Longview Auto Repair

Maintaining your vehicle costs money, it can even feel expensive; but if you plan on keeping your vehicle for a while, neglected maintenance usually costs considerably more in the long run. At Esty's Auto Center we frequently recommend services such as oil changes, transmission services, brake fluid flushes, differential services, and transfer case services because all of these fluids have a limited service life. These services protect expensive mechanical components from wear, contamination, heat, and corrosion. Spending a few hundred dollars on preventative maintenance at the appropriate interval can help reduce the risk costly invasive repairs later down the road. Maintenance Protects the Parts You Already Own Modern vehicles contain expensive engines, transmissions, differentials, transfer cases, ABS components, and other assemblies. Most of these depend on fluids for lubrication, cooling, hydraulic operation, corrosion protection, or a combination of these ... read more

If you’re hearing a clunk when driving over bumps, turning into a driveway, braking, or accelerating, there is a good chance something in the suspension or steering system has developed excessive movement. For drivers searching for Longview auto repair because of a mysterious clunk, the important thing to know is that the noise itself is only the starting point of the diagnosis. A clunking noise from the suspension can come from several different components, and noises travel through a vehicle’s body and subframe surprisingly well. Before replacing anything, we want to reproduce the noise and determine exactly what is moving. What Causes a Clunking Noise Over Bumps? Sway bar links and bushings are common sources. The sway bar helps control body roll, and worn links or mounting bushings can create a distinct knock as the suspension loads and unloads. Control arm bushings are another possibility. These rubber bushings all ... read more

When an older vehicle needs a significant repair, it is natural to wonder whether the money would be better spent on another car. A $3,000 or $4,000 repair can feel expensive when compared with the idea of putting that money toward something newer. But repair cost and replacement cost are not the same thing. When we help customers make decisions about Longview auto repair, we think the better question is: What will it cost to have reliable transportation for the next several years? In many cases, repairing a vehicle you already know is the better economic choice. What Does That New Car Actually Cost? Consider this example, The exact numbers will vary with the vehicle, financing, taxes, insurance, and trade-in value, but it illustrates why comparing a repair bill with a down payment can be misleading: Lets say you purchase a new vehicle for $35,000 and put $5,000 down. After sales tax, registration, documentation fees, and other purchase costs, we can assume roughly $33,500 is fina ... read more