Meet our newest Journeyperson, Brandon Klassen

Congratulations to Brandon Klassen on completion of his AST apprenticeship and graduation as a Red Seal, Automotive Service Technician. Brandon completed his 4^th and final session of training at Saskatchewan Polytechnic (formerly SIAST) this past February with an overall mark of 97% when combining theory and practical hands-on. No mark was below 93%, Wow!!

Brandon started as a service assistant/technician helper, and has been a valuable member of the Crestview team ever since. During this time, his attention to detail and customer focus has been appreciated by co-workers and our customers alike. He has demonstrated a keen desire for accurate on-time diagnosis and repair. Along with Brandon’s natural ability he has also benefited working with and alongside Dave Wiebe our head technician; one of the most talented technicians in North America and winner of the “Technician of the Millennium” contest, that tested skills and abilities of technicians across North America.

Whether you come to Crestview Auto Service for maintenance services, routine repairs or diagnosing of electrical malfunctions and drivability concerns, you can be sure you are getting the very best. The Crestview team is here to ensure you get the most from the money you spend on your vehicle.

We’ll Keep Your Car Young a Long Time

#apprentice #Journeyperson #technician #bestmechanic #carrepair

Flush and Fill

Protect your new car warranty and keep your older vehicle young - Flush and fill fluids the right way for long life.

Each car or truck has a service schedule for flushing and replacing the fluids that lubricate, cool, protect and control the operation of different components in your vehicle. These service intervals are based on distance traveled or time between the services. How these services are performed will have a direct impact on the reliability of your vehicle.

When flushing the transmission and cooling system, appropriate chemicals before and after should be used to first dissolve sludge and varnish buildup inside the components that are being serviced. Following the flushing procedure, which replaces the contaminated fluid, the appropriate chemicals should be added to enhance the operation of that component. Typically a cooling system or transmission flush service will take around an hour to do this way.  This compares to a fluid exchange that can be done in 10 to 20 minutes.

A simple drain and fill without using proper chemicals to remove the sludge and varnish is like washing dishes by rinsing alone; no soap or dishcloth to clean off the stuck food and stains. Not much chance you would want to have guests over and serve a meal using those dishes, they wouldn't be clean. Your transmission and cooling system life will depend on the quality of the fluid flush procedure.

The vehicles we drive now have different types of fuel injection requiring specific procedures to service the various systems. Although all injection systems require service, the newer direct injection vehicles need special attention and training to service properly or damage can occur.

Engine and driveline oils have changed dramatically over the last number of years. With the extended drain intervals we are seeing, making sure to use the proper grade and type of oil is very important. If your vehicle specifications call for 5w20 oil and you use 5w30 instead, you can damage a new engine because the oil is too thick to flow through the engine properly. Likewise synthetic oil or non-synthetic oil usage is just as important; synthetic oils are usually more uniform and flow quicker to protect better when the engine is cold. Using a non-synthetic when a synthetic should be used has the same affect as using the wrong grade of oil and can cause engine damage because it can’t lubricate properly. The oil filter is just as important, the use of a “cheaper” filter and a long drain interval has caused problems, as these cheaper filters do not have the internal filtering capacity to last and will bypass oil without filtering it.

This is why Crestview Auto Service only installs the highest-grade oil filter along with the proper grade and type of oil on your vehicle. Our Licensed Technicians are qualified to service all systems in your vehicle with the recommended chemicals, fluids and processes. With your approval we will inspect the condition of your vehicle and our technicians will make recommendations based on the inspection. Give us a call or visit us online at crestviewautoservice.ca. We look forward to helping you keep your car young a long time. 

#fluids #processes #ServiceSchedule #LicensedTechnicians

Month of Myths - #10

Myth 10: If it's not broke, don't fix it (or) No news is good news.

Vehicles need to be serviced even when the "Check Engine Light" isn't on. You should be following the Maintenance Schedule as outlined in your vehicle owner's manual. 

Contact Crestview Auto Service about their complimentary inspections and roadside assistance with repair and maintenance service. Conveniently book online at www.crestviewautoservice.ca 

Month of Myths - #7

Myth 7: The only fluids I need to worry about are oil and gas.

Most people neglect the other fluids in their vehicle, these include:

• Brake
• Coolant/Anti-Freeze
• Power Steering
• Transmission
• Washer Fluid

This two-part article will provide more information on fluids and the importance of regular maintenance. If you have any questions about your vehicle, our service advisors are ready to answer your call. (306) 244-6522. 

Month of Myths - #6

Myth 6: I get my vehicle serviced twice/year, so I don't need a pre-trip vehicle inspection.

Vehicles need to be properly maintained year round. But a pre-vacation inspection performed by a qualified automotive technician can avoid costly repairs and inconvenience. 

Visit our post on pre-holiday maintenance for more info, click here: Previous Post. 

Crestview Auto Service Website

Month of Myths - #4

Myth 4: Vehicle technology today is so advanced I don't need to worry about emissions. 

To help reduce emissions, keep your vehicle well maintained. A poorly maintained engine can use up to 50% more fuel and produce 50% more CO2 than one that runs properly. 

At Crestview Auto Service, the Service Advisors will help you find the right maintenance schedule for your vehicle. The technicians can provide maintenance services (such as an oil change) to vehicles still under warranty (see Myth #1). Cars, Trucks, Motor homes and Fleet vehicles are all welcome. 

Contact: (306) 244-6522 or www.crestviewautoservice.ca 

Maintaining that new vehicle warranty – Who can service your new car or truck?

It makes a person feel good the first time they drive away from the dealership in their new vehicle. That new car smell is in the air: at least for a few months, it makes you feel great!

