I Hate When That Happens

Some people in Saint Francis MN are confused by charges for diagnostic services for a vehicle repair, even though many other services in life include diagnostic fees – things like computer service and appliance repair in Saint Francis.

Even when we go into the doctor for a medical problem, we’re paying her to diagnose our ailment and of course for the tests that go along with it. So receiving a diagnostic charge for a tricky automotive problem shouldn’t be a surprise.

Automotive diagnostics can cover quite a range. If you hear a noise in your brakes, a quick visual check is usually enough to know what needs to be done. If you’re having an intermittent problem with your engine, diagnosis may be much more involved.

Some think that when the check engine light comes on, the engine computer tells the technician exactly what the problem is. The reality is much different. The trouble code just tells your Saint Francis technician what engine parameter is out of range, not what’s causing it. Your Saint Francis technician at Gerdin Auto & Tire needs to determine the underlying problem that’s causing the symptom.

As you can imagine, some automotive diagnoses are quick and easy. Others are more involved and difficult. Of course, we at Gerdin Auto & Tire want to figure out what’s wrong with your vehicle and get you back on the road as quickly as possible.

Give us a call:

Gerdin Auto & Tire
3128 Northwest Bridge Street
Saint Francis, MN 55070
(763) 753-4993

At Gerdin Auto & Tire we install quality NAPA replacement parts. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

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We’re going to be talking about the ethics of automotive repair in Bethel. Unfortunately, every profession has some bad actors that hurt the reputation of everyone else. It’s no different in the Bethel area.

In the automotive world, Bethel industry associations and MN professional licensing organizations are very committed to high ethical standards.

Yet some people are still uncomfortable with automotive service and repair in Bethel.

If we understand what’s recommended and the benefits of taking care of the work – and the pitfalls of putting it off – we’ll have more trust in the recommendation. So communication is key. It’s like going to the doctor. If she’s using medical jargon and takes a lot of basic medical knowledge for granted, we have a hard time following her train of thought. We understand It can be like that with your service advisor at Gerdin Auto & Tire, too. He’s so familiar with all things automotive, he may forget you don’t know a PCV from an EGT.

If you don’t understand what your doctor’s talking about: ask some questions. If you don’t understand what your Bethel automotive advisor at Gerdin Auto & Tire is talking about: ask some questions.

Let’s go back to those ethical standards. When we hear a repair recommendation, we always ask ourselves, “Is this really necessary?” Well, here’s the industry standard:

If a Bethel auto technician tells you that a repair or replacement is required, it must meet one of the following criteria:

1. The part no longer performs its intended purpose;
2. The part does not meet a design specification;
3. The part is missing.

For example, it you take your car in for a grinding noise when you step on the brakes, you may just think you need new brake pads. After the inspection, the technician says that you have a cracked rotor and need to replace it. If you tried to get him to just put new pads on, he would say that if you didn’t want to replace the rotor, he would ethically have to refuse the repair. To just put pads on a cracked rotor would have been very wrong. The brakes could’ve failed at anytime: they needed to be repaired – not just have a band-aid slapped on them.

Now, looking at something not so serious, Gerdin Auto & Tire may suggest repair or replacement if:

1. The part is close to the end of its useful life – just above discard specifications or likely to fail soon;
2. To address a customer need or request – like for better ride or increased performance;
3. To comply with maintenance recommended by the vehicle’s manufacturer;
4. Based on the technician’s informed experience.

Of course, Gerdin Auto & Tire has the burden of making ethical recommendations and properly educating their customers. For the customer, if you are uncomfortable with a recommendation, ask some questions. More information is always a good thing.

Give us a call

Gerdin Auto & Tire
3128 Northwest Bridge Street
Saint Francis, MN 55070

At Gerdin Auto & Tire we install quality NAPA replacement parts. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

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Sometimes the unthinkable happens here in Saint Francis… A terrible accident and those involved aren’t able to provide our local Bethel rescuers with emergency contact information. There are people who must be contacted to arrange help, give consent to treatment, inform paramedics of medical conditions, allergies or medications.

Too often, Bethel police and rescue workers must sift through pockets, glove compartments, wallets, purses and cell phone directories for clues – often wasting precious time.

