Ft. Collins Auto Repair

The moment you realize your car needs to stop, nothing is more important! Reducing your car to its basic functions, they are: start, run, go, stop. Many advanced features are layered on top, but at the time you need each of these basic functions there is really nothing more important. Brakes, by definition, are consumable items. Using hydraulic pressure and friction to stop your vehicle, they create a lot of heat in the process. Brakes wear thin over time, and we expect to replace them. Quality brakes cost money, and we don’t want to replace them too soon. That is where brake inspections come in. A proper brake inspection checks many items. It begins with a test drive to experience what you experience. We listen for noises, and we pay attention to vibrations or pulls. We check brake pedal operation, and verify that the brake lights illuminate. We remove each wheel to inspect and measure the components underneath: pad or shoe thickness, rotor or drum wear. We inspect calipe ... read more

“Vehicle diagnostics have become a necessary service to get to the root of what is going on. Here are a few things you can do to lower your costs low and keep your vehicle functioning well.” We of a certain age may have fond memories of grandpa, uncle, or dad beneath a shade tree with the hood propped open. Sleeves rolled up, rag stuffed in pocket, oil can resting on the fender on a Saturday afternoon. Have you been under your hood lately? Gone are the big carburetors and valve covers. Gone too are the up-front pulleys, fan blades, and shiny radiator caps. Likely you see a large plastic covering 90% of the engine bay. You may not even have an engine oil dipstick, and have to rely on the computer system to report oil level! The message is clear – DIY-ers, you’re not welcome here. Vehicle power plants and comfort features have become increasingly functional, and increasingly complex. Power, comfort, and fuel economy used to be mutually exclusive; now they a ... read more

“Why Change Your Oil?” If you drive a car, there is no doubt you have heard that you need to change your oil every 3,000 to 5,000 miles. But do you know why? Cars today are absolute engineering marvels. In recent years we have learned to squeeze more and more performance from engines by utilizing technologies such as variable valve timing and lift, cylinder deactivation, direct fuel injection and turbochargers. As consumers we have demanded more performance and more fuel economy for our dollar. Parts inside the engine move incredibly fast, generating friction and heat. Engine oil provides lubrication and cooling, allowing the parts to work together smoothly without overheating or seizing. Additionally, advanced engine technologies such as variable valve timing, employ oil pressure to activate, providing fuel economy when you want it and engine power when you need it! Driving too long between oil changes can be risky business. Fast-moving parts break dow ... read more

This week we found ourselves with a little time on our hands; decided to go after the valve cover gasket leak on our 1993 Toyota Pickup. This thing has been our shop truck since 2015, and it's a great little runner! Four wheel drive, manual transmission - fun to drive and extremely capable.  As it sometimes goes with automotive repairs, once we got under the hood we found a few other things. The power steering pump was leaking, and needed to be replaced. The engine thermostat housing was also leaking and we decided as long as we were there, why not?  We thought we were going to be done here, but while our technician had the timing cover peeled back, he noticed large cracks in the timing belt! I guess we shouldn't be surprised, given the truck is 1993 and has 137,xxx on the clock. Original timing belt, needed to be replaced.  Anyway, long story short - we're confident this list of repairs has given our beloved shop truck a new lease on life. And quite possi ... read more

Let's talk about the elephant on the table - coronavirus is fundamentally changing the way of life for all of us, all around this world. Business as usual? Hardly. Back to normal? Probably, never. What WILL remain for us as a constant though, is what we do - we fix cars. From oil changes to engine exchanges, under the hood and under the car - we fix cars. Brake repairs? No problem. Starter motor replacement? Yes, we can. Check engine light or other diagnostics required? We've got this. Radiator decided to put all it's coolant on the outside of your engine, instead of on the inside? We'll whip it into shape. Because that's who we are. It's what we do. And when the times are tough like they are now, we continue to come to work, every day - because we love the customer service side of our business almost as much as we love cars. We're here to help, and we're here to stay, no matter what the future looks like. Give us a call today at 970-482-3971. &nbs ... read more