Brooklyn Park Auto Repair

As we head into the month of love, it’s important to recognize that our cars need love too. While they may not need flowers to feel loved, they do need regular, ongoing attention in the guise of preventive maintenance. Even though you may want to ignore it, preventive maintenance is the one routine that will not only extend the life and performance of your vehicle, it also has the power to keep you safe. You can’t say that about a dozen roses! Reasons why it’s a good idea to stay on top of your preventive maintenance schedule: Helps to keep your car a reliable one. Improves overall engine performance. Increases gas mileage. Decreases the likelihood of getting stranded on the side of the road. Helps you avoid extensive damage to car parts due to neglect. Reduces the overall auto repair bills over the lifespan of your vehicle. Increases resale value.  Improves drivability. Safety! Safety! Safety! Basics of regular preventive maintenance include: Oil changes Flu ... read more

What makes John Klarkowski and his team of highly skilled auto mechanics at AutoPro Auto Service unique? So many reasons! From hiring the right people to offering loaner cars, from one of the best warranties in the business to our high level of transparency, everything we do is to create the very best customer service experience for you. We aren’t interested in earning a fast dollar. It’s all about building relationships and making sure you know that YOU matter. Staff: AutoPro Auto Service hires off of character first and foremost. John works hard to motivate and guide his team. They stay with him for years because he makes an effort to create and maintain a great connection. He treats them well and with respect.  The employees come first in order to make our customers come first. John doesn’t have peace of mind unless each employee is doing well. He meets with them daily in order to check-in and makes sure they are all okay.  The goal is to have a positiv ... read more

Tis the season. It is that time of year to pack a thermos of hot cocoa and pile some of your friends and family in the car. Go for a nice cruise through the neighborhoods of Brooklyn Park to see some dazzling lights displays.   We’re on the final countdown to Christmas, and everyone is feeling the holiday spirit, especially at Minnesota’s various light shows! We are blessed with a lot of amazing ways to celebrate the season, but nothing ever beats seeing some epic holiday lights synchronized to our favorite Christmas tunes! If you’re looking for some extra cheer, crank up those holiday tunes and head to the fantastic light displays around Brooklyn Park. Most of them run through the New Year so you can fit them all in.   There is something magical in seeing those glittering festive winter wonderland displays, lights following the lines of roofs, windowsills that highlight the design of these decorated homes. It is wonderful to see the hard work and celebratio ... read more

“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