For Those Who've Been Wondering...

---

No, we do not offer towing services. However, we can recommend a trusted local towing company if you need assistance.

Rotors and pads should be replaced together to optimize the contact the pad has with the surface of the rotor.  If there is any rust, grooving or hot spots on the old rotor your new pads won't have 100% of the braking power - something you always want!  Your pads and rotors should wear as a set to provide the best service.

We can do a "pad slap" (we understand the budget can be tight) but it's not the best option.

Tires come with a date of manufacture on them - it's in that mess of embossed numbers and letters on the sidewall.  Once they get to be 5 years old, no matter how much tread they have on them, they should be replaced.  After 5 years the rubber compounds start to break down.  This leads to cracks, bulging and separation. as well as dry rot.  The aging might not be visible right away - but it's there and it'll show up sooner rather than later.

There are a couple of common reasons we can't fix your tire.

One is when it's a puncture in the sidewall, or too close to the sidewall.  Tires are built so that the strength is all in the tread area - the sidewall provides flexibility.   If we try to stick a patch to the sidewall area the constant flexing and the heat generated from that, will prevent the patch from sticking.  With luck the repair attempt will let the air out gently, most times it pops off and you risk a blowout.

The second reason we can't fix your tire is when it's "run flat".  Not the same as a Run Flat tire, this is when a tire has been driven with low air in it - the sidewall has folded and ground against the rim.  Usually there's a pile of black "dust" inside the tire from the abraded interior.  Once again- the sidewall has been damaged and the tire is toast.

When you call to order tires, one of the first questions is "what size".

On the side of the tire is a set of digits that'll look something like this:

P215/60R18 (your digits may be different)

P, or LT if you've got a truck, stands for Passenger Vehicle rated.  LT represents Light Truck rated (yes you have a Super Duty truck...doesn't matter, it's still LT).  It refers to the load rating, number of plies and overall strength of the tire.

215 is the distance across the tread in mm.

60 is the sidewall - it's a percentage of the tread.  60 indicates 60% of the tread width.

R18 is the diameter of the rim.

Some off road or truck tires may be listed using different notation ie., 35x12.50R18.  These are known as "flotation" tires where the common measurement is "metric".   They're just a different way to measure larger tires and offer a bit more flexibility in sizing for aftermarket rims.

Depending on the vehicle it can mean several things.  Newer models have been "assigned", by programming in the computer based on mileage, specific preventative services to be performed.  This is based on data used by the manufacturers that tells them when parts are nearing their "best by" date.  So what your vehicle may be requesting could be anything from a simple oil/filter change to a timing belt replacement!  The only way to know is to look it up either by calling a shop or looking in the manual (sometimes)

There's definitely sticker shock on plugs as even a cheap basic version can run you $16 or more each.  And yours may need something a little more specific - some will only work properly with, say, a laser platinum or iridium plug or with dual electrodes.

The second expense that creates that shocked silence when we quote is the labour time.  The darn things used to be Right There.  You could do them on a Saturday in your yard, there was usually a couple of beer involved.  Not so much anymore.  At least half the plugs are now normally buried under the wealth of sensors, hoses, turbos and other assorted top of engine parts that are part of the modern vehicle.  We have to first remove all that and then put it back - sometimes we have to then, in the course of replacing those parts, replace some gaskets.  There's a few common vehicles that even have them at the back of the engine about halfway down.  So when we tell you that changing your plugs is a 4-5 hour job we really aren't kidding or trying to pad the bill.  We're telling you that a tech is going to be hanging over your engine for most of the day hoping nothing is seized...and there won't be any brews on hand til the end of the day.

This is a sticky one and pretty complicated.  I'll try to explain as simply as I can.

There are parts and materials that are exempted by the CUSMA agreement, but that have tariffs levied on some portion of their manufacture.  There are parts that are tariffed on every front.  Most parts cross national borders at least twice during manufacture and get levied each time - except between Canada and Mexico.  Direct transfers from Canada to Mexico and back do not incur tariffs.

It's not just the cost, the decades old supply chain has been turned on it's head.

Exhaust repair is the best way to showcase this mess.  Made of nothing but steel and aluminum we started seeing cost on these parts rise early; they were tariffed before the Great BIg Poster came out (aka "Liberation Day").  Mufflers we could purchase readily for $100-$150 suddenly were hard to get.  Shops started hoarding what they had and stocking up on commonly used parts like flex pipes and universal mufflers/cats.  The uncertainty drove the prices up again.  Now, for example, a Magnaflow muffler I used to be able to bring in same day for $125 cost is running me overnight or longer and costing upwards of $200.  And then there's the exhaust pipe itself.  The list goes on.  Universal Joints and Ball Joints have almost doubled in price!

So, in a nutshell, this is what the abstract news headlines look like on the ground.  They are directly affecting how much parts costs and how long it takes to get your parts.  We're sorry about that and we've tried to lessen the blow by reducing our labour rate.  But until new rates are negotiated (haha) we just have to try our best to work with it.  Believe me - we don't like it any better than you - we want to fix your vehicle after all.

We will still work on your vehicle if you have your own parts, depending on what the service is.  BUT...there are a couple of things to note.

Because we are an established repair facility we enjoy excellent discounts from parts distributors that we pass along to you.  We also verify that parts are a correct fit.  Sometimes, for example, there are  5 brake rotor options for one model and the wrong choice can lead to a disaster!  Or it came from one of the online companies...sure it was half price but will that cheap control arm fit or hold up to normal wear and tear.  Parts we supply are warrantied - we can't do that on customer supplied parts.

Finally, we have a different labour rate when customers supply their own parts.  Here's why.  We have to confirm the fitment - if it's wrong your vehicle is on that hoist until the correct parts come in and we can reassemble it.  We can't bring in another job because of that.  We're also taking a risk - we're installing a non-warrantied part and even with our waiver there could be problems down the road if it fails.  Plus, well to be blunt...most shops are on a tight margin as it is.  Our labour rates are already low and we don't make much off parts, definitely below MSRP, but it can make a difference.