Unless you are confident in your abilities as an automotive mechanic, there is really only one rule when purchasing a flood-damaged vehicle: don’t do it. Unfortunately, sometimes sellers aren’t particularly straight-forward with their used cars. Many will try to hide the fact that it’s been damaged by floodwaters at all or try to convince potential buyers that the car is in fact fine. “It has gone months with no issues” or “technically it is flood-damaged but” are two red flags, and while it isn’t impossible for a flood car to be fine, it’s altogether a good idea to stay away.
If your car, truck or SUV is experiencing major engine issues, the technicians at Sargeant Service Center in St Augustine, FL have you covered. Do you hear the engine knocking when it decides to start? Is there smoke pouring from your truck’s exhaust pipe? Whether you’re burning oil, your engine is on its last leg, or has simply given up altogether, we can help. And if you’re not sure what you need, we can help with that too.
Do you need new brake pads? Most of the time, if you think you do, the answer is yes. While a lot of auto parts stores sell brake pads with lifetime warranties, don’t be misled...brake pads will still wear down.
Is your diesel used for off-roading or towing? Are you looking for an increase in performance for your Cummins, Powerstroke, or Duramax truck? If so, a billet torque converter may be an option you’d like to consider. Here’s what you need to know about billet torque converters, from Sargeant Service Center in St Augustine, FL.
Has the day finally come to replace your engine? If your engine is tired, worn out, and problematic, we can help at Sargeant Service Center. First, let's take a look at remanufactured engines; what they are, what ‘remanufactured’ means and why they’re a great way to give your car a new life.
At Sargeant Service Center in St Augustine, FL, we know that over the past decade, depending on what type of car, truck, or SUV you drive, it may seem like oil changes have gotten more expensive, and there are more options from synthetic to standard 10w/30 oil. What kind is best for your vehicle and is the higher price worth the cost?
When you are having trouble with your car or truck starting and you open the hood up to take a peek to see this....you'll see what an overly corroded battery looks like. This happens naturally over time on vehicle battery terminals. If you are like 99% of normal St Augustine drivers, you don't check your oil or your battery so you don't keep an eye on the amount of corrosion that's building up on your car or truck battery. Here at Sargeant Service Center, we do and there are solvents that we can use here in the shop during a battery maintenance service that will help slow the corrosion process but nothing that can prevent it 100%. Way before it gets to this point, we will be suggesting you consider replacing the battery.
As cars become more technologically advanced, the importance of your vehicle’s battery becomes more important. In the old days, a car battery essentially worked, or it didn’t; if it was good enough to start the car, it was good enough. Modern vehicles are a different story. A faulty battery can cause a variety of issues, including engine codes, sensor failures, irregular transmission behavior, and the list goes on.
Battery failure often causes issues that are commonly misdiagnosed, and in the hands of the wrong auto repair shop, a mechanic may spend hundreds of your hard-earned dollars chasing problems that don’t exist. At Sargeant Service Center in St Augustine, FL, our mechanics are familiar with modern vehicles and the problems that accompany them.
