Gig Harbor Auto Repair

Richard Petty once told AutoNetTV, “You've gotta have good brakes. If you've got good brakes you can keep yourself out of a lotta trouble.”That's why a regular brake inspection is on every GIG HARBOR driver's maintenance schedule. An inspection by your service advisor at Mackert Automotive LLC will check your brake system and let you know if there are any problems.Of course, if you're having trouble with your brakes, get your car into Mackert Automotive LLC in GIG HARBOR right away. Here are some symptoms for GIG HARBOR drivers to watch for: Low or spongy brake pedal Hard brake pedal A brake warning light that stays on Constantly squealing or grinding brakes Vibrations or clunking sounds when you apply your brakes If you are experiencing any of these, it's time to get your brakes checked. Talk to your friendly and knowledgeable service advisor at Mackert Automotive LLC .There are two types of brakes: disc and drum. Disc brakes have a rotor that's ... read more

When winter approaches in WA, GIG HARBOR residents break out the sweaters, coats, boots and mittens. We want to be ready for WA winter conditions. Your vehicle needs to be ready for winter as well. The last thing GIG HARBOR residents want is to get stranded out in the cold. You need your vehicle to be safe and reliable. It's a good idea to get caught up on any neglected maintenance items anytime - but the stakes are higher in cold WA winters.There are some specific things GIG HARBOR drivers need to do to have their vehicle ready for winter. The most obvious is having the antifreeze checked. If the antifreeze level is too low, it can't properly protect your engine, radiator and hoses from freezing. If your car does not seem to be making enough heat to keep you warm, your antifreeze level may be low or you could have a thermostat problem. Get it checked out at Mackert Automotive LLC in GIG HARBOR. If you are due for a cooling system service, now is a perfect time to have it done.In the c ... read more

When it comes to their vehicles, some GIG HARBORresidents don't have amaintenance mindset. They know they need to take care of their cars, but it just seems really hard to get them to remember to do it. GIG HARBOR drivers generally accept that many things in life require regular maintenance but just may not have applied it to their vehicles.Here's something that will help: The key to good vehicle maintenance starts with the oil change. Think about it – when you go in for a full-service oil change, your friendly and knowledgeable Mackert Automotive LLC service advisor will check all your fluids. If one of them is low, he can look for the reason. If your serpentine belt is cracked, he'll see it and let you know. Corroded battery cable – they've got you covered. And at Mackert Automotive LLC, we check to see if your veh ... read more

Today's Mackert Automotive LLC article focuses on severe service maintenance. Many GIG HARBOR drivers are not aware of them and yet there are also very vocal advocates in WA who think that severe service schedules apply to everyone. Somewhere between a complete lack of awareness and the dire blanket statements lies a reasonable approach to severe service maintenance at Mackert Automotive LLC.To back up a little, vehicle owner's manuals have schedules for preventive maintenance: things like oil changes, transmission service and so on. They say you should change your oil after a certain distanced traveled or after so many months. GIG HARBOR drivers understand this very well. What they may not know is that there are actually two service schedules: the regular schedule and the severe service schedule. The mileage and time intervals are lower on the severe service schedule.Now when you hear 'severe service,' you may think it doesn't apply to you becau ... read more

Shopping for tires in GIG HARBOR can be bewildering because there are many choices. Let's simplify. There are four main classifications of tires, each designed for different purposes.First off, there are summer tires. Those who buy summer tires in GIG HARBOR are looking for maximum summertime performance. The rubber is a little softer to help stick to the road on fast corners on WA roads. The tread has wide blocks at the shoulder to stiffen the tire in turns. The tread design can handle rain but really isn't set up for snow and ice. Next comes winter tires. GIG HARBOR people buy winter tires because they still like performance driving when it's cold and slippery on WA roads, so they need a tread design that'll really bite into ice and snow. The rubber compound is formulated to stay pliable when temperatures drop below 45 degrees F/7 degrees C so they get great traction even on dry roads. On the other end of the winter tire spectrum are tires desi ... read more

