Winterize Your Vehicle

The last thing that any of us need at this time of the year is a vehicle that breaks down in cold, harsh winter weather. The most important thing that you should be doing at this time is winterizing your vehicle, so you don’t end up out in the cold and with the unexpected expense of emergency repairs.

Nothing brings on stress more than the thought of emergency repairs like engine not starting or otherwise being stranded, and those things happening in freezing winter weather can be even more stressful not to mention costly. Being prepared, getting your vehicle checked and winterized can give you peace of mind and help avoid the cost and hassle of a breakdown during the harsh winter months.

A few tips for winterizing your vehicle:

• Make sure car heaters, defrosters and wipers work appropriately. Consider winter wiper blades and use cold weather washer fluid.
• Get your battery and charging system checked for top performance. Cold weather can be hard on batteries.
• Don’t forget to check your tire tread depth and tire pressure. If snow and ice are a problem where you live, think about winter tires, they are designed to grip slick roads. During the winter months, tire pressure should be checked weekly.
• If it’s time for your vehicle’s tune-up, get it done before winter really settles in. Winter magnifies existing problems such as pings, hard starts, sluggish performance or rough idling.
• Have the brakes checked. The braking system is the vehicle’s most important safety item.

Another quick tip, keep your gas tank at least half full at all times to decrease the chances of moisture forming in the gas lines and possibly freezing. Remember to check the tire pressure of the spare in your trunk and stock an emergency kit with an ice scraper and snowbrush, jumper cables, flashlight, flares, blanket, extra clothes, candles/matches, bottled water, dry food snacks and needed medication.

Take good care of your car so that it can take care of you. If you have problems car engine, visit Metric Wrench Billings today to have a certified technician check it out for you. Visit Metric Wrench Billings today for all of your vehicle solutions today!

Stress Management For Your Vehicle

Did you know that if you fail to plan for maintenance it can turn small problems into larger ones, increasing your stress level as you try to figure out how to pay for your unexpected vehicle maintenance. The regrets of procrastinating on vehicle maintenance can range from a heater that runs cold to a battery that won't start the car.

We all have seasonal services that we need to take care of for our vehicles and now is the time to get started if you haven’t already. By being proactive you’re your vehicle maintenance, allows you the luxury of budgeting for unanticipated repairs.

Maintenance checklist:

Engine performance

There’s nothing worse than that first cold spell and your car doesn’t start! Be sure to have fuel, ignition and emission control systems checked, necessary components replaced and adjustments made.

Battery and electrical system

When did you purchase your battery? Is it time for a new one? You can have it tested and replaced if necessary. Be sure to clean and tighten battery terminals, as loose or corroded connections can cause symptoms of a weak or dead battery.

Oil and filter

Change both as recommended in the owner's manual, generally at 5,000 mile intervals for severe conditions and cold weather operation, especially when most driving is stop-and-go traffic. Check the owner's manual for more information on severe service.

Wipers

Replace old wiper blades and be sure your washers are working. Carry spare washer fluid in your vehicle.

Got a car problem? For more information about Audi, Volkswagen, BMW and Mercedes repair in Billings, Montana, please contact the professionals at Metric Wrench today!

Keep Your Feet Nice and Toasty in Your Car This Winter

If your car heater fails this winter, you’ll have to bundle yourself in extra clothing and blankets to keep relatively warm. Then you’ll have to pray that your teeth chattering rapidly doesn’t knock out any dental fillings.

However, you can avoid car-heater problems to begin with by recognizing a few indicators that signify pending car-heater trouble:

• Is there a chirping or screeching sound when you turn on your car heater? This noise could imply a worn fan-motor bearing. If the fan motor bearing is going out, then it’s only a matter of time before the motor fails altogether.

• Are you having difficulty moving the heater-control lever in your vehicle? This difficulty may be an indicator of a sticky or inoperative heater-control valve.

• What about moisture, does it build up in your car? If you answered yes, then your car’s heater core—a miniature radiator—might be leaking.

• Are you already experiencing problems with your heating system? It just isn’t working quite right? If your duct hoses leak, your heater will not you’re your or defrost your windows properly. Heater and defroster duct hoses carry fresh air into the system and warmed air to locations beyond the heater core.

