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May 2018

The Inconvenience of Brake Repair

By | Brake Repair Shop | No Comments

Was there ever a time when you woke up in Philadelphia, PA, jumped out of your bed, and clapped your hands because you got to take your car in for repairs that day? No! Of course not! Car repairs aren’t something anyone wants, and you would be just fine if nothing ever went wrong with your vehicle. In fact, it always seems to happen at the worst possible time, right? Of course! That’s how life operates. But when you need something like brake repair, it’s something you have to take care of immediately. Sure, brake repair can be inconvenient, but it’s a lot more inconvenient if you don’t get it in time. Here are a few inconveniences that lack of brake repair can cause.

Accidents
You don’t want to have to get brake repair, but even worse than that, you really don’t want to be in an accident. Brakes that aren’t working properly can cause accidents. If your brakes were working at their best, perhaps you could have stopped in time when the guy in front of you slammed on his brakes. Or maybe you could have slowed down and gotten out of the way when that guy ran a red light. You never know what could have happened, but if you don’t get brake repair when you need it, you’re in a lot more danger.

More Damage
Brakes are an important part on your vehicle, but they are connected to a lot of other parts. When you ignore their issues, they can damage themselves beyond repair and have an effect on the efficiency and effectiveness of other parts of your vehicle as well. When one thing is thrown off, who knows what else will go bad. Get brake repairs fast and you only have a little to repair. Ignore them and who knows what else will go wrong and how much more it will cost.

Complete Failure
How scary would it be to be in a vehicle with brakes that completely failed? What if you’re going down the highway at a good speed? What if you’re approaching a walkway with kids and you can’t stop? There’s no need to play the “what if” game. It’s really too scary to think about. Brakes that get ignored when they need brake repair will most likely completely fail at some point, and you don’t want to put yourself in any scary situations at all.

When you need Philadelphia brake repair, the best option is to contact the professionals at Schafer’s Auto Center. Call us at 215-755-1270 with your questions or to make an appointment. We’re happy to take a look at your brakes, change your oil, or work on any other repairs or maintenance your vehicle needs. It’s our goal to honestly get your car working in its best possible manner. Stop by and see our shop at 1924 S Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19148 and let us know how we can help your vehicle today!

What Do You Need to Know about Wheel Alignment?

By | Auto Maintenance | No Comments

When you visit Schafer’s Auto Center for new tires, we also offer a wheel alignment as a big part of our service. Of course you might have questions about what that does for your vehicle. One thing you’ll always get from us is the answers you need about your vehicle! Don’t hesitate to ask if you want to know! In the meantime, perhaps we can help answer some of your questions about wheel alignment and what that has to do with your tires.

First, what is wheel alignment?
When your car rolls off the line at the factory, the wheels are set at angles in relation to one another and the frame of the vehicle. Engineers have set these angles to give you a high ride quality and a good steering response. With enough wear and tear to your vehicle over time, these components can drift and your car will start to show wear on its tires and handling issues.

If the front end is vibrating, does it mean that wheel alignment is necessary?
Vibrations are hard to diagnose, but they aren’t usually due to alignment issues. There might be a wheel balancing issue. When tires wear and their weight distribution changes, vibrations could occur. You might not need alignment, but tire balancing could be in order.

If the car is pulling to one side when the steering wheel is in the center, does it need wheel alignment?
When your vehicle pulls to one side, you might have an underinflated tire on that side. Check the tire pressure in every tire to make sure they are even. If that is not the case, it could very well be an alignment issue.

What are other alignment signs?
If you look at the front tires and see they are wearing unevenly on the inside or outside edge, that’s a sure sign that you have an alignment issue. If your steering wheel doesn’t go back to the center on its own fairly quickly after you take on a corner, you may have an issue as well. If steering feels rather heavy or the tires squeal even when you turn on smooth pavement, alignment could be the cause.

What causes alignment issues to arise?
Plenty of things can cause alignment issues and there’s not always anything you can do about it. Simple wear and tear over time can do it. Of course, getting into an accident or driving rough can knock the vehicle out of place as well.

If you suspect that your vehicle is out of alignment, you really should let the professionals at Schafer’s Auto Center, one of the best auto maintenance shops in Philadelphia, to take a look and get things fixed for you as soon as possible. Call Schafer’s Auto Center at 215-755-1270 and bring your vehicle in for a look. Your tires will last longer and your car will drive smoother when alignment is correct. We’re located at 1924 S Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19148 and we’re here to help with any tire issues you might have!

