Winter and road trips
Ready for the cold, and for the drive to Grandma’s
Batteries, tires and coolant cause most of our winter breakdowns. A short check now costs a lot less than a tow in January.
Most popular in November
The $39 winter-ready check
About 45 minutes, by appointment or as a walk-in on a slow day. A technician goes through the car and you get a written report with photos, sorted into three piles: fine, keep an eye on it, fix now. We quote any repair in writing before we touch it.
- Battery and charging system, tested with a printout
- Belts, hoses and coolant freeze point
- Tire tread, pressure and age
- Wipers, washer fluid and all the lights
- Brake pad measurement
What makes cars quit in the cold
The five things we look at first
A weak battery
Cold thickens the oil and slows the battery just when the engine needs more. We test every battery for free.
Tires with too little tread
Below 4/32 of an inch, a tire loses much of its grip on snow. We measure all four and the spare.
Old coolant
Coolant that has lost its strength can freeze or corrode. A 30-second test shows how cold yours is good for.
Worn wipers and weak lights
Short days and salt spray make seeing harder. Wipers cost about $20 to replace; we show you the old ones first.
Brakes with little left
Wet, salty roads are a bad time to find out. A free brake check gives you the numbers.
Tires
Seasonal swaps and winter tires
If you keep a second set of wheels, we swap them, torque them and set the pressure for $60 for all four. If you have winter tires on their own wheels, that’s all it takes. If you don’t, we mount and balance for $30 a tire, quote tires by size and tell you honestly whether you need winters at all.
Book the swap before the first forecast of snow. We take one swap bay at a time and the week of the first snow is full.
- $60 to swap four wheels, your own set
- $30 a tire to mount and balance
- Free tire pressure check on Saturdays through Nov. 21
Holiday road trips
The $59 pre-trip check
If you’re driving to family for Thanksgiving or Christmas, we go over the parts of the car that strand people on the highway: tires and the spare, brakes, battery, belts, hoses and fluids. You get a report with photos and a plain answer: you’re good to go, or here’s what to fix first.
We’re closed Thanksgiving Day and the day after, and the week before is our busiest. Aim for November 9 to 20.
- About an hour, $59, with a written report
- Repairs quoted in writing before we start
- Closed Nov. 26 and 27, open until noon Dec. 24
Winter questions
Do I need winter tires?
Not always. Good all-season tires with plenty of tread handle most Union County roads. Winter tires help most if you live on a hill, drive early in storms or have worn tires you’d rather not trust. We’ll look at your tires and tell you which camp you’re in. See our News & tips for the questions we ask.
How long does a car battery last, and can you test mine?
Three to five years is typical. Cold weather is when old ones fail. We test any battery and the charging system for free, about ten minutes, every day we’re open, no appointment. If it’s good, we say so and don’t sell you a new one.
What does the pre-trip check include?
Tires (tread, pressure, age and the spare), brakes, battery and charging, belts, hoses, all fluids, wipers and lights, with a written report and photos. It’s $59 for about an hour. Any repair is quoted in writing first.
Beat the first snow
Book a winter-ready check, a tire swap or a pre-trip check online, or call and we’ll find a time.