• When you turn on your heater do you only feel cold air? This is an indicator of a leaking heater hose (which carries your system’s antifreeze) and if you don’t fix it, you could find yourself stranded in the snow!

If your car heater is working appropriately, you will be toasty warm in your car this winter and your windows will be clear this winter. So, be aware of the warning signs for potential heating problems, and get them fixed before they leave you shivering in the cold.

Synthetic Oil-Does it Really Matter

My new BMW was due for its first oil change. The owner’s manual recommends that I use synthetic oil. What’s the difference between regular oil and synthetic? Should I take the advice?

To begin with I would advise to always take the manufacture’s advice when it comes to servicing a new car. The manufacture shares information that is best for the vehicle that you purchase and you would be wise to follow the recommendations. Synthetic oil is not actually oil at all.

As the name implies, synthetic oil is a man made combination of chemicals that are tailored to mimic the characteristic of crude derived oils. The production process is not new; it was developed by the Germans in the Second World War to augment the lack of crude oil available. They were so successful that by the end of the war their production levels had reached millions of tons. They not only synthesized oil, but, produced fuel and even developed synthetic rubbers.

What are the advantages of synthetic oil?

Synthetic can withstand higher running temperatures and higher pressures than natural oil, without breaking down. Synthetic has a higher lubricity factor (it’s slippier, if that makes sense), offers better lubrication on cold starts (making cold starts easier), increased resistance to oxidation and thermal breakdown, and offers extended drain intervals and better chemical stability. It’s just better for the engine overall.

So, why doesn’t everybody use synthetic? Primarily because initial costs are greater than those of petroleum-based oils. Also, the lower friction co-efficient may make them unsuitable for engine break-in although we are starting to see many new car manufactures installing synthetic as the initial fill. There is also the potential of damage to plastic components running in the presence of the chemicals that make up the lubricant.

For the average motorist, synthetic has no real advantage, as these higher stress levels are never reached. However; if you are towing or working the vehicle, synthetic might be beneficial.

Hybrid vs. Gas vs. Diesel

I don't know about you, but gas prices are too out of control for my budget! I was trying to come up with ways that I could save money at the pumps. I wouldn't mind keeping it environmentally safe at the same time too. My conclusions is that I need the best fuel efficient vehicle out there, so I needed to do some research.

Here's what I learned and things that I wanted you to know when deciding among low-mileage gasoline cars, diesel-powered vehicles and gasoline-electric hybrids...

Fuel Economy Reality

Let's start with the fuel economy numbers on a window sticker of a new vehicle--studies show the average drive can expect only 75 percent or so of the mileage figures that are on the sticker of their new vehicle.

This has changed some since the federal government began phasing in a new way to calculate those fuel economy figures for the window stickers. The goal is to make the fuel economy statistics better reflect what real-world drivers will get.

What I discovered was that the numbers don’t come from real-world driving but from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency emission testing procedures on new vehicles. This means that the laboratory procedure does not involve cars using gasoline for the testing. And let’s don’t forget that there are a lot of other factors that we need to take into consideration like the weather, terrain, driving habits and condition of the vehicle—these factors affect the kind of mileage that regular drivers get.

This is not to say the reported numbers can't be used for comparison purposes between vehicles, especially those in the same class.

But you should know that a few owners of gas-electric hybrids, have complained that this is a huge difference between their mileage and that posted on their vehicle window stickers. Honda, Toyota, Lexus and Ford hybrid vehicles have real-world mileage via graphical displays on the dashboard, making it easier for the driver to pay attention to fuel use and mileage statistics more so than in conventional vehicles.

Consumer Reports magazine, which calculates its own fuel economy stats, noted that its Toyota Prius hybrid test car got 44 miles a gallon in real world driving, not the city/highway rating of 55 mpg that the government reports.

Do hybrid vehicles give you better mileage than like-sized vehicles in their class? Yes, but just be aware it will take more than just a gasoline-electric powertrain to get the fuel economy they think they've been promised.

Hybrid Pricing
Gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles cost more than non-hybrid vehicles—anywhere from a couple thousand dollars to several thousand dollars.

For example, the Honda Civic Hybrid has a starting manufacturer's suggested retail price of more than $22,500 for a base, 2007 model. A 2007 Civic LX gasoline-powered sedan with many comparable amenities carries a starting MSRP that is some $4,800 less.

