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Author Archive | Michelle Long

How much does it cost to repair a squealing belt?

By on May 19, 2017 in Auto Repair

Does your vehicle make a squealing noise when you start it up in the morning?  Does it squeal while you are driving it?  That noise can be very annoying, and you are probably wondering how much it is going to cost to repair it.  Well that is going to depend on a couple of things.  Sometimes the belt tensioner isn’t doing it’s job properly and is causing the squeal.  In other situations it could be that the belt is just worn out.  The best thing to do is to bring your vehicle in so that we can take a look and it and figure out what the problem is.  At that point we will be able to tell you what the cost is going to be.  Also, depending on the car, if that belt does break, you could lose your steering, your A/C  and/or the ability to keep your charging system working properly.  It is best to get this looked at right away.

 

How much does it cost to replace a Fuel Filter?

By on May 18, 2017 in Auto Repair

Is your vehicle having a hard time going up hills and/or accelerating when you are getting on the freeway?  If so it could be due to a plugged fuel filter.  So how much does it cost to replace a fuel filter?  It is going to depend on your vehicle.  Some Fuel Filters are located inside the fuel tank, some are not.  So the best thing to do if you are concerned is to give us a call for an appointment, we will diagnose the issue, to make sure it truly needs a Fuel Filter, and if it does we will be able to tell you exactly how much it is going to cost.

 

How much does a Tune – Up cost.

By on May 17, 2017 in Automotive Maintenance

Is your vehicle running rough, and are you wondering how much a tune-up will cost?  This really is a great question!  In the old days a tune-up was pretty straight forward, and on some of the older vehicles it still is.  Spark plugs, Wires, Cap and Rotor, and you were good to go.  Unfortunately with newer vehicles it’s just not that simple.  If your Check Engine light is on we will need to diagnose what the codes mean, and what they lead us to.  If your vehicle is running rough, and the Check Engine light isn’t on we will need to visually inspect the tune up parts, and test drive it.  So the cost is really going to depend on the year, make and model of your vehicle, and it’s symptoms.  Computers are amazing, but sometimes they make things a bit more difficult to repair.

 

How much does a pre-buyers inspection cost?

By on May 16, 2017 in Auto Repair

Are you thinking about buying a used car, and are wondering how much a pre-buyers inspection is going to cost?  Sometimes, they are free!!  If we notice a huge issue on the test drive, or when we put it up in the air, we are going to stop the inspection, and speak with you about our concerns.  If you don’t want us to continue we will stop, and there will be no charge.  Some inspections take longer than others, say on a large truck with dual wheels, vs a small sedan.  The best thing for you to do, is once you find the vehicle that you would like to purchase, give us a call for an appointment, and with the needed information we will be able to give you the cost.  Happy Hunting…and please make sure that no matter where or whom you are looking to purchase a vehicle from, ALWAY get inspected before any money exchanges hands.

 

How much does it cost to have my vehicle inspected?

By on May 15, 2017 in Automotive Maintenance

Are you going on a road trip and wondering how much an inspection on your vehicle would be?  Well, the good news is, that at Long’s Car Care Center, we perform what we call a Pre Road Trip inspection for FREE!!!!  We want you to have an enjoyable vacation, and we know that there is nothing worse than breaking down in the middle of nowhere.  We suggest having this inspection done at least a couple of weeks before you plan on leaving so just in case there is any work to be done, you would have plenty of time to get it done, and not be under the gun and stressing out.

 

Is there a AAA repair shop in Woodinville

By on May 3, 2017 in Auto Repair

Are you looking for a AAA repair shop in Woodinville?  Well look no further, because Long’s Car Care Center is the only AAA certified repair facility in town, and we have been for 28 years.  We are very proud of this, as it shows our determination to provide the best service possible to our customers.  We offer a AAA discount, of course.  So if you are looking for a AAA shop, please come on by and meet us, and we will be happy to show you our facility.

 

How much does a New Headlight Cost?

By on April 28, 2017 in Auto Repair

My headlight is out, how much does a new headlight cost?  I just got a phone call asking this very question today.  It used to be that on almost all vehicles we would just charge for the bulb,which was a couple of dollars and not have to charge any labor at all, because it would take us just a couple of minutes.  Not so much anymore.  I had one vehicle that was over an hour to just change 1 bulb!!!  It appears that some engineers don’t think ahead about how hard it is to do the simplest job when they stack a bunch of stuff behind it.  Also bulbs can be expensive.  I had a customer pull into the shop a couple of years ago with her headlight out.  I called the dealer, and they want $500.00 for 1 bulb.  Thankfully I was able to get it aftermarket for $100.00.  The customer was still shocked at the price, but happy I could save her $400.00.  It’s just not like it used to be, so many variables, and different types of bulbs.  The best thing to do if you have a headlight out is to swing into the shop and let us take a look, that way we will be able to give an accurate price.

How much does it cost to replace a muffler?

By on April 27, 2017 in Auto Repair

I just had a customer call and ask, How much does it cost to replace a muffler?  He was complaining about excessive exhaust noise and he was guessing it was his muffler.  I explained to him that we needed to inspect his exhaust system to find out what was going on.  It could be his muffler, tailpipe, or even his catalytic converter.  Giving him a quote without knowing what exactly the problem was, would not be a good idea.  If you think you are having an issue with your exhaust, please give us a call, we will get you in as soon as possible, and inspect your vehicle, so that we can give you an accurate quote.

How much does an alignment cost?

By on April 24, 2017 in Automotive Maintenance

How much does an alignment cost?  Great question, that we get asked almost daily.  Once again, it depends on the year, make and model of your vehicle.  Sometimes an alignment is just a two wheel adjustment, sometimes it needs a 4 wheel adjustment.  Some vehicles just take longer than others.  The good news here at Long’s is that we just purchase a new alignment machine, which is going to make it easier for our technicians, which means they will be done quicker, and be more economical for our customers.  If you are noticing a weird wear pattern on your tires, or you have hit a curb, your steering wheel is of center, or your vehicle is pulling to one side…bring your vehicle in and we will get aligned for you!

 

How much does it cost to replace my serpentine belt?

By on April 18, 2017 in Auto Repair

How much does it cost to replace my serpentine belt?  Well that depends on why it needs to be replaced.  Is it just old and worn out?  Is is make a squealing noise?  Is it broken?  If it is just old and worn out, we should probably replace the belt, along with tensioner and pulley as they wear out like the belt does.  If it is squealing, why?  Does it need to be tightened up, or replaced?  If it is broken, why did it break, did something seize up, or was it just old?  We need to take into consideration all of these variables, plus the cost of any of these scenarios is going to vary depending on the year, make and model of your vehicle.  If you are having any of these issues, give us a call and we will help you figure out the next best course of action.