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Archive | Auto Repair

How much does it cost to turn my airbag light off?

By on June 1, 2017 in Auto Repair

Did you know that if your airbag light is on, that they are not functional?  You can’t just turn the light off.  We need to find out why it came on.  Is it a bad sensor, or connection?  Did you just buy the car and light came on?  If so, that could mean that the vehicle may have been in an accident, repaired, but no one took care of the airbags.  Airbags are there to protect you and your passengers in case of a collision, it’s always best to have them in good working order.  Give us a call for an appointment, we can diagnose the issue and probably take care of the repair.  If for whatever reason the repair is not something we can handle, we have a mobile airbag company that comes right to our shop to help.  So no matter what we will get you back on the road safe and sound.

 

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 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.

 

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 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.

 

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 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.