True, the 2007 Civic Hybrid is rated by the EPA at 49 mpg in city driving and 51 mpg on the highway, for a combined 50 mpg. This is 30 percent better than the combined rating of 33 mpg for the gasoline-powered, 2007 LX model.

But even if you could maximize your fuel savings and gets the full 17-mpg benefit in the Hybrid, you would need more than a dozen years of 15,000-mile annual travel before the gasoline savings—calculated with gasoline at approximately $2.40 a gallon—would recoup the $4,800 extra paid for the Hybrid over the traditional Civic LX.

Other Hybrid Issues
Like any new product in this world, the auto industry has predicted that the hybrid vehicle prices will drop as they become more plentiful and there are greater economies of scale.

Today's hybrids are fairly new which means that the technology mates an electric motor to a gasoline engine so the electric motor supplements the engine at times. This reduces greenhouse gases as well as optimizes the use of gasoline.

Hybrids have electronic engine controls that modulate the smooth working of these two systems together and manage power delivery to maximize fuel efficiency.

Hybrids store electric energy on board in large battery packs. The packs are warranted for eight to ten years, depending on the manufacturer, current prices are about $3,000.

Diesel Efficiency
Diesel-powered passenger vehicles are another fuel-efficient choice.

Popular in Europe, diesel models are limited in their availability in the U.S. because five states—California, New York, Massachusetts, Maine and Vermont—prohibit their sale due to emission restrictions. And it’s worth mentioning that gas-electric hybrid vehicles are sold in all states. Indeed, hybrids are far cleaner in many emission properties than even conventional gasoline vehicles.

Having said that, diesels are known for getting extra mileage out of every gallon of fuel, they offer better torque than many gasoline engines. And their price differential over gasoline models generally is much smaller than that for hybrids.

For example, Mercedes-Benz's midsize 2007 E320 diesel sedan has a starting MSRP of $51,550, which is only $1,000 more than the starting price for a 2007 E350 gasoline sedan.

Yet the 3.0-liter V6 in the E320 BLUETEC sedan, as the diesel version is called, puts out an amazing 388 lb-ft of torque starting as low as 1600 rpm and compares with the 258 lb-ft of torque starting at 2400 rpm in the 3.5-liter V6 gasoline engine in the E350 sedan.

The diesel E-Class's fuel economy rating is 26/35 mpg, for a combined 30 mpg, and compares with 19/26, for a combined 21 mpg, in the gasoline E350.

So, if you maximized the diesel's fuel economy and were able to get 9 extra miles per gallon, it would take less than three years to recoup the approximately $1,000 extra cost for the diesel engine in the E-Class if diesel prices were in the neighborhood of $2.40 a gallon.

Other Diesel Matters

Diesel engines are getting cleaner all the time. Thanks to cleaner diesel fuel with lower sulfur content now available in the U.S. and new vehicle tools that filters or traps troubling engine particulate emissions, diesels are becoming cleaner and cleaner all the time.

Mercedes states that its Bluetec is the "cleanest diesel in the world." And with all of the advancement with diesel engines, people still complain that diesel cars typically—though not always—are noisier than gasoline-powered vehicles. Some don’t like the telltale odor that is associated with diesel vehicles as well.

And, you can’t always find a gas station that has a diesel pump. In some cases, drivers may need to drive farther from suburban neighborhoods to find a place to fill up.

But needless to say, diesel engines have been with us for a long time—the first diesel-powered passenger car was a 1936 Mercedes—and diesel engines are known for their durability. That is why they're standard engines under the hoods of big semi-trucks.

Gasoline Models Can Shine
You don’t have to go to far from conventional gasoline models to find fuel-thrifty vehicles. But you will need to focus on small, lightweight vehicles in order to maximize the gas they use.

Gasoline models with the best fuel economy all have four-cylinder engines, rather than V6s or V8s.

Repowered Engines

Benefits of Repowering

Smart shoppers, like smart motorists, make better decisions when they know all the options. When a car or truck suffers major engine damage, the first reaction of most consumers is to buy a new or used vehicle. In some cases that might make sense, but often it's simply not necessary. And it's a very expensive proposition.

