Gig Harbor Auto Repair

Let's talk about air quality in Gig Harbor. It's a global issue, but affects us wherever we are. Many decades ago, Gig Harbor motorists began to become aware of how air pollution negatively affects health. But what about the air inside your vehicle? Cabin air filters are now coming on most new car, truck, SUVs in Gig Harbor. These filters clean the air in the passenger compartment. They can filter particles down to three microns, so that's good enough to clean out dust, pollen and most pollutants. If you suffer from allergies in Gig Harbor, this is very good news. Your car can be a haven during your Gig Harbor commute. Now, it's only been in the last few years that cabin air filters have become common in Gig Harbor. You can look in your owner's manual to see if you have one. If you do, there'll be a recommendation for replacing it when it gets dirty. If you live in an area of Gig Harbor where there ... read more

Everyone in Gig Harbor Washington eventually replaces their tires, whether it's because they're worn out or they're just looking for something different. There are so many great tire choices in Gig Harbor Washington, it can be difficult to sort them out. Let's group the broad spectrum into several categories that will help in the selection process. One category is often referred to as "summer tires". Summer tires are designed to be driven on the road when temperatures are generally above 45 degrees. Their tread design is optimized for traction on dry roads in Gig Harbor Washington and they're also able to effectively displace water on rainy roads. Now the rubber compound gets a little hard and stiff as temperatures drop below 45 degrees as it occasionally does here in Gig Harbor Washington. And the tread which handles dry roads so well, can get packed with snow or mud - which provides very little traction in those conditions. So if y ... read more

When your car, truck, SUV has a problem, or just needs some routine service, you might get a little nervous. Your car's so important to your life in Gig Harbor, you need to back on the road as soon as possible - with the problem fixed right the first time. If you've ever checked into some of the technician training Mackert Automotive professionals receive, you may be surprised at how much specialized knowledge and skill goes into diagnosing and repairing a modern car. For example: Today there are four cylinder engines that generate more power than the 1980s-era V-8's. I mean a new V-6 Toyota Camry could beat Sonny Crocket's Ferrari in a race to sixty. Some car, truck, SUVs have several networked computers controlling most of the engine functions and many other vehicle operations as well. Gig Harbor motorists take all of this sophistication for granted - but somebody has to fix it when it breaks. It's a real challenge for Gi ... read more

We live such busy lives nowadays: work, social events, running the kids all over Gig Harbor. Some days it's all we can do to keep track of everywhere we need to be. That's why you've gotta be organized. Smartphones, calendar apps - we have to keep track of it all. So let's talk about schedules. Specifically, automotive service schedules. And particularly, the important scheduled services that are sometimes forgotten. Here is a list of 10 service items that are often overlooked by Gig Harbor car owners. They're all very important and need appropriate attention. So here we go, in no particular order. 1. Power Steering Service Be honest; have you ever thought of this on your own? Your power steering fluid gets dirty and builds-up moisture over time. Cleaning out your power steering system means that dirt and gum are removed and your important power steering parts are protected from detrimental corrosion. Next time you're ... read more

Gig Harbor drivers know that engines need to burn fuel to operate. Fuel is pumped from your fuel tank to your car, truck, SUV engine where it is squirted-or injected-into your engine's cylinders. This is the function of the fuel injectors. There are two ways to inject fuel into an engine. Fuel needs air to burn, so in the first method, fuel is injected into a port and allowed to mix with air and before it is drawn into the cylinders. In the second method, fuel is injected directly into the cylinders and mixes with air after it enters the car, truck, SUV engine. Direct injection engines burn fuel more efficiently than conventional car, truck, SUV engines. Some models can deliver the power of a V8 with the economy of a V6. For example, in one family of engines, the conventional version (a V6) delivers about 250 horsepower. The direct injection version delivers over 300 horsepower and gets about the same gas mileage. The turbocharged version delivers 350 horsepower. Why t ... read more