[bagboy]

Originally Posted by harleyrider2

I’ve been taking my cars to Boulevard Tire on Hwy 441 In Lady Lake for the past 15 years. Great mechanics and service. They do it all.

I've been going to Boulevard Tire for several years. I think they are knowledgeable, fair, and honest. I feel the same about Michaels Automotive in Fruitland Park.

[DAVES]

Interesting that so many of the recommendations are something or other Tire.
I too have used Wildwood Tire and was well pleased. I used them for a flat. It was patched on the inside, the proper way to do it. It was quick, pleasant and done right.

I do have a Chevy and use George Nahas Chevrolet. Again we've been pleased.

As to Tire dealers for service, my opinion like everything else there are good and their are bad. Not in Florida. At one time I was using Firestone. A rear brake job. I saw their,"mechanic," do it. Rather than properly backing down the shoes, he just used a big sledge hammer. He broke the cooling fin off the drum. There is no way that wheel assembly will ever properly balance and it is likely the drum had cracks in it. I spoke to the desk manager he called out the guy who did it. The repair guy denied the whole thing and claimed it was like that. I went with the manger to the work bay and picked up
the piece off the floor.

We've all had bad experiences somewhere and sometime. Realize you are trusting the shop with your safety and your life.

[easydog]

Originally Posted by VillageNewbie4

Would appreciate recommendations on two auto questions.

1) reliable oil change location

2) trustworthy, reliable reasonably priced auto mechanic

Thanks

Sumter Tire ... highly recommended.

[rwfisher1969]

Originally Posted by airdale2

I disagree!

why?

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by davephan

You didn't mention the make of your vehicle. We own a Toyota, and always have the oil changes done at the Toyota dealer. The cost of the oil change is probably a little higher at the dealer, but the oil change only needs to be done once year, so a slightly higher cost is insignificant. The reason to get the oil change done at the dealer is the free multipoint inspection that is included with the oil change. Sometimes, other problems are discovered that need attention. I think its better to properly maintain your vehicle to increase your vehicle's reliability. If your vehicle isn't relable, you're walking.

Yes, Bill Bryant (sp?) is VERY good at finding something additional wrong with your car when you just went in for an oil change!
We have used Bobby at Acu-Tech for years. Great service, reasonable prices, honest.

[DAVES]

Originally Posted by CFrance

Yes, Bill Bryant (sp?) is VERY good at finding something additional wrong with your car when you just went in for an oil change!
We have used Bobby at Acu-Tech for years. Great service, reasonable prices, honest.

Different strokes for different folks. Finding something else when you are in for an oil change. When they have your car on the lift for an oil change they can see things we many not be aware of. For me that is good and proper service. Trust? If, and some do,
a mechanic damages stuff so they can charge you to repair, that is of course criminal.

When, to do stuff is often a matter of opinion. Many cars come with lifetime transmission fluid. What does that mean? You choose to follow their advice and you need a new transmission. The fluid did last the life of the transmission. Others will say if you change the fluid it will cause the transmission to fail. I had mine changed. It is fine. Was it a waste of money? I will never know or be able to prove it one way of the other.

Was it even done? I put paint or nail polish on the head of a screw or bolt that needs to be removed to do a job. It is then easy to know that the job was done. An oil change.
I check that the oil filter that I out nail polish on is gone and that the oil is clean and up to the proper mark on the dipstick. Not to me but I recall a friend had his engine seize
because the guy who changed his oil put the wrong filter on and the oil leaked out on a highway trip. ???? Mal practice AUTO?????

[OhioBuckeye]

Originally Posted by VillageNewbie4

Would appreciate recommendations on two auto questions.

1) reliable oil change location

2) trustworthy, reliable reasonably priced auto mechanic

Thanks

Reasonably priced would be my first concern. Personally if you want a reasonably price check to see what oil & filter cost if you would be doing it yourself, not that you’re doing it yourself but then check & see how much more some of these suggestions are charging over & above what it would cost you to do it yourself. Then you can judge for yourself if it’s reasonable! To do it yourself it’ll cost about $25. Good Luck!