Technology and auto manufacturing have advanced dramatically in the past two decades. Cars and trucks last longer. Paint is better. Bodies are more corrosion resistant. Interior materials are more durable, and even suspension and other components last longer. So when an engine "dies," it does not have to be the end of your vehicle. When a car or truck suffers major engine damage, the first response and reaction of most consumers is to buy a new or used vehicle. Sometimes that might make sense, but often it's simply not necessary.

If your vehicle is in relatively good shape it may be wise to repower it with a rebuilt engine, rather than completely replace it with another vehicle. Once you consider the "hidden" costs in a new or used vehicle, the economic benefits become very clear. It's environmentally sound, and economically wise.

Rebuilt engines get better gas mileage than a worn engine, and emit fewer pollutants. Engine repowering also saves the tremendous amount of energy used in processing discarded engines and vehicles.

Avoiding Sticker Shock

The savings from engine repowering are especially evident when comparing against the prices of new vehicles. With an average sticker price of over $25,000, it doesn't take long to consider the option of repowering. When you also consider the "hidden costs" like taxes, finance charges, higher insurance rates and depreciation, repowering can be very attractive.

Used vehicles may cost less, but often you don't know what you're buying. Are there problems with the used vehicle that you are now aware of? Used vehicles also come with the same additional "hidden costs" involved in purchasing a new vehicle, and usually no warranty. Plus, any time you change the make and model of your vehicle you run the risk of incurring a higher insurance premium than you would if you stayed with the same car.

At Metric Wrench Billings we suggest the option of a used engine, it is less expensive than a new or reman. Our suggestion to car owner faced with a major repair is; consider the value of the car you are going to repair in the broken down condition (that is usually not very much, less than $1000), add to that the cost of repairing plus about 20% more for additional unforeseen repairs.

Next take that amount and see what it will buy to replace the broken car. Then make the decision, would you rather have your car fixed or the replacement car you could buy. A $5000 repair on a car that is only worth $4000 is hard to justify, however if that $5000 repair will get you 2 more years of use that's $210 a month for transportation which is often less than replacing the car with a car that might only last 2 years.

Take good care of your car so that it can take care of you. If you have problems car engine, visit Metric Wrench Billings today to have a certified technician check it out for you. Visit Metric Wrench Billings today for all of your vehicle solutions today!

Air Conditioning Season is Upon Us

The main components of air conditioning system in your car are the compressor, condenser, expansion valve, evaporator and belts and hoses. A compressor circulates a liquid refrigerant often referred to as "Freon” The compressor moves the Freon from an evaporator, through a condenser and expansion valve, right back to the evaporator. The evaporator is right in front of a fan that pulls the hot, humid air out of the car's interior. The refrigerant makes the hot air's moisture condense into drops of water, removing the heat from the air. Once the water is removed, the "cool" air is sent back into the car's interior through hoses.

Signs that you may have a faulty air conditioning system

The most common symptoms for a fault in a car air conditioner are:

• Air conditioning system is blowing warm air

• Intermittent cooling performance

• Excess noise

• Foul odor

• Frequent recharging of A/C system

Lack of cold air is usually due to a lack of refrigerant. This implies there is a leak from the seals or hoses somewhere in the A/C system. Intermittent cooling is often attributable to an obstruction caused by moisture. The problem may also be triggered by an electrical failure that prevents the compressor clutch from engaging. Excess noise may indicate that the compressor is about to fail, and will need to be replaced. A musty odor coming from the vents indicates a mold has likely grown on the evaporator.

The heating and air conditioning system of your vehicle should operate without any problems for years. When problems do happen, however, the repairs are best left to a certified technician.

Did you know?

The most common cause of poor air conditioning performance is a low refrigerant level. Because refrigerant is a gas, it escapes easily through worn valve seals and o-rings as well as through deteriorated hoses and damaged components. A system running on low refrigerant will inevitably lead to major component failure. Repairing small leaks in advance could save on large, costly repairs in the future.

What Fluids Will Keep Your Vehicles Healthy?

Just like we need water to keep hydrated and healthy, high-tech fluids help to keep vehicles healthy. So lets review a few fluids that are important for your vehicle.

A vehicle requires effective vital fluids to keep its moving parts working efficiently, reliably and safely and ignoring them could cost you dearly.

The list of fluids for your vehicle include gasoline, motor oil, anti-freeze, windshield wiper fluid, brake fluid, automatic transmission fluid, specific lubricants for manual gearboxes, the transfer cases in four-wheel-drive vehicles and the differential in rear-drive vehicles, plus power steering fluid.

