Automotive News & Information - Melvin's Auto & Truck Repair

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.

At Melvin's Auto & Truck Repair in St Augustine, we understand how important it is to have ice cold AC in your truck on a long, hot day. Whether you drive a Chevy, Ford, or Dodge diesel pickup, chances are you have a lot of cab to cool down, and a subpar AC just won’t cut it.

At Melvin's Auto & Truck Repair in St Augustine, we know the key to making your vehicle last; good maintenance. An overwhelming percentage of the problems we see, especially the really catastrophic ones, are a result of poor maintenance. While properly maintaining a vehicle can seem a like a bit of a hassle, it is absolutely worth the payoff. Good maintenance is the only difference between a car that lasts 80,000 miles and a car that lasts 400,000 miles. Preventative maintenance and repair when a problem occurs are are your two concerns, and both will keep your car on the road far longer, if observed properly.

Spark plugs have been around since the beginning, and play as important a role now as they did a hundred years ago. It’s a good idea to replace them as a set at regular intervals, but sometimes one will go bad sooner than the rest for one reason or another. How do you know if you have a bad spark plug? Here are some indicators, from Melvin's Auto & Truck Repair in St Augustine, FL.

Do you have a noisy vehicle? If so, you may need a new muffler or exhaust system from our team here at Melvin's Auto & Truck Repair in St Augustine. The purpose of your exhaust system is not only to reduce the noise but also to redirect fumes away from your vehicle. Redirecting these fumes protects passengers in the car from toxins created by burning fuel.

Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless chemical that can escape from an unsecured exhaust system, and if inhaled can pose very serious health hazards. If you experience an unusually loud sound coming from your vehicle, it is vital to get your exhaust system checked immediately!

When you think about diesel engines, you probably think about large trucks and machinery, and maybe a few oddball cars over the years. So how long has diesel really been around, and why is it used the way it is today? At Melvin's Auto & Truck Repair in St Augustine, FL, we have the answers.

Wheel bearings often go overlooked but have an incredibly important job to perform. Wheel bearings are an integral component of your truck, and when one begins to fail, other problems begin to arise. At Melvin's Auto & Truck Repair in St Augustine, we want you to have the ability to recognize a problem before it turns into a bigger one. Here’s what to look out for.

Oil changes are integral to the performance, longevity, and reliability of your diesel truck. At Melvin's Auto & Truck Repair in St Augustine, our expert mechanics understand the importance of good quality oil, changed at correct intervals, in allowing you to get the most out of your Cummins, Powerstroke, or Duramax diesel.