Florissant auto repair

Happy Holidays from everyone at Gary’s Auto Service!   We know the holidays are really about rejoicing with those you love and that holiday shopping really should be an afterthought. But the gift of giving can bring you great joy, especially when you know you’re getting the right gift for that special person.   Think about it. For a couple of hours, you’re actually thinking about making others happy. How cool is that?! You anticipate their smiling faces when they realize that, rather than buying a quick gift card (because, after all, they know what they really want), you took the time to consider who they are and what they might like. That’s the joy of gift giving.  The art of giving them something they would not ordinarily buy for themselves, perhaps something they never even heard of.     It is with that in mind, we wish you an imaginative, rewarding gift-shopping experience and offer these ideas for the car lov ... read more

  Brrrr. It’s November and Winter is almost here. Time to get your vehicle in shape for those cold months and holiday trips ahead. At Gary’s Auto Service in Florissant, MO, we can help. Here are some tips you can use to prepare your vehicle:       Check your engine coolant and antifreeze levels. As its name suggests, antifreeze keeps your engine from freezing in cold weather. Without it, your engine could freeze, leaving you stranded.   Check your tire pressure and tread depth. Good tires critical to safe driving on snowy, icy roads. Stop by Gary’s Auto Service and let us check them for you   Use winter windshield wiper fluid. Not all windshield wiper fluids are the same. Winter windshield fluid is specially made to avoid freezing on your windshield, unlike the ordinary kind that often freezes on contact. Stop by Gary’s Auto Service in Florissant and let us replace your old fl ... read more

October is one of our favorite months, thanks to Halloween. We love seeing the little ghosts and goblins visiting each family’s car at the annual Trunk or Treat events at our church and other churches in the Florissant area. Normally, we would write a blog on Halloween driver safety, but we thought we’d take a different approach:  The Top 10 Tips for Driving Safely at Night.   After Daylight Savings Time ends, we all have the extra hazard of driving in the dark when we get off work. Two of the biggest accident days of the year occurs when the time changes. So, let’s share some helpful safe driving tips:   Look around. Before backing out of your parking space, turning a corner, or crossing an intersection, be sure you take a good look around to avoid pedestrians, bicyclists, animals, and other distracted drivers.   Drive slowly. At night, it’s harder to see people who are wearing dark clothing, or animals that are crossing the street. Whe ... read more

There is a unique reputation that follows Volkswagen, mostly due to their classic Bugs and vans. Dedicated Volkswagen owners cherish their VW vehicles, so they need repairs and maintenance that will help them keep driving for a long time to come. Volkswagens are designed to last, and with regular maintenance, they seem to run forever.   Some of the common repair problems we see on older Volkswagens are the headliner separating from the ceiling, malfunctioning power locks and stereos, prematurely worn out brakes, oil sludge related problems, and engine failure. All of these VW repair issues can be addressed by our expert ASE-Certified and ASE-Master auto technicians.   Gary’s Auto Service is a leading independent auto repair shop in Florissant that has the factory-standard equipment and training to handle any VW service or repair issues. Check out what one customer had to say about our services:   “We had no problem getting a quick appointment at Gary ... read more

Since 1959, Mini Coopers are designed for individuality. As the American designer who first made them said, “We wanted the first impression when you walk up to the car to be ‘it could only be a Mini.’” Just like MINIs are so obviously, well, mini, Gary’s Auto Service is the obvious choice for your automotive repairs. We are the leading choice in Florissant, Missouri for Mini Cooper repairs and service. Our ASE-Certified technicians are familiar with all of the common problems, performance, and repair issues in MINIs.   Mini Cooper vehicles are especially prone to premature clutch failure, transmission issues, airbag problems, and failing spark plugs. So, most often, owners will come in for a clutch or spark plug replacement along with the regular maintenance services, like oil changes and check engine lights. There’s a price range for Mini Cooper repairs, especially considering the difference between regular maintenance, repairs, and the cost ... read more