All are specially designed high-tech chemical cocktails, so the appropriate type and grade should be used and, because they will break down with time and usage, needing to be replaced at the intervals specified in a vehicle’s owner’s manual.

Most of us don’t think much about how our BMW or Mercedes runs, but the correct octane rating is key to engine operation and poor quality fuel may not contain the additives required to meet seasonal requirements and keep fuel injection systems functioning properly.

Motor oil is your engine’s lifeblood. It not only lubricates, reducing wear, but performs the task of keeping combustion contaminants, metal fragments and dirt etc. in suspension to be carried to the filter or removed when the oil is changed.

Another reason not to ignore oil changes is that its chemical structure and the ingredients added to it begin to break down with time, and it loses effectiveness.

Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s recommended oil change intervals. Transmission fluid performs a number of functions. It lubricates, transmits drive in the torque converter, acts as a hydraulic pressure medium and as a coolant.

Anti-freeze not only acts as a coolant, allowing today’s engines to run at higher temperatures than ever before, but it has lubricating and anti-corrosion properties that help water pumps and radiators live longer more productive lives. Because these additives can weaken with time anti-freeze should be replaced every two years.

Brake fluid is again something that most of us hardly think about, but transmits hydraulic pressure to and also lubricates brake components. It also has to deal with extremely high temperatures and resist contamination by moisture. It must be checked regularly.

Power steering fluid levels should also be looked at frequently and changed according to the manufacturers recommendations.

Windshield washer fluid needs to be of a good quality and meet temperature requirements for the location that you live. Keep the reservoir full so it’s always available when required.

Take good care of your car so that it can take care of you. If you have problems or just want someone to the fluids in your car for you, visit Metric Wrench Billings today to have a certified technician check it out for you. Visit Metric Wrench Billings today for all of your vehicle solutions today!

Summer Audi Checkoff List Metric Wrench Billings MT

Spring is drizzling in this year and summer is close behind and you are prepared! Suntan lotion-check, giant cooler-check, books, movies on your ipad-check! You’re already for your summer road trip.

But wait before you get behind the wheel and start that summer road trip! Have you done your summer auto maintenance? You don’t want to end up broke down on a dry dusty road in the middle of nowhere, so here’s a checkoff list for your Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Volkswagen or any vehicle for that matter.

Replace your air filters! Your air filters need to be replaced twice a year, so you should do it before your trip!

Check your tires! Do you know that you can actually save on gas by having the properly inflated tires? It’s true and check the tread on your tires before you head out, you don’t want any accidents because your tire tread is too worn.

Windshield Wipers! How many times did you rip your windshield wipers from your front windshield because they were frozen there? Now is a good time to replace them so they work well in the rain!

Brakes: Car safety should be your number 1 priority, have your brakes inspected to be sure that they are working properly. Have your brake fluid checked as well.

Battery: Inspect your battery posts and cables for corrosion and have them cleaned before you leave on your summer vacation!

Check your headlights: Take a few minutes to make sure your headlights and taillights for that matter are all working, replace any that are burnt out.

As always, car safety starts with you and if you are the one driving, taking your family on vacation, it is your responsibility to do the summer car checkoff list. So be safe and have fun this summer!

Take good care of your car so that it can take care of you. If you have problems or just want someone to do your summer checkoff list for you, visit Metric Wrench Billings today to have a certified technician check it out for you. Visit Metric Wrench Billings today for all of your vehicle solutions today!

Understanding your Battery and Charging System

To help you understand this better we will relate this to something that is understood by many, money and banking.

You could think of your car battery as a bank, only instead of storing your money it stores electrons and the flow of electrons is what does the things you direct it to do, start the engine. Similar to spending money to get the goods and services you want. Pay your rent or mortgage payment so you have a place to live.

Your income does the same thing that the charging system does, keeps money in the bank, puts electrons in the battery. The biggest expenditure made by the battery is starting the engine, you make your mortgage payment and that is for many the biggest drain on your bank account. You must use you income to gradually refill your account, the engine starts and the charging system refill the battery with the electron used to start the car. Keep in mind, most of us must take more than a couple of days to put back in the amount that was taken out by the house payment. The car must be driven more than a few minutes to refill the battery.