[sloanst]

Sumter Tire for everything.

[Curtisbwp]

Where did you have your oil changed where tou come from?
I buy two cars every 2 tears, except this year. Toyota tacoma needs oil change every 10,000 miles, toyota Rav 4 every 4,000 miles. I gi to dealer.

[Janhug123]

Sumpter Tire 301 in Wildwood

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by DAVES

Interesting that so many of the recommendations are something or other Tire.
I too have used Wildwood Tire and was well pleased. I used them for a flat. It was patched on the inside, the proper way to do it. It was quick, pleasant and done right.

I do have a Chevy and use George Nahas Chevrolet. Again we've been pleased.

As to Tire dealers for service, my opinion like everything else there are good and their are bad. Not in Florida. At one time I was using Firestone. A rear brake job. I saw their,"mechanic," do it. Rather than properly backing down the shoes, he just used a big sledge hammer. He broke the cooling fin off the drum. There is no way that wheel assembly will ever properly balance and it is likely the drum had cracks in it. I spoke to the desk manager he called out the guy who did it. The repair guy denied the whole thing and claimed it was like that. I went with the manger to the work bay and picked up
the piece off the floor.

We've all had bad experiences somewhere and sometime. Realize you are trusting the shop with your safety and your life.

FYI, I recently got a new set of Michelin tires for my SUV. I got a quote from Wildwood Tire, Sumter Tire, Goodyear, and Firestone for the same tire model. The lowest quote was from Firestone by a lot. That was surprising since they seem to have the highest overhead. They were also able to get the tires from Orlando and install them within a few hours. The other places needed at least 24-48 hours.

[cherylncliff]

Michael's Auto Repair
307 N Villa Ave, Fruitland Park, FL 34731

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by DAVES

Different strokes for different folks. Finding something else when you are in for an oil change. When they have your car on the lift for an oil change they can see things we many not be aware of. For me that is good and proper service. Trust? If, and some do,
a mechanic damages stuff so they can charge you to repair, that is of course criminal.

When, to do stuff is often a matter of opinion. Many cars come with lifetime transmission fluid. What does that mean? You choose to follow their advice and you need a new transmission. The fluid did last the life of the transmission. Others will say if you change the fluid it will cause the transmission to fail. I had mine changed. It is fine. Was it a waste of money? I will never know or be able to prove it one way of the other.

Was it even done? I put paint or nail polish on the head of a screw or bolt that needs to be removed to do a job. It is then easy to know that the job was done. An oil change.
I check that the oil filter that I out nail polish on is gone and that the oil is clean and up to the proper mark on the dipstick. Not to me but I recall a friend had his engine seize
because the guy who changed his oil put the wrong filter on and the oil leaked out on a highway trip. ???? Mal practice AUTO?????

My husband has a 16-yr-old Dodge Magnum Hemi. For the last TEN years Bill Bryant has wanted to change a computer module to the tune of $1200. Why, we don't really know, but have been told it's not a safety issue, and the car continues to work fine. I think it's just on their list of maintenance items to do at Year So-and-So.


After bill Bryant installed a new a/c on this car and it failed after a year, three Dodge dealers in three big cities, including Bill Bryant, couldn't figure out what was wrong. They ran their computer tests and came up with nothing.


Bobby at Accu-Tech actually crawled all over the problem physically until he found the problem and fixed it. The sensor had been installed in the wrong place, causing the a/c to turn itself off. The dealers never actually looked at the a/c, just ran their modules. $145 to Bobby instead of another new a/c from Bill Bryant.


Your results may vary, but we have been using Bobby for everything we need for our cars and are very happy with his work.

[Mac1996]

Cheep and good do not usually go together. I can say this from my own experience

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by Mac1996

Cheep and good do not usually go together. I can say this from my own experience

I agree. But I will pay a fair price for honest, good-quality work, and that does not always come from a car dealer. Where I come from, the dealership was usually the last resort.