Boise Auto Repair

One of the surest ways to get people arguging about cars is to ask: Should you let your car idle for brief periods? Like many things with cars, there's no simple answer. Things to consider are: How long, what's the temperature outside, and what's more important? For example, starting your car uses a jolt of gasoline, about the same amount of gas you'd use by idling for 30 seconds. So, by that reasoning, if you're going to be idling for more than 30 seconds, you'd save more gas by turning your engine off. On the other hand, you're only going to get a certain number of starts out of your starter motor - typically, 6,000 to 10,000 starts, depending on vehicle condition, climate and size of engine. After that, you'll need to replace your starter motor, which is about $500. So, one way of looking at this is: It costs between 5 and 8 cents each time your start your car. You have to factor that against the gas you'd save. Another factor to consider is the weather. If it's extr ... read more

Dirty windshields are a huge safety problem and in November, and we will install new NAPA wiper blades for just $2 each. Come in during November and we’ll replace your wiper blades for $2, installed! There some great advice at Streetdirectory.com. First, dirty or scratched windshields and headlights are a big safety risk. If you receive glare from an oncoming car and cannot see due to a dirty windshield, your risk of having an accident is greatly increased. Dirty or scratched windshields will actually reflect the light causing more glare and possibly blinding your vision. It is a good idea to properly clean your windshield every time you fill up. Many service stations have windshield washing fluid and brushes free for you to use. It is also a good idea to check your headlights

We have a soft spot for helping people and we recently gave a new battery to some merchants in the former Boise International Market. Abdul and his wife Kutukira are hardworking people and it's unfortunate the market burned down. The market added diversity to Boise, a space for entrepreneurs, and provided a nice place for lunch, coffee and shopping. We hope it opens again soon somewhere. There's a Gofundme page that has been helping the merchants and their families also. When word came to us that Abdul's van needed a battery, we were happy to help. Service manager Ed Guild and truck rental specialist Sandra Bright present a new battery to Abdul Mukomwa

Few things are a sure as to start an argument as the role of the air conditioner in mileage. This article at AutoBlog talks about the issue somewhat. The bottom line is, yes, the air conditioner uses a lot of power and will reduce your mileage, sometimes by as much s 9 miles per gallon. On the other hand, according to the AutoBlog article, rolling down your windows at high speed produces a lot of drag, which also reduces mileage. A lot of it boils down to your priorities. If you place a high value on mileage, you should keep your windows up and your air conditioner off and sweat a lot. On the other hand, if you want to drive in comfort on a hot day, then turn the air conditioner off and be prepared to pay a little more at the pump. There may be a safety factor to the air conditioning: If you're hot and uncomfortable while driving, then that's a distraction. A ... read more

We’re proud of our new hoist, which will allow us to lift SUVs and work trucks up to 10,000 pounds. At Plantation Tune Tune, we're constantly reinvesting in new equipment to stay current. Today, we just installed a $3,000 lift to raise vehicles up to 10,000 pounds. It's our third hoist - our other two can lift up to 7,000 and 9,000 pounds. This larger lift fills a need for servicing heavier vehicles. With this hoist, we will be able to lift up the heaviest SUVs, as well as many diesel work trucks and 1-ton trucks such as the Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD, the Dodge Ram 3500 and Ford Super Duty F-350. Modern lifts are totally above-ground. The old-style lifts, which had a large post that came up out of the ground, are no longer permissible. The EPA has banned them because they tended to leak oil into the ground and the new style is much more environmentally friendly. Plus
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For the third year in a row, we are donating to Ultimate Car Show and Charity Fundraiser at J's Ultimate Hand Car Wash. This year's show will be at the car wash from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. this Saturday, July 25. Since 2013, J's has been holding the show to bring a nice event to Garden City, and also to raise money for charities. As in years past, we're donating a couple of oil changes (which are the best in the business, by the way!). We reprinted the news release for this year's show, which has all the details, including the purpose of the charity. This year, money raised will go toward supporting veterans programs. So, please stop by J's this Saturday! J’s Ultimate Hand Car Wash 3rd annual car show, charity fundraiser set for Garden City on Saturday, July 25 Free public event includes family fun, a car show and raffles and fundraisers for local veterans causes For more information ... read more

Temperatures around Boise will hit 106 degrees today and even higher tomorrow, with triple-digits forecast for the rest of the week. That kind of heat puts extreme stress on an engine and this is a good time to think about getting your engine checked out. You definitely don't want to be one of the motorists on the side of the road, hood open Catastrophic overheating happens all the time in hot weather. and steam and fumes pouring out. An auto engine runs optimally at 200 degrees Fahrenheit and produces a great deal of heat. Overheating will destroy it within minutes. In the depths of winter, when it is the teens and single digits, an engine may run just fine without a cooling system! Most of the time, though, a cooling system is essential to keep the engine within operating temperatures. The higher the outside temperature, the less margin of error there is and the faster heat will damage your engine. The cooling system consists of the radiator, water pump, cooling fan a ... read more

Likely some of you have used online medical record access - you log in to a secure site and you can see procedures, prescriptions, bills and other health records from your provider. It's convenient and gives people more information to make better-informed health care decisions. Sample of Mechanicnet page showing service record of a Plantation customer’s car. We now have the same type of thing for our customers at Plantation Tune Tech Automotive Service Center. We have recently partnered with Mechanicnet, a leading comepany in customer outreach for auto repair shops. The next time you stop in for service, we will inform you about the Mechanicnet portal and give you the login information. Logging in is really very simple and you will have instant access to all the service information Plantation has on your car. The uses of repair ... read more

We do a great deal of foreign auto repair at Plantation and we currently have a 1977 Porsche 911S (named "Waldo") in our shop for restoration, which includes engine rebuild, new electrical systems, full interior detail, reseal the transmission, suspension update and event new wiper blades! Auto technician Ryan Glenn, left, and service adviser Ed Guild work on Waldo’s engine. These old Porsches are very popular and collectors love them. Boise Porsche car enthusiasts even have a local club. Since its founding in 1931 by Austrian engineer Ferdinand Porsche, Porsches are known for high performance and longevity and Porsche also designed the Volkswagen Beetle. While Porsches are well-made cars, they do need a fair amount of maintenance. </span>The original ... read more

At Plantation, we pride ourselves on hiring the best auto techs to our team. We are pleased to announce the addition of Tom Lenan. Tom Lenan, Plantation Tune Tech auto technician and aftermarket specialist Tom is an advanced apprentice auto technician, working toward his ASE certification. He started with in the US Army from 2000 to 2003, where he maintained Humvees and heavy trucks. In the Army, Tom learned engine work, electrical, heating and cooling, suspension and other systems. Tom also completed the auto technician program at North Valley Occupational Center in California and worked at GM dealerships. Tom lives in Eagle with his wife and three children and moved here because he wanted a better place to raise his family. For fun, Tom likes doing things with his family and working on cars. Tom has expertise in instal ... read more