How to Find the Best Auto Mechanic

It would be easy to tell you to not bother looking around for an auto mechanic once you’ve found us. Because we really think that we are the best. But we want you to be happy and satisfied from the start, so here are some things to do when you need a new mechanic and a place to take your car.

• Ask around. Ask family, friends and neighbors for recommendations.
• Keep your search local. Unless you need a restoration for something like, oh, a 1925 Bugatti, you want a shop you can get to in a hurry. Or one that’s simply convenient.
• See if your local newspaper does a “best of” series. Many times auto shops are covered. 
• If you belong to a car club, all the better. The same recommendations will show up again and again.
• Check online. Take a look at Yelp and Angie’s List and Google. It’s good to see the negatives (should there be any) as well as the positives.
• Stop by the shops you’re interested in. Take a look at the cars on the lot - have they been sitting there forever? - and talk to some of the mechanics, or the owner. Is the place clean and orderly? It should be.
• You can check with the Better Business Bureau for complaints, and to see how they were resolved.
• Will they let you watch while they work? Are they patient with you if you have questions? Will they give you some options that might save you some money? If there aren’t any options, will they explain this to you? 
• Attitude matters. Auto shops are in a service industry. They aren’t doing you any favors by taking care of your car. Don’t let anyone make you feel stupid or ill-informed. You want to have a relationship that works for everyone. 
• If you still can’t decide, start with some small work. See how an oil change goes, for example. If you’re satisfied with the price and service, you’ll want to try a larger job next time.

We have been serving the Hollywood District and greater Portland-area for almost 30 years. We offer professional automotive service specializing in Honda, Toyota, Lexus, Acura, Volvo, Nissan, Volkswagen, and Audi, but we’re happy to take a look at whatever you’re driving.

We have the best mechanics in the business. Our goal is to fix the problem the first time, and we want to do it right. We’ll do our best to explain everything to you and keep the price down.

Come on in and say “hello” and let’s get started on building that relationship. We’ll always be here when you need us. Call Broadway Imports at 503.282.0817 if you want to schedule an appointment. Schedule an appointment today! Or just stop by.

Find us at 3001 NE Broadway St. in Portland, OR 97232.

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Is Your Head Gasket Blown?

When you were a kid and begging for your first car your parents probably warned you about the price of insurance and gas and maybe even upkeep. It’s doubtful anyone ever mentioned a blown head gasket to you. By now you’ve probably heard the expression and you might be wondering what it is, since what you do know is that it practically screams the word money. You’re right about that part. Replacing the head gasket is ranked third on a list of the four most expensive car repairs. Taking first place is a blown engine, following by replacing a transmission, then the head gasket, and then replacing the air conditioning compressor.

Okay. So what is this thing? A head gasket is vital to an engine’s running right. Aiding in the compression process, the gasket seals an engine’s cylinders and stops coolant and oil from leaking. A blown gasket is often caused by problems with timing, cooling, and sometimes manufacturing errors. When a head gasket blows, it’s so not good within your engine. Coolant may leak, the engine can overheat, white smoke may come out of the exhaust pipe, and the oil may become discolored with a milky look.

You might think that the white smoke coming out of the exhaust pipe is the major clue that you’ve got a blown gasket. But it’s not, and there are others. Your engine could be running oddly, with hesitation or skipping or a lack of power. You could have excessive pressure in the crank case which would cause an extreme blow out by the oil cap or engine oil seals. You could have exhaust gases in the radiator. If you think you may have exhaust gases in the radiator, the gases would be accommodated by constant bubbling in the radiator.

Not everyone is comfortable enough to open the hood and take a look. You just know that something is really not right with the way your car is running. This is when you should bring it to us. We’re very comfortable taking a look and then fixing the problem. We mentioned earlier that this is an expensive procedure. It’s not so much the parts as it is the labor. We want to do it once and we want to do it right. We’ll do our best to keep the price down and get you back on the road with confidence.

You might be able to skip a carwash, but you can’t skip a problem like this. Call Broadway Imports at 503.282.0817 to schedule an appointment. We’ll also take care of an oil change or tune-up, or whatever else your car needs. Schedule an appointment today! Come by and see us at 3001 NE Broadway St, Portland, OR 97232.

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