Automotive Industry 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, FL, we know how easy it is to overlook vehicle maintenance when everything is working as it should - we also know firsthand the toll neglected maintenance takes on a vehicle. Here’s an easy thing you can do yourself, that might save you an engine, transmission, or avoid numerous other problems.

The condition of your transmission fluid can tell you a lot about the condition of the transmission itself. At Melvin's Auto & Truck Repair in St Augustine, FL, we want to help you be aware of what to look for and what we look for when servicing your transmission.

Obviously, the dirtier your fuel system is, the bigger the improvement you will see in performance and fuel economy after a fuel system cleaning. But it is important not to wait until your system is running poorly. If you do, by the time you get a cleaning, you’ve wasted hundreds of dollars in gas or even possibly damaged your fuel injectors and catalytic converter.

The turbo on your diesel pickup is a precision engineered component. As a result, proper maintenance is essential to keeping it going strong. At tens or even hundreds of thousands of RPM, keeping everything in good shape is absolutely necessary. Fortunately, turbos don’t really require any special maintenance - they just make the maintenance you do all the more important.

Don’t you hate it when potholes sneak up on you? There is a lot of money being spent on vehicle damage due to potholes. Do you know what parts of your car could receive the most damage? Melvin's Auto & Truck Repair is the leader in St Augustine, FL for the service and repair of automotive tires. We know the kind of damage that can be done, so if you suspect something is wrong with your car or truck, it’s always a good idea to stop by so we can take a quick look.

Good diesel technicians and shops that service diesel engines are hard to come by. At Melvin's Auto & Truck Repair in St Augustine, FL, diesels are our specialty. There are many reasons to have diesel truck maintenance performed by diesel specialists - here are just a few.

Everyone from mechanics, to your uncle that works on cars, has at some point given you advice concerning engine oil. The fact of the matter is that while we are familiar with words like “synthetic” and “oil weight,” many people don’t know exactly what the terminology means, or why common knowledge about oil exists in the form that it does. At Melvin's Auto & Truck Repair in St Augustine, FL, we keep things clear and simple. The more you know about your vehicle, the better equipped you are to keep it maintained, and we know a thing or two about vehicles. We have compiled a short list of common myths for you, most of which you’ve heard, but maybe never second guessed.