Gig Harbor Auto Repair

Today's Mackert Automotive LLC post focuses on using coolant. If you pour in the wrong kind, it won't protect the cooling system and may even void the warranty. Check your vehicle owner's manual. Of course, your Mackert Automotive LLC service advisor will know the proper coolant for your vehicle.Brake fluid is confusing for some GIG HARBOR drivers. Back when we opened Mackert Automotive LLC, most vehicles used Dot 3 brake fluid. Now we have Dot 4 and Dot 5. Some GIG HARBOR residents mistakenly think the higher numbers are an upgrade. You know, if 3 is good then 4 must be better. That's not how it works. They are different formulations to meet the demands of differences in brake systems. Only one of them is designed for your vehicle.Ditto for transmission fluid. For decades there were two basic types of tranny fluid used at Mackert Automotive LLC: friction modified or not. With the tremendous engineering advances in vehicle automatic transmissions, there have been several new typ ... read more

When your vehicle has a problem or just needs some routine service, you might get a little nervous. Your vehicle's so important to your life in GIG HARBOR, you need to get 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 LLC 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 60 mph/100 kph. Our engines are more and more powerful and at the same time their fuel economy keeps inching up – even with steep GIG HARBOR gas prices. They are also amazingly reliable: Kudos to the automotive engineers. But the advances come at the price of simplicity. The mod ... read more

Working up a sweat is a great thing to do in a gym around GIG HARBOR, but not in your vehicle. When GIG HARBOR residents' vehicle AC Systems have a problem, they'll often feel it right away. The question is, how long do you put up with it? You know, the old comfort versus cost dilemma. But a more comfortable drive around WA has a lot of benefits, and keeping the AC System well maintained can help prevent repairs.A common cause of AC failure is water and air in the system. The system does not work as well with air in it. And water can cause rust that leads to damage of the A/C components. Also refrigerant, the stuff that makes the air cold, can leak out, reducing the efficiency of the system and making it work harder to try to cool the air. That is why periodically evacuating the air conditioning system and recharging it keeps the proper amount of clean refrigerant in the system for GIG HARBOR residents, so it cools better and lasts longer.GIG HARBOR drivers should a ... read more

GIG HARBOR drivers have probably noticed that the government mandates a lot of equipment on cars: emission devices and control computers, safety equipment like airbags and crash worthiness requirements. All of this is great for the motoring public in the GIG HARBOR area, but it does add quite a bit to the price of a new car.Because new cars are more expensive, GIG HARBOR residents are driving their old cars longer. The average car is now over nine years old. 68% of vehicles on the road have more than 75,000 miles/120,000 kilometers. As cars age, their performance drops, they have difficulty idling for long periods and are more sensitive to weather extremes. Fortunately today's cars are up to the challenge - but they need a little help to keep on going.Some owner's manuals don't outline service requirements and schedules at higher mileage. Of course, that doesn't mean it doesn't have to be done. In fact, it's more important than ever for GIG HARBOR drivers to stay on to ... read more