Land Rovers are hardy, outdoor destined machines that are meant for the sole purpose of taking you on an adventure. But don’t let your driving adventure be interrupted by neglected Land Rover maintenance. Without proper automotive care, not even rugged Land Rovers can keep going for long.   Land Rover drivers may incorrectly assume that because Land Rovers can take the heat, they don’t need maintenance. But that couldn’t be farther from the truth. The most common repairs that people seek for Land Rovers include brakes, head gasket, water pump, and fuel pump replacement. But regular maintenance costs are much less expensive. Therefore, it’s much smarter to maintain your Land Rover on a regular basis than to wait until it requires major repairs. When you come to Gary’s Auto Service for Land Rover service, you get so much more than just the repairs alone.   Our mission is to make auto repair as stress-free as possible for you. Our friendly, pe ... read more

Back in 1922 when the company was first founded, it was originally just called Swallow Sidecar. It has come a long way to become the Jaguar you know and love now. That’s how many great things start out, and then with hard work and some amazing creative decision, become great. At Gary’s Auto Center, we’re working our way toward that, just as Swallow Sidecars did all those years ago. We provide friendly customer service and talented, ASE-Certified technicians to carry out any repairs you need.   With Jaguars, there are a few issues that are common to the brand. Sudden, unintended acceleration; the engine seizing up; hard shifts; electrical issues; in rare cases, transmission problems. However, even this is uncommon compared to the issues that other car manufacturers produce. The drawback is that maintenance for Jaguar is more expensive than for an average car because, of course, you’re working on a luxury brand that requires Jaguar-specific replacement part ... read more

One of the biggest decisions we make is purchasing a car. It’s a huge investment and a stressful process from start to finish. At Gary’s Based on car sales and pricing from the past several years, it looks like August is one of the best times of the year to purchase a new car.   Due to a combination of the seasons changing from summer to fall, so there is less interest in car buying among most drivers. On top of that, most dealerships are looking to clean out their inventory to make room for newer models during August. This cost difference is exaggerated for SUV purchases, which drops over $400 compared to the average annual cost. If you’ve been looking for the right time to buy, this is it!   Although many car shoppers have considered times like Black Friday, New Year’s, and Christmas sales to be the best time to purchase a new car, the advertised discounts don’t add up to nearly as many savings as you can get by purchasing in August. The ... read more

Did you know that standard gasoline engines are only about 20% efficient? That means that only 20% of what you put into your tank moves the car, as opposed to getting burned up or lost somewhere else along the pipeline. With diesel engines, it’s 40% efficiency. Which may not seem like a lot, but consider that it is twice as efficient as its gasoline counterparts. That’s just one of the reasons why diesel cars are a smart choice for many drivers.   The team at Gary’s Auto Service is familiar with all of the problems that light diesel cars and trucks can have, especially the most common ones. Diesel vehicles are prone to have extra smoke and noise because of the viscosity of diesel fuel. For the same reason, frequent oil changes are imperative, or else soot and other contaminants collect in the fuel. Black exhaust, hard starts, oil oxidization, and defective glow plugs are also common for diesel cars and light diesel trucks. When you come to Gary’s Auto Se ... read more

Gary’s Auto Service is a leading choice for Volvo drivers in Florissant, Missouri. It requires real talent and continually updated technologies to work on Volvos properly. Gary’s Auto Service has a full team of ASE-certified technicians and factory-standard equipment so we can provide any repair or maintenance services your Volvo needs. We invite you to bring your Volvo to Gary’s Auto Service any time for maintenance and repair.   Our mission is to deliver quality automotive repairs and personable customer service for everyone in the Florissant region. Our process is simple but very effective. First, we focus on our work. The ASE-Certified technician assigned to your Volvo’s repairs will be using factory-standard equipment so that the repairs are durable and accurate. Second, we focus on customer service and communication. Service advisors will keep you informed of each step in the repairs process, and we won’t authorize any major repairs without y ... read more