A brilliantly simple solution is now spreading around the globe: ICE. ICE – standing for ‘In Case of Emergency’, is a way of identifying emergency contacts in your cell phone directory.

Simply put ‘ICE’ before a contact name, like ‘ICE – Dad’, ‘ICE – Nancy’, or ‘ICE – Doctor Roberts’. Rescuers will be able to quickly identify your emergency contacts, saving valuable time.

It’s easy and just takes a few minutes to designate some ICE contacts in your cell phone. Remember to keep the listings current.

From your friends at Gerdin Auto & Tire in Saint Francis MN, we’d like you to be as safe as possible while out on the road. Give us a call any time for great automotive advice:

Gerdin Auto & Tire
3128 Northwest Bridge Street
Saint Francis, MN 55070
(763) 753-4993

At Gerdin Auto & Tire we install quality NAPA replacement parts. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

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The MN push for fuel economy has the benefit of using less gas as well as fewer emissions in our local Saint Francis environment. Cars and trucks run cleaner than ever.

Many people in the Saint Francis area may not realize that the first federally mandated pollution control device was in 1960: the PCV valve.

‘PCV’ stands for Positive Crankcase Ventilation. The crankcase is the lower part of the engine where the crankshaft is housed and where the engine oil lives. When fuel is burned in the engine some of the explosive gases from combustion squeeze past the pistons and down into the crankcase.

Now this gas is about 70 percent unburned fuel. If it were allowed to remain in the crankcase, it would contaminate the oil and quickly turn it to sludge. Sludge is like Vaseline and clogs passages in the engine leading to damage.

Also, the pressure build up would blow out seals and gaskets. In the old days, there was just a hose that vented the crankcase out into the air. Obviously, not good for the environment.

Enter the PCV valve. It’s a small, one-way valve that lets out the gases from the crankcase, and routes them back into the air intake system where can be re-burned in the engine.

As you might imagine, the valve gets gummed up over time. If you skip oil changes now and then, the PCV valve gets gummed up even faster. If the PCV valve is sticking you could have oil leaks. Fortunately, the PCV valve is very inexpensive to replace. Some can even be checked for function by your technician.

Manufacturer’s usually recommend they be changed somewhere between twenty and fifty thousand miles. Unfortunately, PCV valve replacement is left out of some owner’s manuals, so you may need to ask your service advisor.

Come down to Gerdin Auto & Tire and have us take a look at the condition of your PCV valve to ensure you are running at top efficiency. Just come by our service station in Saint Francis, MN 55070, or give us a call at (763) 753-4993:

At Gerdin Auto & Tire we install quality NAPA replacement parts. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

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Some of our customers at Gerdin Auto & Tire are surprised to learn that there are actually two service schedules for their vehicles. One is the regular schedule and the other is the severe service schedule.

Let’s look at what the manufacturers say constitutes severe driving conditions, and let you draw your own conclusions:

• Most of your trips are less than four miles
• Most of your trips are less than ten miles and outside temperatures are below freezing
• The engine is at low speed most of the time – not on the highway
• You operate your vehicle in dusty areas
• You regularly tow a trailer, carry heavy loads or a car-top carrier
• Stop and go driving
• Driving in very hot or very cold weather

So you can see that a lot has to do with how you drive, but some has to do with where you drive. Some areas of the country will be more or less severe than it is here in Saint Francis, MN.

For many, normal driving includes elements of severe service driving. So how do you know? Picture a line with ‘regular’ on one end and ‘severe’ on the other, and make a judgment on where you fall.

If your regular oil change recommendation is 5,000 miles and the severe service recommendation is 3,000 – when should you change your oil? For some, it’s closer to 3,000 miles. For others, it’s closer to 5,000 miles. Your service advisor will be happy to have this discussion with you and help you sort it out.

If you drive where the air is dusty or polluted, fluids will become contaminated and filters will get dirtier more quickly.

So make an honest evaluation of your driving conditions in and around Saint Francis. You’ve made the commitment to take care of your vehicles, so it only makes sense to follow the right schedule.

Give us a call for advice for your car based on our local Saint Francis driving conditions:

Gerdin Auto & Tire
3128 Northwest Bridge Street
Saint Francis, MN 55070
763.753.4993

At Gerdin Auto & Tire we install quality NAPA replacement parts. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

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