There's one fluid in your car you are always careful to keep at a certain level: the fuel. If you don't have fuel, you're not going anywhere.  Your vehicle has other fluids which are vitally important to proper and safe operation, too.  So, here's a "level" headed approach to those "other" fluids. Engine oil.  This one's probably the most important fluid to maintain at the proper level. Without enough oil, you'll wear out your engine prematurely.  Sometimes vehicles have warning lights on the dash that will tell you to get your oil checked.  Don't ignore that one; get it checked immediately.  Certainly don't go on a long trip at high speeds with your oil level low. Oh, and it's not good to have too much oil in, either. Our pros at Mackert Automotive LLC can advise you on oil levels and tell if you if you should be concerned about abnormal fluctuations. Windshield washer fluid.  OK, this is one you probably know about.  You certainly miss it when ... read more

Getting adequate fuel to your engine is very important for performance, fuel economy and safety. In order to accomplish this, your fuel system needs to be clean.Today's production cars have fuel injectors, rather than a carburetor. The injectors need to be cleaned from time to time in order to deliver the fuel with the correct pressure, spray pattern and volume.GIG HARBOR drivers can buy fuel system cleaners that you pour into your gas tank to help maintain an already clean fuel system; however, they can't do a major cleaning. For that, you need to see Mackert Automotive LLC in GIG HARBOR. We have the tools and chemicals to do the job right. Our friendly and knowledgeable team at Mackert Automotive LLC can remove particles, gum and varnish from your fuel system and get those injectors running cleanly and efficiently. You'll find Mackert Automotive LLC at 3416 57 STREET CT NW in GIG HARBOR, WA 98335. Or just give us a call at 2538513307 to schedule an appointment. You'll enjoy more powe ... read more

One GIG HARBOR automotive service issue that doesn't get much attention is driveline service. Drivelines don't get talked about very much around GIG HARBOR, but they're very important. First let's define what the driveline is:Taking a small step back, the power plant is comprised of the engine and transmission. The driveline starts there and includes all of the components that transfer power from the transmission to the wheels.That's not really a lot of components, but they handle the full force of the engine. Without the driveline you're not moving. So GIG HARBOR residents need to take good care of it. The driveline components differ depending on whether your vehicle has front wheel drive, rear wheel drive, all wheel drive or four wheel drive. For purposes of our discussion, we're going to have to oversimplify a bit. If you are ready to have your drive train looked at, give us a call at 2538513307. Let's start with front wheel drive. The point where t ... read more

GIG HARBOR drivers want their tires to last as long as possible. Two ways to extend tire life are wheel balancing and tire rotation.When wheels are out of balance, they wobble and vibrate. That makes the tires wear in a cupping pattern. If a front wheel is out of balance you'll feel it in the steering wheel. If it's a rear wheel you'll feel it through your seat. To fix this, your technician at Mackert Automotive LLC puts weights on your wheels to balance them out.That brings us to tire rotation. The front tires on a vehicle wear out faster than the rear tires. As they push through turns, the shoulders of the front tires wear down. So rotating front and rear tires allows them to all wear at about the same rate over the life of the tire.Proper tire inflation will also help GIG HARBOR folks' tires last longer. Underinflated tires wear more on the shoulder and may even overheat. This could cause tire damage or a blow out. Overinflated tires wear too fast in the middle.Four ... read more

Lease? Or buy? These are the options for GIG HARBOR drivers. It's always a tough question for auto owners, but here is some info that'll help you make an informed decision.If you buy, you'll pay the full cost of the vehicle, maybe an initial down payment, monthly payments on the balance that pays down the loan principal, and the finance charge.GIG HARBOR drivers who lease finance the portion of the cost of the vehicle that's used up during the term of the lease. You'll pay some money up front: fees, security deposit, first month's payment and maybe a capital reduction. The monthly payments include a depreciation cost and a finance charge. When the lease is up, you return the vehicle to your local GIG HARBOR area dealership. So how do GIG HARBOR drivers decide?First, how much do you have for a down payment? A lease usually requires a smaller down payment.How much monthly payment can you afford? Again, lease payments will ... read more