So now it should pretty easy to understand what can go wrong...the car won’t start. Your account is overdrawn. Unfortunately there are no credit cards, unless you consider a jumpstart, borrow some electrons and let some one else worry about replacing them.

How can this happen?

1. Not enough income, your charging system has a problem, you are spending more than you are making and your reserve is used up.

2. Some how money is being taken out of your account your not aware of (this doesn’t happen very often in banking but does happen often in cars) the key off draw, something is not shutting off.

3. You go on vacation longer than you should and have too good of time you leave your lights on.

4. The bank fails; you keep dumping money into your account, even borrow some, but there is nothing there. The battery is no good, charge it, jump it and after you drive the car there is nothing there. Hopefully this rarely happens to banks but it does occur about ever 4-6 year in cars. Have your bank examined once a year.

The Perfect Gift for the Man in Your Life This Valentine’s Day!

Okay ladies, we know that Valentine’s Day is HUGE in your book of GREAT days! We get it! We also get that you don’t want a frying pan or a vacuum cleaner! Guys really don’t want another tie or cologne either. So how about if we share our top 5 Valentine Gift ideas for the guy in your life from Metric Wrench Billings?

Valentine Gift Idea #1-the economy still isn’t doing all that great, how about paying for an oil change or a tune-up for his vehicle!

Valentine Gift Idea #2-new tires make an awesome gift or how about detailing his rig!

Valentine Gift Idea #3-hunting or fishing gear works. Outdoor gear is always a good hit with the guys.

Valentine Gift Idea #4-if he’s into electronics-a digital camera, ipad, new laptop or ipod! You may also want to consider accessories like car chargers, a blue tooth, hi-tech earphones. There are all kinds of really cool gadgets out there that he’ll go crazy over!

Valentine Gift Idea #5-tickets to his favorite sporting events, if he’s into golf- a new golf club or a sports channel cable subscription or a sports hat, t-shirt, jacket with the logo of his favorite team!

No matter, what gift idea you come up with he will love it. You have showed your love to this man by choosing a gift that is from your heart. Enjoy this day and remember to let this man know just how much you appreciate his love for you. And come visit us at Metric Wrench Billings for all of your BMW, Mercedes, Audi and Volkswagen needs!

Why Choose Metric Wrench

Simple

Experience - Specialization - Equipment - Education - Technical Resources

How is it we able to solve a problem that several other repair shops have mis-diagnosed or unable to solve and do it quickly and make it appear simple?

Experience - We’ve been in the import repair business for over 30 years and often the problems we see are problems that we’ve seen before and this leads us to a solution very quickly.

Specialization - We decided about 15 years ago to specialize. The 2 car lines we chose were BMW and Mercedes Benz. “You can know a little bit about repairing a large number of different makes of automobiles, maybe enough to get you in trouble” or “Know a lot about a couple lines of automobiles.” We have since added the Audi line.

Equipment - Early in 2004 we purchased a GT1, diagnostic tool for BMW. This is the factory tool, the same exact tool used at the dealers. After using this tool and seeing the advantage to having the “real thing” we purchased the Mercedes equivalent a year later. We are constantly updating and have added the Audi/VW factory tool.

Education - Having the equipment is one thing, knowing how to use it is another. Shortly after the purchase of the GT1, I joined IAIBMWSP, international association of independent BMW service professionals, later re-named to BIMRS. See www.bimrs.org. I attended the annual meeting in Memphis Tn in the fall of ’04. What an eye opener. These guys are true professionals in the auto service industry. There were 2 representatives from BMWNA at the meeting. Three days of training, very well organized. At that meeting I got the name of a similar group for Mercedes Benz and attended my first meeting of that group in Jan ’05. See www.livindmercedes.com. Since this time I attend their meetings yearly, plus training offered by my main parts supplier World Pac. We are always learning.

Technical Resources - The first e-mail tech group I joined was iATN, international automotive technicians network. I have been a business sponsor in this group since ’96. If we get a car with an unusual problem we search the iATN archives, no solution found we post the problem and receive suggestion from other members all over the world. When the car is fixed we post the solution. The same resource is available from BIMRS, LMVMercedes and newly formed LMVBMW. We also subscribe to All-data online which is a technical resource for repair information.

All of this; equipment, education and technical resources is very expensive, but we feel it is necessary to repair your car efficiently.