What To Do When the Technician Says You Need Auto Service

By | Auto Service | No Comments

If you aren’t a car buff, it can be hard for you to keep up with what your vehicle needs, what you need to do and when. If you’re not one to know everything there is to know about auto service in Philadelphia, PA, you don’t know what to do when you take your vehicle in and the technician says it needs this, that or the other done to it. Are they telling you the truth? How do you know? Here are some tips to help you out.

Tip 1: Consult the Owners’ Manual
If your technician says you need a certain thing done, you could check the owners’ manual to see if it is really recommended for your vehicle at this time in its mileage. If you’ve just gone over 100,000 miles, for example, it might be time to flush out some fluids and the manual will recommend that. You’ll feel better about having the work done if what your technician says it matches up with your owners’ manual’s advice.

Tip 2: Get a Second Opinion
There’s nothing wrong with hearing what a technician has to say and then taking your vehicle elsewhere for auto service to see if they tell you the same thing. If two technicians agree, you probably really do need the repair done. If the second technician doesn’t mention it, ask. They might be the more honest one of the two.

Tip 3: Go to a Reputable Repair Shop to Begin with
If you need maintenance on your vehicle or another type of auto service, the best way to believe your technician is to choose the right technician in the first place. There are a number of ways you can go about doing that. Perhaps ask your family members and friends in the area where they take their vehicles and what their experiences are like. If you can fund an honest, reputable auto service shop, then you know the technician is telling you what you need and not something that isn’t true.

Tip 4: Know Your Vehicle
You don’t have to know all of the parts and how they operate, but you know what your vehicle feels like when you drive it. When there are changes in a negative way, chances are you need something and you are more likely to believe those reports when they come back from the auto service technician.

Whether you need an oil change in Philadelphia, brake repair, or something more serious, the professionals at Schafer’s Auto Center are here to help. We take pride in our honesty. We understand that not everyone deals with cars on a daily basis like we do. We’re willing to show you what’s wrong with your vehicle and explain things until you have a good handle on it. We won’t pull anything over on you…ever! Give us a call at 215-755-1270 or visit our shop at 1924 S Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19148.

Auto Repair Shop Must-Haves

By | Auto Repair | No Comments

There are plenty of auto repair shops around Philadelphia, PA, but when you need repairs or even regular maintenance, which one should you use? There are plenty of shops that would “take you to the cleaners” if they could. You’ve heard horror stories about shops telling customers they need work done when they really don’t. Or worse yet, shops that do repairs only to have the same thing break down and strand their customer on the road. The last thing you want is to be one of those customers. To avoid a faulty business, make sure any auto repair shop you use has the following items.

1. A Nice Waiting Room
This might sound strange because auto repair shops are going to be dirty, but the waiting room doesn’t have to be! If the auto repair shop has a nice waiting room, you know they care about their customers. Perhaps they have clean chairs, free Wi-Fi, and a beverage station or other items to help you get comfortable. You don’t want to wait there all day, but when you have an hour to kill, it’s nice to know you will be comfortable; they care enough about their customers to give them a nice place to wait.

2. Certification
You also need to know that the auto repair shop is certified. See how things are set up in their shop when you stop by and ask to see certification and paperwork on the mechanics that work there. If they won’t show you or can’t show you, you should move on. You only want to work with a shop that has the proper certification.

3. Good Reviews
Once you’ve seen the shop in person, you can look up what others have to say about it online. You want to find good reviews about the auto repair shop (and not just on their website). Look at sites like the Better Business Bureau and simply search the shop’s name and reviews to find information outside of what they provide. This will be a true test to what their past customers think about their services.

4. A Nice Website
Every business has a website these days. When you need information on an auto repair shop in Philadelphia, you should be able to find it online. How much do they charge for oil changes? Do they do brake repair? You should be able to find a list of services, their contact information, and anything else you need on a nice-looking website.

If you find an auto repair shop that passes all of these tests, give them a try! You can start with something small like an oil change and go from there. That way, when you need larger repairs, you’ll have somewhere you can trust. Schafer’s Auto Center is here to help you with all of your car repair and maintenance needs. Call us at 215-755-1270 to speak with our friendly representatives or stop by and see us at 1924 S Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19148.

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