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October 2020

auto repair in Philadelphia, PA

Planning Ahead For Auto Repair Costs

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It doesn’t matter how old or how new your vehicle might be, you are going to have auto repair in Philadelphia, PA at some point or another. You may just have to go in for the regular things, like oil changes at first, but eventually, your brakes will wear down, your tires will need to be replaced, and so on and so forth. Many of these things you can plan for, but other things will pop up out of the blue and you still need to be ready. Here are a few ways to plan ahead for those costs as they arise.

Make A Budget In Your Home

You probably know your income sources already and you should sit down and map out everything you have as expenses on a monthly basis. You can then see how much money you have left over each month. You should earmark some for a specific place in the savings account for emergencies, incidentals, car repairs, and other such things. You don’t know when something might happen and you have to pay an insurance deductible, get new tires, or other such things. Have that savings account with the right funds in it can really be a lifesaver.

Get Inspections Regularly

It’s also good to stay on top of your regular inspections. Make sure you get oil changes at the right intervals and get other things done as the owner’s manual instructs. When you stick to those regular plans, the technicians can let you know when larger things are coming up. They will notice small things as they start to go bad and they can tell you what the costs will be and how long you likely have until things need to be done. That can help you address smaller things instead of large problems and it can keep the costs down as well. You will also be more ready when things are necessary since you had warning.

auto repair in Philadelphia, PA

Make A List

Look in your owner’s manual or talk to the technicians at an auto repair shop and make a list of the things that are generally needed and when as well as their general costs. That can help you a great deal in planning ahead. You know you will need oil changes and tire rotations, but you’ll also likely need new tires, brake pads, and other such things as time goes by. Figure out a general schedule along with costs and you can be prepared as things come around.

It’s hard to fit in auto repair in Philadelphia, PA to a budget that might already be tight, but you have to keep in mind that your vehicle is an important part of your everyday life. You use it to get to and from work and everywhere else and without it, you would be up a creek without a, well, a car. The professionals at Schafer’s Auto Center are here to help you with the ins and outs of the repairs you may need to help you budget for them.

auto repair in Philadelphia, PA

Car Not Starting? Here’s Why

By | Auto Repair | No Comments

Ah yes, the telltale signs of a busy day. You rush around in the morning and know you’re just going to pull everything together in time to make it to your destination. And then—the car won’t start. Why does that happen? There’s never a good time, but you likely need some type of auto repair in Philadelphia, PA. Maybe you have even ignored something for a while and now, that issue has taken ahold of your vehicle. Here are some of the reasons why your car might not be starting up as usual.

Battery Drainage

If your engine doesn’t crank when you turn the key, it could be that the battery isn’t supplying power to the starting system. It might be drained, or it may be completely dead. You could try jump starting the battery to give it a charge. If nothing is lighting up in the car and the automatic windows or windshield wipers don’t go, you probably need a new batter. If you get some power, but not enough to start the car, you might just need a jump start to recharge the battery.

Key Won’t Turn

Once you get the key in the ignition, if you can’t turn it, what good will it do? Sometimes the steering is locked up, so you just need to jiggle the wheel a little. It might sound simple, but if it’s never happened to you before, it may cause some panic. If that doesn’t work, there might be problems in the ignition system or with the key.

Weak Cranking

Sometimes, your car sounds like it wants to start, but just keeps cranking and never fully ignites. When that happens, there might be a problem with the starter motor, which could need to be replaced. You should first check the battery and connections around it and if those aren’t the culprit, it’s the starter motor.

auto repair in Philadelphia, PA

Empty Tank

It can be hard to pull yourself out of bed in the morning if you haven’t slept well. And your vehicle isn’t going to be able to operate, either, if it’s not fueled. If you don’t have enough fuel in the gas tank, you won’t be able to start the engine. You may have gotten home on empty, but starting up again could be a problem.

There are lots of other reasons why your car might not be starting up as it should. When you have issues, you may need auto repair in Philadelphia, PA, or, at the very least, you should get an inspection so you can ensure that you know what’s going on, fix it, and move forward safely. The professionals at Schafer’s Auto Center are here to help in any way we can. Give us a call when you aren’t able to start your vehicle and tell us the situation and we might be able to help you figure out what’s going on, or at least what to try to get it here to the shop so we can take a closer look at what’s wrong.

auto repair in Philadelphia, PA

Choosing Technicians For Auto Repair

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Choosing a mechanic for auto repair in Philadelphia, PA might feel like pulling teeth. Being safe on the road is important and having preventative maintenance is a huge part of that. If you’ve had bad experiences with mechanics in the past, it might be even harder for you to move forward with someone new. But when you find a reliable business to help you, you get what you need, and you build a new level of trust. Here are some things to look for in a technician for your auto repair needs.

