Dublin Auto Repair

My race car is a 1992 Mazda Miata. I compete in the Sports Car Club of America’s Solo II competition here in the Bay Area. Solo (also called Autocross or Slalom) is a contest of driving skill. We run against the clock on short courses that put an emphasis car handling and agility rather than speed or power. Speeds and hazards to spectators, participants, and property do not exceed those encountered in normal, legal highway driving. But it is a lot more fun

Today a customer called and asked for a quote for a fuel pump replacement. They had just come home from a trip to Mexico yesterday and when they tried to start their Suburban this morning it wouldn’t go. After trying several times, it finally started. They took the truck to the Chevy dealer to be quoted a high price. At that point they decided to call around to see if they could fine a lower price. I was able to save them $300 so they decided to bring their Suburban to us. After they dropped it off, we checked the fuel pressure. Sure enough, it was low. It should be between 55-62 psi and it was several psi below that, plus it was bleeding back, which means it wasn’t holding pressure like it should. Replacing the fuel pump on a Chevy Suburban involves removing the gas tank…not fun. Luckily, the customer didn’t have that much fuel in the tank, otherwise it could have been messy…and dangerous. The pump resides inside the tank, so the only way to get to it is to ha ... read more

This morning a customer called me and said her Chevy Impala was acting up. She told me the charge light came on and the dash lights started flashing. I first I thought maybe it was the alternator that was causing the problem…until she said her power steering went out. When i questioned her about that, she said that it became very hard to steer. Aahh…a light went off in my head! Now I knew…the serpentine belt had come off. She immediately agreed to have it towed over. When the car got here I popped open the hood, and sure enough, the belt had come off. Now I needed to ascertain why… I figured one of the pulleys seized up. It turned out the water pump had seized and stopped turning and that caused the belt to flip. Of course, when that happened, the alternator stopped turning, causing the charge light and the dash lights to go all wonky. The power steering pump stopped turning as well, causing the steering wheel to become very hard to turn. Suddenly, the car became nearly ... read more

Today, a good customer of ours called up to say his clutch was slipping on his 1990 Mazda Miata. After discussing with him the symptoms the car was displaying, I told him to drop it off with us. When he got here, I jumped in the car to verify his complaint. I did a quick slip test, where I hold the brake on, rev it up and drop the clutch to see if the clutch will hold and stall the engine (it didn’t), I pronounced it worn out. He gave us the “OK” to go ahead with the repair and asked when it will be done. “Today” I said, as long as we have no problems. We pulled the transmission out and sure enough, the clutch disc was worn down to the rivets. The clutch pressure plate and the flywheel, both had heat spots on them, and the release bearing was worn out. The rear main seal on the engine, which is behind the flywheel, was leaking as well. We went ahead and installed a new seal to stop the leak which could have ruined the new clutch parts by getting oil on them. We ... read more

It’s important to keep up on your vehicle’s maintenance. Your car will last longer, you’ll experience better gas mileage, fewer breakdowns, less expense over the long haul, and that rewarding feeling you get when you’re taking care of business! Did you know that changing your oil is the most important part of vehicle maintenance? Most shops today recommend an oil change every 5,000 miles, and I agree. If you choose to use synthetic oil, you can bump that up to 7,500 miles. If you push it much further, your filter will begin to clog. Be sure to check your tire pressures at every fill up. If you have a car with a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), then it will do this for you. Just make sure to fill up the tires that get low. This will increase your gas mileage, give you better tire wear, and a more stable vehicle during emergency maneuvers. You don’t need a fancy gauge; a pencil type will do; however, one with a dial gauge is best. Your air filter s ... read more

Our women customers are important to us. And not just because they deserve the same respect as men, which they do, of course. It’s because women are now handling more and more of the auto repair duties. More single women are feeling empowered and not calling the boyfriend or Dad. Married couples are splitting the chores and it’s no longer just up to the men to handle getting the car repaired. We think it’s great! More power to them! We’ll explain everything that’s happening in easy to understand terms, without making you feel ignorant. A more informed customer is a happier customer

We use only high quality parts when repairing or servicing your car. We back up those parts, and our labor, with an 18 month/18K mile warranty. We want you to feel comfortable knowing that we took the utmost care when your car stayed with us. We also take care to not get greasy hand prints on your baby. We put down seat covers and floor mats for protection and take that last walkaround to clean up behind ourselves. Stop by Tri Valley Automotive soon for a free quote

Q: What hours are you open? A: We’re open Monday thru Friday from 8:00-5:30. Closed on the weekends. Q: Where are you located? A: Our address is 6743 Dublin Blvd. ste 5, Dublin, Ca. 94568. We are across the street from the sports park between Dougherty Blvd. and Sierra Ct., in the Murco Center. Q: What kind of cars do you work on? A: We work on all Domestic, Asian and European cars and light trucks. Q: Where can I find reviews about your repair business before I bring in my vehicle? A: You may go to www.yelp.com or to our testimonials page to read about our excellent service and what our pleased customers are saying about us. Q: May I receive an estimate in writing? A: Yes, we will be happy to provide ... read more