Gardner Auto Repair

To protect your car's AC and optimize its performance in hot weather, you can follow these tips: Park in shaded areas: Whenever possible, park your car in shaded areas or use a sunshade to reduce the amount of heat entering your vehicle. This will help prevent excessive strain on the AC system when you start the car. Use a windshield sunshade: Placing a reflective sunshade on your windshield when parking can significantly reduce the temperature inside your car. This will make it easier for the AC system to cool down the interior when you start driving. Crack the windows: Before entering your car, crack the windows slightly to allow hot air to escape. This will help reduce the initial temperature inside the vehicle and ease the load on the AC when you start it. Ventilate the car before turning on the AC: Open all the windows and let the hot air escape for a few minutes before switching on the AC. This will help expel the built-up heat, allowing the AC to cool the interior more e ... read more

Your brakes are one of the most critical parts of your car, so it's essential to keep them in good working condition. But how can you tell when they need to be replaced? There are a few warning signs you can watch out for: 1. Your brake pedal feels spongy when you press it. 2. Your car takes longer than usual to stop. 3. You hear grinding or squealing noises when you brake. 4. Your brakes feel unresponsive. 5. Your car pulls to one side when you brake. If you notice any of these warning signs, it's time to take your car to a mechanic and have your brakes checked out. Don't wait until they fail - it could be too late

You don’t need us to tell you there is a lot of construction on the roads throughout the area. But did you know that driving on those bad roads can cause problems with your wheel alignment? Road hazards can prematurely knock your wheels out of alignment, causing the need to have the wheels realigned.   We are going to list the various road hazards below.Auto Accidents Things other than bad roads can also knock your wheels out of alignment. For example, your wheels and alignment may be affected if you get into an automobile accident. Even a minor incident can cause problems with your vehicle’s wheel alignment. Bumpy Roads Bumpy roads are a pain, aren’t they? Driving too fast on rough roads can knock your wheels out of alignment, unbalance them, and even damage your tires. Bumpy roads can also wreak havoc on your struts and shocks as they struggle to absorb the uneven pavem ... read more

  Keep windows closed when traveling at highway speeds. Open windows cause aerodynamic drag. But, operating the air conditioner on the maximum level can reduce your mpg by 5% to 25%, compared to not using it. Also, try to park your car in the shade so you won't have to keep the AC working as hard. Properly inflated tires are safer, lasts longer, and improve your gas mileage by more than 3% per tire. Slow down! Although vehicles reach their optimal fuel economy at different speeds, gas mileage usually decreases over 60 mph.  Try to drive at a constant speed—both acceleration and deceleration waste fuel.  Use cruise control when possible. The car's cruise control system's minor, more precise adjustments will keep your speed constant and save you fuel. Wax your car and keep it clean. This will reduce aerodynamic drag, thus providing better mileage. A clean air filter can improve gas mileage by as much as10%. Perform routine maintenance

If your car's brakes are squeaking, squealing, or making ominous grinding noises when you apply the pedal, you might need new brake pads or rotors. Ditto if the brake pedal has more travel than usual before you feel much braking force, or if it just feels like your car requires longer distances to stop Sometimes, though, you may hear squeaks or squeals because the brakes are coated with moisture, light surface rust, dirt, or grime, particularly after the car has been sitting either overnight or for several hours. Those noises might go away after you apply the brake pedal a few times or more (and the brake pads have cleaned the offending substance off the rotors or drums). Noise can also be caused by a loose brake pad or caliper. If you hear a high-pitched scraping sound, that could be pad-wear indicators sounding the alarm that you’re late in getting your car’s brakes fixed. Because there are several possibilities, the best way to tell if you need brake work i ... read more

4 Types of Car Filters and What They Do for You Air Filters: Cleans the Air Used by the Car Engine If you’ve seen an older car with its engine sputtering and puffing out black smoke, it could be due to a dirty air filter. Long before a newer car starts puffing smoke, the check engine light will come on because the air filter is past its prime.     Cabin Filters: Purifies the Air in the Vehicle Whether or not you’re using the air conditioner, the cabin air filter keeps dust, pollen, and other air pollutants out of the air you breathe while driving. The cabin air filter is part of the ventilation system. This rectangular screen keeps several things out of the air inside your car: Exhaust fumes Dirt Dust Pollen Bugs Leaves In addition, the cabin air filter prevents all this gunk from clogging up the vehicle’s AC system.   Oil Filters: Clean Lubrication That’s Critical for Engine Performance ... read more

Just another awesome classic car to share with you. This one is a 1962 Land Cruiser. 

Look at this lineup! We do repair and service all makes and models! You know it is a great day when you have all of these beauties in the bays. 

Many of us love classic cars. Maybe they are reminders of “the good ole days,” or what we perceive as better, less stressful times. Maybe we associate the classics with family trips to the beach, mountains, or just driving around with friends. Did you ever cruise around Main Street or a local drive-in restaurant? We believe for all those reasons and more, we need to help keep the classics around and running well. You certainly don’t want to miss out on the looks and smiles you receive driving one of these old treasures. It is priceless. You might be wondering what classifies a vehicle as a classic? For insurance and registration purposes, the age of a classic car, in most cases, is at least 20 years old but not more than 40 years old. We are proud to have worked on a few of the classics this past year, so they can keep running like new! We want to keep everyone smiling, and this year we needed some smiles! EVERYONE LOVES A CLASSIC CAR INCLUDING BRET’S! Did we me ... read more

  When you’re getting ready to jump-start your car battery, you should find a set of jumper cables and another vehicle you can use to get a jolt.   First, park a vehicle with a good battery close to the dead vehicle to almost touch their hoods. Engage both parking brakes and make sure both vehicles are turned off before you go further. Open both hoods and locate each battery. In some cases, the battery could be covered by a plastic hood. Identify the positive (red) and negative (black) terminals on both batteries. If they’re clean and free of corrosion, you’re ready to proceed. Connect the red clamp to the positive terminal on the dead battery Uncoil the battery cable and hook up the other red clamp to the positive terminal on the live vehicle. While you’re facing the excellent battery, connect the black end of the cable to the negative terminal. Going back to the vehicle with the dead battery, connect the last black cable clamp to a flat ... read more