thin to save weight and are close to the limit by the time the first set of pads is done, so they often get replaced together.

Follow the interval in your maintenance schedule, and use the severe service interval if most of your driving is short trips, stop and go traffic or cold starts. That describes a lot of Toronto driving.

For most cars built in the last fifteen years it is not a choice: the engine was designed for it. Synthetic flows better on a cold start and holds up better to heat, which is why the intervals are longer.

A small puncture in the tread area can usually be repaired from the inside with a combination plug and patch. Damage in the sidewall or shoulder cannot be repaired safely, and a tire that was driven flat is often damaged inside even when it looks fine.

Every tire has raised wear bars in the main grooves. When the tread is level with them, the tire is at 1.6 mm and is finished. Wet and winter grip fall off well before that point, so winter tires in particular are worth replacing earlier.

If a boost starts the car and it keeps running, the battery is the first suspect. If it dies again while driving or the battery light is on, the alternator is not charging. A proper test of both takes a few minutes and settles it.

Typically three to five years. Cold winters and hot summers are both hard on batteries, and short trips never fully recharge them.

No. Refrigerant is not used up. A system that needs topping up has a leak, and the lasting fix is finding it.

At speed, air is forced through the condenser at the front of the car. At a stop, an electric fan has to do that job. Warm air at idle often means the fan is not running or the system is low on charge.

Fluid wears out like any other oil. Several transmission manufacturers recommend a fluid service even where the car maker calls it filled for life. ZF, which builds the automatics in many BMW, Audi and Land Rover models, recommends a change roughly every 80,000 to 120,000 km.

No. A drain and fill replaces part of the fluid and is the gentler method. A machine flush exchanges nearly all of it. Which one suits your car depends on the transmission and its history.

No. An independent shop with the right diagnostic equipment and information can service and repair these cars. Keep your invoices, because a complete service history matters when you sell the car.

Car makers do not manufacture most of their own parts. Companies such as Bosch, ZF, Lemforder, Mahle and Mann supply the factory, and the same parts are sold under their own names. Ask us which option we are quoting and why.