Brooklyn Park Auto Repair

“Where the rubber meets the road” is a term that we hear now and then, often regarding accountability. In so many ways, this saying also pertains to tire rotation quite literally. Rotating your tires at regular intervals ensures your tires wear evenly. Just think, if your front-wheel-drive car has heavy wear on the front tires, it can increase braking time, especially in wet conditions. Vehicles with front-wheel drive wear do down their front tires much faster than the rear. Regularly rotating them helps reduce replacement costs while extending the life of your tire.   Did you know tires have an expiration date? Many makers recommend retiring tires over six years of age. You can even tell the age of your tires by the last four digits on the DOT code. There is a lot of information listed on your tires if you know where to look. If you are unsure what all to look for, the experts at AutoPro Auto Services are here to help!    Tire rotation on your car is usually ... read more

When you’re thinking about your next car, there are many factors to take into consideration, and when you have a family, there are some extra special concerns you’re going to be contemplating during your process.  These factors include safety and value come up as two of the largest points that are involved in determining a family and kid-friendly vehicle. Safety: we all want safe cars, but when it comes to driving our families around, safety has to be one of the number one factors when considering choosing a car. Paying attention to all of the standard and optional safety features is necessary during the shopping experience.  Value: the value ranges of family-minded cars can vary widely, as some families are looking for the best they can get on a budget versus luxury SUVs, which can also be extremely kid-friendly. Make sure you know what you’re intending to look for and take that into consideration.   2019 Honda CRV-LX A base 2019 CRV-LX is going to p ... read more

Hot, sticky, Minnesota summers certainly don’t help to keep the bad smells out of our cars. Food that had dropped into hard-to-get-to crevices or the fast food bag we left in the back can contribute to the bad smells. Our pets who come along for the ride can also add to the stench. Not only does a bad smelling car stink (pun intended!), some of those bad smells can contribute to our allergies and other health challenges. It’s time to clean it up!  Here are some common household items that can help you with that smell: Dryer sheets: Open up a box of dryer sheets and place them underneath your front seat to eliminate any odd odors and keep the cabin smelling fresh. Scented candles: First of all, don’t light them! Also, avoid using candles in jars as those don’t work, but placing some smaller tealight candles under your front seat can help get rid of odors and they come in many different fragrances. Baking soda: Sprinkling some baking soda around the insid ... read more

Whether you car is old or new, has hundreds of thousands of miles or just a few, it doesn’t have to overheat. Minnesota may not have the hottest weather in the country, but that’s not what would cause your vehicle to overheat anyway. There are plenty of cars that drive in the hottest of the summer months all over the country that do not overheat! Common causes of a car overheating include: Leaks in the Cooling System. (This is the number one reason why a car overheats!)  Coolant concentration is off.  Thermostat is bad.  Radiator needs repair or replacing. Hoses or belts have worn out or broken.  Radiator fan has stopped working.  Water pump is no longer doing its job.  Now that you know the leading causes of overheating, let’s take a look at the ways you can prevent your car from leaving you stranded on the side of the road this summer: Check to make sure your coolant level is high. Never use water in your radiator and know the best ... read more

Bizarre, remarkable, and unusual are all synonyms that describe what “strange” is. These odd cars that you have probably never seen or heard of have made the list of the strangest cars in the world. Time to buckle up and take a trip into the past and check out these one-of-a-kind cars.  Starting off with the egg like shaped 1942 Oeuf Electrique since it only had 3 wheels. It was a tricycle that got an engine that ran on batteries instead of gas. The infamous train designer, Paul Arzen, gave a shot at designing this strange car. The Oeuf Electrique was hand-formed out of aluminum and plexiglass.  General Motors tapped into their creative side and make this turbo engine with 370 horsepower and created the 1953 General Motors Firebird 1 XP-21. This beast was considered an actual jet fighter on 4-wheels with its bubble cockpit and tail fin.  The third abstract car is the 1970 Ferrari 512 S Modulo that was specially made for the Geneva Motor show in 1970. This ... read more

Getting a whole family packed into a car and driving for hours or even days is a challenge. There is a lot of planning and bathroom breaks along the way. You can have the same amount of fun on a day trip without the hassle of a long trip. Brooklyn Park has a wide range of activities for you and your family that are inexpensive too. If you are thinking of a fun day out right here in Brooklyn Park, make sure to check out some of these cool places.  The first thing you must do in the area is to go and check out the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden. It’s free and fun to go take pictures with all the giant outdoor art pieces plus the kids love to climb and play around on it. It’s guaranteed to be the cherry on top of your day.  If you have older kids then take them to the Game Show Battle Room and release your inner competitor. For $149 you can pick teams and battle your family in classic or prime time tv shows. You’ll be sure to get some laughs, memories, and wins ... read more

Gas prices always seem too high and most people find themselves driving around town to find the cheapest price. Everyone loves to save at the pump. There are a few different smartphone apps that help and show you which gas stations have the lowest price. Gas prices jump or drop every day but who sets that price? Have you ever thought to yourself “what determines the price of gas?”  We as consumers like to blame the big oil companies, refineries, or the distributors for the high gas prices. While they absolutely do contribute to the overall price, there are many factors that determine gas stations price.  Location is a factor. If a gas station doesn’t have competition and is closer to the highway or an area where many commutes, they often charge a higher price. If there is a competitor that can drive the price up or down, most likely down. The competition gas stations want the lowest price to draw in the most customers. Owners will go out at least twice a d ... read more

Have an open weekend and not sure what to do? There’s plenty to do right here in Minnesota’s 6th largest city, Brooklyn Park! It’s close to the Mississippi River, and our city is full of fun things to do over a nice weekend.     Check out Coon Rapid Dam Regional Park for trails meant for walking, running, and biking. If you are an outdoor enthusiast, then this is the place for you. No matter what side of the dam you are on you will see a fantastic sunset. They also have kayaks available to rent and seven miles to explore on the water.   If you are a craft beer lover, then you must visit the Blue Wolf Brewing. This is the first ever craft brewery in Brooklyn Park. It serves German-style beers, has a great atmosphere, different food trucks outside, and friendly staff. They ... read more

What? Flying cars? What are you talking about?? When pigs fly! Oh, wait a minute. For some of us, this is an idea of the future… a future that will never arrive. In reality, it is a ‘when’ not an ‘if’ idea that is coming closer to fruition every day. It’s just a matter of time before we take to the skies to get to the office or dinner or our kid’s soccer game. Imagine what that will look like… remember George Jetson? Probably a bit like that, but let’s leave our imaginations wide open for what’s truly possible. In the none-too-distant past, it was thought that we would be jetting around all over the skies by the year 2000. While that didn’t quite happen, it will. Consider this, though… just how much we love our cars that hug the curves of the open ROAD. Yes, road. As we move into the future and we have the option to fly to work instead of drive, how easily do you think we will transition over to that exclusive o ... read more

Since most of the people in this country truly love their cars, it’s not unusual to think about just how much that is the case this time of year. Cars represent freedom, control, power, status and that’s more than you can say about most other things in your life. Even if you drive a piece of junk, it still provides the freedom that a bus or bicycle simply cannot! So, for the car lover in your life, here are some ideas for Valentine’s Day:   Books: There are some really, really cool books on the history of cars on Amazon. Muscle cars, a visual history of the auto, classic cars, the art of the automobile, unique cars, and the list goes on. If your sweetheart has a fascination with the automobile, he or she would love one of these visually gorgeous coffee-table books. Check them out ... read more