Certification And Licensing

There are plenty of people out there who know a lot about vehicles. And even if that means most people know more than you, not everyone is a tried and true mechanic. You want something who is certified to work on your vehicle and someone with the right licensing and credentials. Experience is important as well so check into all of that before you move forward with any repair shop. You might even ask about insurance to make double sure you are comfortable working with them.

Meet The Technicians

It’s easy to book appointments online and over the phone, but you still don’t really know what you’re going to get. Before you book your appointments that way, make it a point to stop by the shop and talk to the staff and, yes, even the technicians, in person. Talk to them about your issues, the type of vehicle you have, and gauge their dedication and customer service in person. It can help you feel more comfortable with what comes next, whatever that needs to be.

Look Into Reviews

Looking at an auto repair website can help you understand what services they have and possible even what prices they have set up. But looking at other review websites can tell you what people think about the shop and the services they have received from it. It’s important to look at honest reviews so you know what you can expect. If you see a lot of complaints, that’s something to watch out for.

Check Prices

If you know you are going to have some basic things done, like regular oil changes, it’s good to check the prices of those maintenance items so you can get a good, fair price. Get quotes before you agree to anything any time you need something done.

Peter Alessandroni from Schafer's Auto Center

If you know you are going to need auto repair in Philadelphia, PA, and everybody does at some point, contact the professionals at Schafer’s Auto Center and ask as many questions as you’d like. You can come in and talk to us in person as well and we can give you a tour of our facilities. We’re glad to talk to you about specifics on your vehicle and set up a time for an oil change, any kind of repair, or just a tune-up and inspection. We’re here to keep your vehicle running as effectively and efficiently as possible and we’re honest about what we do.

auto repair in Philadelphia, PA

The Power Of Auto Repair Tune-ups

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If you own a vehicle, you’ve heard the term ‘tune-up.’ But when should you get one? Why do you need one? You have to get auto repair in Philadelphia, PA when something goes wrong, but getting a tune-up can occur at any time, even if you don’t know that there’s something wrong for sure. Having a tune-up can make your car run more efficiently, which will help it to last longer and save you money in the long run. Here are a few things tune-ups can do that you might not realize.

Give You Better Mileage

You want to get as much mileage out of your vehicle as possible, so you don’t have to pay for any more gas than necessary. IF you notice that your car isn’t going as far on a tank as it used to, getting a tune-up can fix that. The technician might check your tires for proper inflation, check the brakes, check alignment, and other things that can mess with mileage. Once those things are adjusted, you can get a lot farther on each tank of gas.

Head Off Large Issues

No vehicle is going to last forever, no matter how well you treat it. But you can own a vehicle without any major issues if you get regular tune-ups. When a professional checks the vehicle over, they’re going to notice when the brake pads are running thin and recommend that you replace them before other things in the brakes go back and cost you way more. It’s easy to catch small things early with the tune-up. You can face those small things and then large things never occur at all.

Save You Money

When you buy your vehicle, it’s a big purchase. You don’t want to have to spend a ton on the vehicle again since you already did that, right? When you get tune-ups, they help you to avoid big vehicle expenditures. They keep gas prices down for you and, again, head off larger issues by fixing small things. That saves you quite a bit of money right away and into the future. Plus, your vehicle runs better for longer, so you don’t have to worry about getting a new one any time soon.

auto repair shop in Philadelphia, PA

When you have a vehicle, it’s important to take good care of it. You may need auto repair in Philadelphia, PA from time to time, but if you keep track of the oil changes, and get regular tune-ups, you’ll have a lot more power behind the vehicle itself. The professionals at Schafer’s Auto Center understand that not everyone knows vehicles as we do—and that’s okay. We’re here to fill in any of the blanks for you. Our experienced staff is here to make an appointment for you, go over questions, and help you at your convenience. We want you to have everything you need in a vehicle, including reliability and safety. The best for your family is what we want, and we’ll stop at nothing to give you that.

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