Auto Repair Advice You Can Count On

A home maintenance DIY-er painting his family room might head to the hardware store to buy paint, brushes and drop cloths.But is that all he needs to do the job right?Hardware retailers wouldn’t be doing their jobs if they didn’t guide customers through the purchasing process to ensure they head home with everything required to complete the project.Similarly, your automotive service experts at Auto Lab want to help guide you in your car-ownership journey so you can hit the highway with confidence—without blowing your budget. Here’s how we go to work to provide the best budget-fitting auto-repair advice for you and your family. Got a clean bill of auto health?When you come in for an oil change, we thoroughly inspect the vehicle for safety, repair and preventive-maintenance needs. Why? Because for us, preventive auto care is like visiting the doctor before you're sick. We want to catch minor issues before they turn into major, costly problems for you. Ideally, we can give you the peace of mind that comes with knowing your vehicle has been given a clean bill of “health.” But when your vehicle does need some attention, at least you’ll know what it needs and why.Understanding your needsLike the hardware store clerk, we might ask questions to help us give you the best advice for your car. For example:

• Daily commute: Do you commute from Libertyville 60 miles each way, or do you drive one mile to the train station then head home to Mundelein?
• Who’s driving: Is this your car, or is it going to college with your child?
• Plans: How long are you planning to keep the car?

With this information, we can tailor the maintenance and repair recommendations to your needs. For example, if you’re only commuting to the train and planning to sell the car in a year, maybe that cooling-system flush or brake-pad replacement can wait. Conversely, if you’re driving 60 miles to work daily, we might suggest replacing those borderline tires sooner than later.Your priorities matterLike with home improvement, we know it’s not always possible to tackle all your auto-repair and maintenance needs in one shot. That’s why we’ll help you prioritize them and guide you through what should be done now, what can wait short-term, and what we need to monitor long-term.We might say, “Let's take care of the oil change you came in for and that brake issue because it’s a safety matter. But the air filter and transmission flush can wait until your next visit.”In some cases, there might be the start of an oil pan gasket leak. If it's just seeping vs. really leaking all over the place, it's a repair that can wait. We tell you that, and we’ll keep an eye on it during future service visits. When we tell you something is wrong with your car, that’s what it is. We won’t repair or service your car and then call you back to say it needs something else.Auto Lab looks forward to assisting you with your car maintenance and repair needs. The next time you need an oil change—or something more urgent—call us. You'll witness first-hand how Auto Lab’s service team provides superior service.