Unfortunately it doesn’t stay new and you will need to look after it so it doesn’t depreciate too fast. Routine maintenance is part of the cost of transportation and looking after your vehicle properly is a sure way to help lower the cost of transportation because a properly operating vehicle uses less fuel is much more reliable to get you where you need to be and get you back home. Performing the recommended services on time allows you to keep your vehicle for many years, reducing your overall cost of transportation.

So what should you do about servicing your new vehicle or even one you’ve had for a while? What does the owner’s manual say? Does it say you have to go back to the dealership you bought it from or can you go to the repair shop of your choice?

What it will say, is that you need to perform a minimum amount of required maintenance and keep a record of it, in order to maintain the warranty coverage and use parts that meet or exceed the specifications in the owner’s manual. It will also recommend the services be performed by qualified people, this means it doesn’t have to be the dealership, only a reputable repair facility that uses the proper fluids and filters along with other maintenance items. Crestview Auto Service is your dealership alternative.

At Crestview Auto Service we look forward to helping you get the most out of your vehicle, your manufacturer warranty and extended warranties.

All our filters, fluids and maintenance items meet or exceed your warranty requirements. Our goal is to help you have a reliable vehicle; one you can trust to take you anywhere and get you back home. When you bring us your vehicle that is under warranty for servicing, part of our job is to make sure you are aware of any concerns that are covered through your vehicle warranty. This way when you bring a warrantable concern about your vehicle to the dealership, they will look after you. We will keep all records of maintenance or repairs done to the vehicle, and if a warranty concern comes up and the records are needed they will be readily available for you or if you would like, we could send them directly to the dealership on your behalf.

If you go to the dealership with a concern that is under warranty, the dealership will do all they can to rectify the problem and solve it under warranty, the catch is you need to tell them there is a problem. Logically, most people think when they take their vehicle to the dealership for routine service, that they are getting a warranty inspection at the same time. It makes sense this would happen, but most often they will only get what the maintenance service calls for. The dealership technicians are not allowed to “look for warranty work”. This mandate comes right from the manufacturers, as they are the ones that control your warranty, not the dealer.

At Crestview Auto Service “We’ll Keep Your Car Young a Long Time”

Maintenance: Part 2 of 2

How often is it that we get to choose when we buy our next vehicle? Or, are we being forced to buy one because of expensive repairs that are needed due to unintentional neglect? People that have well maintained vehicles get to choose when they get a different vehicle and can change vehicles just to have something different, not because they have to. These people enjoy shopping for a new or newer used vehicle, without the pressure of feeling “I have to buy a vehicle today because mine is broken”.

By definition, vehicle maintenance is flushing and changing fluids along with servicing components before they have a chance to negatively affect the life of the component they are protecting or they cause wear to other components on the vehicle. In other words: change or flush the oil, antifreeze, brake fluid etc. before it is worn out and causes component wear or failure; replacing struts and shocks before suspension components fatigue and fail due to excessive movement; and replace the accessory drive belt before it breaks and causes engine overheating and damage. Keep in mind that repeatedly stretching the maintenance intervals will have a compounding effect, as components wear they begin to wear faster and faster causing you to spend more on repairs than you would on maintenance. This “stretching the maintenance” includes using the “normal” schedule if you should be using the “severe” schedule.

Your owner’s manual has “normal” and “severe” maintenance schedules, but how do you know which one to use? When you read the “fine print” in the owner’s manual it will very likely lead you to the conclusion you are in the “severe service” category. This is almost never talked about when we go to buy a vehicle because it adds to the cost of ownership. As a general rule, stop and go driving such as city driving, short distances that do not fully warm up the engine and transmission etc. to burn off contaminants in the oils, trailer towing, hot or cold weather (think winter and middle of summer) all point to severe service driving.

At Crestview Auto Service our goal is for you to have a safe reliable vehicle; to save you time and money for as long as you own it. Proper maintenance does cost money but it costs a lot less than neglecting the maintenance and having to pay for preventable repairs. Maintenance can be planned for weeks or months in advance, unlike a break down, which usually tends to ruin the day. We look forward to helping you with your vehicle maintenance.

Book online at www.crestviewautoservice.ca or call us at (306) 244-6522.

At Crestview Auto Service “We’ll Keep Your Car Young a Long Time”

Maintenance: Part 1 of 2

Why does one person’s vehicle operate better and more efficient than another person’s when they have exactly the same vehicle? Although our driving habits come into play, most importantly is how we maintain our vehicle. Did you know you would save thousands of dollars by having required maintenance performed by qualified technicians? Have you been proactive with maintenance or reactive, meaning; do you have regular inspections and servicing to avoid surprises or is servicing done past the time or mileage it should have been done because we think we are saving money by putting it off. It has been well documented by government agencies and private industry that being proactive with vehicle maintenance and servicing will save you a lot of money (over 43% in some studies) compared to putting it off. The old saying of pay me now or pay me later is very true.

Each vehicle comes with maintenance schedules designed to keep the vehicle operating properly over the life of the vehicle. But what does the life of the vehicle mean; properly maintained vehicles can be very reliable and provide virtually trouble free driving for 15, and even 20 or more years. Maintenance schedules are perpetual and repeat themselves at various mileage and time intervals, they do not end, and go on for the life of the vehicle. 

At Crestview Auto Service we will work with you to be sure that your maintenance schedule is up to date. When you have your vehicle serviced regularly at Crestview, our maintenance tracking system will assist us in informing you of your upcoming maintenance needs. This tracking program will help in determining future budget considerations for your vehicle. If you are new to us any past maintenance or repair history you can provide will help us in determining the future maintenance schedule of your vehicle. 

At Crestview Auto Service “We’ll Keep Your Car Young a Long Time”

Book online at www.crestviewautoservice.ca