Brake Repair and Service

Posted on by admin

Stop: Ever wondered how your brakes work? Do they squeal or feel squishy? Find out what it all means. And discover what happens during a brake inspection and why Bowie Auto Clinic is the place to go for stopping power.

BRAKE SERVICES

Call 301-383-1277 to schedule an appointment

Brakes pulling, pulsating, making noise? Pedal mushy, hard to press, or low? ABS light on? Car not stopping right? Bowie Auto Clinic is your one-stop shop for brake maintenance, diagnosis and repair. Let Bowie Auto Clinic’s experts assist you with your brake service needs. Just Brakes

Warranty on All Brake Services
Bleed, Fill and Adjust Brakes
Rotor and Drum Resurfacing
Caliper Reconditioning and Replacement
Wheel Cylinder Replacement
New Master Cylinders
Brake Line Repair and Replacement
New Brake Hoses
ABS Diagnosis and Repair
Power Boosters
Parking Brake Service and Repair

Shop Fees & Disposal Charges

Call 301-383-1277 to schedule an appointment

Shop fees charged by Bowie Auto Clinic covers supplies, equipment and materials that are used in quantities impractical to measure for each vehicle. These items include, but may not be limited to, worn out items and tools, lubricants, solvents, small nuts, bolts, washers, clamps and adhesives. It also applies to health and safety equipment to conform to state and local labor laws, such as eye protection, back supports, protective gloves and disposal of shop mop water.

Disposal charges that are charged on specific services and products are not included in the shop fee calculation. These charges are specific to the proper disposal of the hazardous or regulated scrap or waste of the service or product. These include, but may not be limited to, waste oil and filters, antifreeze, transmission fluid, retention devices and scrap tires.

Call 301-383-1277 to schedule an appointment

Our Reviews

Emergency Services

Posted on by admin

Roadside Assistance Services: What to Look For

Call 301-383-1277 to schedule an appointment

A good roadside assistance plan should provide every possible roadside service, generous extras, and quality customer support.

Services
The services provided by a roadside assistance company are the most important features to consider when choosing a plan. Essential services include 24/7 roadside assistance, lock-out assistance, minor roadside adjustments, towing, tire change service, extrication, gasoline delivery and dead battery services.

Other key services we looked at include an on-time arrival guarantee, emergency travel assistance and reimbursements for travel interruption expenses. It is also important to consider how many times you can call for service each year and how much it costs to add an additional family member.

Coverage
While you can request service no matter where you breakdown, some roadside assistance companies are unable to enroll members from certain states. Choose a provider that covers the vehicles you drive the most. Some companies also offer coverage for RVs and motorcycles as well as trailers.

Most breakdown services offer more than one plan, giving you better and more comprehensive coverage for an additional cost. Look for a roadside assistance service that offers the most coverage with a basic plan, then upgrade if you want the bonuses their enhanced plans offer.

Extras
The best roadside assistance plans offer generous extras, such as online, trip-planning tools, retail discounts, concierge services and emergency travel assistance. Many companies also sell car insurance and offer a mobile application for quicker assistance. These extras can help you save money and make it easier to plan and enjoy your next adventure.

Help & Support
A good roadside assistance plan should offer toll-free phone support to answer any questions you may have before signing up or to address any concerns once you’re a member. They should also offer email support as an additional option. We also looked for FAQs on each plan’s website site, since a good FAQs section can help you find answers to your questions quickly.

Knowing help is only a phone call away can bring you peace of mind, no matter the situation that may occur on the road. Whether you’re in need of a tow or lock out assistance in the middle of the desert or on the side of the highway, these roadside assistance plans deliver. Add in benefits from travel planning assistance to retail discounts, and the roadside assistance plans in our reviews are sure to provide the features you’re looking for when choosing a great motor club.

Call 301-383-1277 to schedule an appointment

Dealership Alternative

Posted on by admin

We can handle your maintenance services for you.

Call 301-383-1277 to schedule an appointment

“It’s a common misconception that only car dealers can perform the maintenance services on a newer vehicle that is under warranty,” said Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council. “Clearly, consumers can have maintenance services done by their local independent service shop without affecting your warranty, even though dealers and manufacturers often suggest the opposite.”

Call 301-383-1277 to schedule an appointment

Porsche IMS Bearing Problem

Posted on by admin

Click Image

Problems with Carerra IMS Bearing One of the weaknesses with the M96/M97 Carerra engine identified in recent years by Porsche has been the (IMS (intermediate shaft) bearing, which supports the intermediate shaft on the flywheel end of the motor. When the bearing wears out, the timing chains on the engine may disengage, and the engine will quickly self-destruct. When the bearing does begin to deteriorate, foreign object debris from the bearing circulates throughout the engine, causing damage to other areas in the engine.

Call 301-383-1277 to schedule an appointment

This appears to be one of the most common failure mechanisms present with both the Boxster and 911 Carrera engine. There are several warning signs. When you first start your car, you may hear a loud rattling noise that goes away after about 10 seconds or so. When you accelerate, you may also hear this noise too. This noise is the sound of the chains or the bearing rattling around in the engine because the bearing has deteriorated the engine is soon on its way to skipping a tooth on the sprocket and costing you thousands of dollars. If you have the car up on a lift, you can listen carefully and you should be able to isolate the noise to the area of the IMS.

Signs of a failing IMS bearing can also be found by inspecting the oil filter. Shiny metallic debris from the balls used within the bearing itself may travel through the oil system and become trapped in the oil filter as well as small bits of black plastic from the seal on the bearing. During a routine clutch job, you can also simply remove the IMS cover and take a closer look at the bearing itself (lock and check the camshafts prior to removing the cover). If the center shaft is wobbly (see video), or the center of the bearing doesn’t spin freely, then it’s probably on its way to failure. Luckily, there are a few solutions available.

First, change your oil every 5,000 miles or sooner and use a higher viscosity motor oil that has additional anti-wear additives. Use Porsche approved 5w40 viscosity motor oils, preferably one that carries an API SJ-SL rating. Also consider using an oil with more anti-wear additives (like Zn, P, or moly extreme). Recent regulatory changes in the United States have caused oil companies to revise their formulations of oil and reduce the amount of anti-wear components in them. The reasoning behind this is the belief that these components contribute to premature deterioration of the catalytic converters. The solution to this problem is to make sure that you run motor oil with the proper anti-wear formulations and change your oil often.

Call 301-383-1277 to schedule an appointment