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Author Archive | Michelle Long

How much does it cost to replace my timing belt?

By on April 17, 2017 in Automotive Maintenance

How much does it cost to replace my timing belt?  This is going to depend on the year, make and model of your vehicle.  You can give us a call at 425-481-1739, and we will be able to look up your vehicle and give you a quote.  It is important to do have it replace at the mileage that the manufacturer recommends, especially if you have an interference engine.  When we give you the quote, in most cases, we are also going to include replacing the Water Pump.  Why?  Because in most cases the water pump is very close to the timing belt, and this will save you money in labor.  If you replace the timing belt, and it’s a four job, and in 6 months your water pump goes out, it’s going to be another 4 hours in labor, so we would like to save you that money!!

 

How often should I change my Power Steering Fluid?

By on April 13, 2017 in Automotive Maintenance

How often should I change my Power Steering fluid?  This is a great question.  Here at Long’s Car Care Center, we recommend replacing your Power Steering Fluid every 30 thousand miles, as preventative maintenance for your vehicle.  You don’t want to wait until it is really dirty, because at that point it could be causing issues with your Power Steering Pump.  Replacing the pump is quite a bit more expensive than replacing the fluid.  We want to help you keep your vehicle well maintained so that you get as many years out of it as you want.

Why is my air conditioner blowing warm air?

By on April 12, 2017 in Auto Repair, Automotive Maintenance

Every summer this happens, the weather get warm and people turn on their A/C and it blows warm air.  We get phone calls almost daily in the summer asking why is my air conditioner blowing warm air?  There are a couple of things that may be happening.  1.  Most manufacturers recommend servicing your A/C system every 5 years.  Why? Because it is a closed pressurized system, and over time condensation can build up, which will not allow it to blow cold air.  So if you haven’t had it serviced, this is probably the issue.  Servicing is easy..we remove the refrigerant that is in your system, clean it and dry it out, refill with your refrigerant, and away you go, with nice cool air.  2.  You could have a leak..basically we do the same this as we do when we service it, but we pressurize it and check for leaks.  When we locate the leak, we call you with an estimate for the repair.  Once we get your approval, we do the repair, fill your system, and you are good to go, to enjoy a nice warm summer day, with nice cool air inside your vehicle!!  Do yourself a favor, don’t wait till it’s really hot out to see if your A/C is working properly…when it gets really hot we get really busy with A/C repair…you don’t want to have to wait days…check it out now..

 

What should I do when my check engine light comes on?

By on April 11, 2017 in Automotive Maintenance

What should I do when my check engine light comes on?  If your check engine light comes on, and your car is running fine, check all of your fluids to make sure they are full, then give us a call, so that we can get you in sometime within a week or so.  If your check engine light comes on and your vehicle is running rough, having a hard time going up hills, is sputtering, etc, give us a call so that we can get you in as soon as possible.  You don’t want to continue to drive it for a long period of time, as in doing so you could cause more damage.  If your check engine light comes on and it is blinking, pull over and turn your vehicle off.  Call AAA or a tow truck and get it towed in.  Do not continue to drive with a blinking Check Engine Light!!  Your check engine light coming on can be as simple as a loose gas cap, or if it is blinking, it can me major engine/transmission issues.  Never ignore it, but understand the different levels of concern.

 

How much does an oil change cost?

By on April 10, 2017 in Automotive Maintenance

How much does an oil change cost?  We get multiple phone calls asking this very question on a weekly basis.  The answer is, we don’t have a set price for oil changes due to the fact that some people use full synthetic, a synthetic blend, or regular oil. The amount of oil differs from vehicle to vehicle also.   Oil filters can vary in price depending on the year, make and model of your vehicle.  There are quite a few variables, as you can see.  If you are curious about the cost for your vehicle, just give us a call 425-481-1739, and we will be happy to look it up and give you a quote.

What happens when you fail the Washington State Emissions Test?

By on April 7, 2017 in Auto Repair

Ever wonder what happens when you fail the Washington State Emissions Test?  Once you fail you need to make an appointment at a State Certified Emissions Repair Facility, Long’s is certified and has been for 30 years.  You need to bring your paperwork with you to your appointment so that we can sign off on it.  At this point we will diagnose the issues and then let you know what we need to do to correct the issues.  Sometimes these are simple repairs, maybe a sensor is worn out, not an expensive repair.  Sometimes the repairs are costly, and might not fit into your budget at the moment.  If that is the case we work with you so that you can get a waiver from the state and still get your tabs.  To receive a waiver you have to spend $150.00 in diagnostics and/or minor repairs.  Once that is done you take your vehicle and your paperwork back to the testing facility to receive your waiver.  If you choose to do the repair, once we have completed our work, you do the same thing, back to the testing facility, they run the test again, you pass, and off you go to get your tabs.  So if you fail, just give us a call and we will get you in and resolve this issue for you, one way or another.

 

How often should I change my Automatic Transmission Fluid?

By on April 6, 2017 in Automotive Maintenance

How often should I change my Automatic Transmission fluid?  This is a very good question.  Here at Long’s we recommend that you change this fluid every 30,000 miles.  You do not want to wait till it gets dirty and burnt, as this could cause transmission issue.  We like to be preventative in our approach to maintaining your vehicles, this will help keep your vehicle running a very long time.

What is the cost to replace my brakes?

By on April 3, 2017 in Automotive Maintenance

What is the cost to replace my brakes?  We get this question almost daily.  The answer is, that we won’t know until we do a Free Brake Inspection.  There is NO WAY for anyone to know how much a brake replacement on your vehicle is going to cost until they are inspected.  Why? Because there are so many components to the brake system, and we don’t know what is worn out or not working until we can see the system.  It could be that you just need new pads, and your rotors machined.  Your rotors may be too thin to machine so we need to replace them.  Your Calibers may be sticking, or working just fine.  I think you get the picture.  We want to give you a price that is correct, not a guess.  This way you will know exactly what the cost is going to be and how long it’s going to take.  If you feel as though your braking system is not working correctly, please give us a call and we will get you in for your FREE inspection as soon as possible.

 

Show Time

By on March 31, 2017 in Car Show, Classic Cars

Show Time is almost here!!  Do you have a car that you show?  Is it in need of some mechanical help?  We love working on Classic Cars, so much so, that we have a dedicated space in our shop for them.  We understand how much you Classic means to you, and we would love to help you get into tip top shape, so you can take home that Blue Ribbon.  Next time you’re in Woodinville, stop by the shop and meet Randy, he is the owner, and is also the Technician that would be working on you vehicle.  He will be happy to discuss his experience, and to show you our shop.  Hope to see you soon!

 

Subaru

By on March 29, 2017 in Automotive Maintenance

Are you wondering where you can take your Subaru for maintenance and/or repair?  The answer is bring it to us, Long’s Car Care Center.  We work with Subaru owners all the time.  They happen to be one of the more popular vehicles in the area, so we have a lot of experience with them, in fact we own 2 ourselves.  We will provide a maintenance schedule for you depending on the mileage, and what may have fallen through the cracks.  These are great vehicles and can go for 300k-400k if maintained properly.  Give us a call, or just drop by to meet us and see the shop.  Looking forward to meeting you!!