Driving a better experience in vehicle ownership

Ronald Tremblay

Author Archives: Ronald Tremblay

The Simple Truth: fluid levels and how to check them

Modern vehicle engines can be difficult to find your way around, but it is always in your best interests to keep a check on important fluid levels. In this video, Ron Tremblay at The Garage shows Laura how to check the three most important fluid levels: oil, brake fluid and coolant.

Your beautiful car is merely fast food for rodents

The push for ‘greener’ cars has had the unintended result that they are becoming an increasingly appealing part of a rodent’s diet. Our furry friends are being dished up a delicious à-la-car(te) menu and they are lapping it up.

The Simple Truth: dash lights and what to do when they come on

When ever a light comes on, on your dashboard, are you sure you know what it means and what you should do about it? Should you stop the car and get a tow? Is it safe to keep driving, and if so, how far and for how long?

The Zen of vehicle maintenance for boomers: moving from DIY to DEGT

Vehicle engines aren’t what they used to be – and that’s a fact. But many of us who used to fix our cars ourselves haven’t really cottoned on to the expensive implications of modern developments and how our old ‘expertise’ can work against us if we are not careful. These days, it’s not just about […]

Your new car has its own agenda!

What is your car telling its manufacturer about you? The issues around privacy and the data your car is collecting about you have become hot news recently, and it would appear that the law has not yet caught up with the technology that is commonly used in vehicles. This is a depressing story of greed […]

Navigating the North American car-ownership maze and enjoying a great relationship with your vehicle

Thinking of upgrading? Do you want something that’s going to look a little more impressive and massage your ego even though it’s a bit of a stretch for you to afford it? You might want to just cool it for a minute and read this before you make the big decision. At The Garage, we […]

Tires: is your family SUV going to give you a nasty shock?

The only tire recommended for this particular BMW X3 has a high performance rating for speeds in excess of 240kph. Click to Tweet You’ve seen the ads, done your research, talked to friends and generally been very diligent about which car you should buy to suit your family’s needs. But do you really know what […]

What is the best maintenance plan for my vehicle?

Did you know that a manufacturer’s warranty program may not give your car the servicing it needs? Click to Tweet The amount of attention your vehicle needs depends on its usage and how it is driven. Did you know that just because you have a manufacturer’s warranty for your vehicle, it is not necessarily getting […]

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Ian Cooper

20:32 25 Nov 19

I would recommend the garage to everyone. They did excellent work on my 89 vanagon which is very hard to find a... qualified mechanic for. Friendly honest staff that love cars and have a legit passion for them. All of the immediate problems were addressed and they even compiled a list of things that will need to be done in the future or that I can do myself. If there was a sixth star they would’ve gotten that from me in this rating.read more

Cora Hall

00:02 13 Nov 19

Amazing customer service. Jeffrey really took the time to help me understand all the intricacies of my car concerns,... and went above and beyond in making sure I was on board with every step of the process to repair the issues. All the work done on my vehicle was very thorough, and communication was great. Thanks so much The Garage!read more

B Perey

15:59 06 Nov 19

Despite knowing it was overpriced, I gladly sprung for the more extensive option, an "in-depth" pre-purchase inspection... at over $300 because I wanted the peace of mind. Soon after, I bought the car. On the first drive owning it, I used the climate controls to switch off the air recirculation function. The cabin of the vehicle filled with exhaust fumes and I had to roll down the window. I ended up finding the exhaust leak soon after when I looked under the vehicle and could see a large leak of fumes coming from a pipe connection near the front of the vehicle. I contacted The Garage to report this and knowing that I live on Vancouver Island, the best they would offer is a free diagnosis, not a repair. It didn't need a diagnosis, that was an empty offer. It would be unreasonable for me to pay ~200 in ferries to get there when the alternative that I offered was to send photographs which clearly showed the long term carbon build up and the missing nut (how did that get missed). The solution I was requesting was a refund/ partial refund. I was told by Jonathan Woo that Jeffery Tremblay would call me. After two months of not having my calls returned from Jeffrey Tremblay, he eventually responded by email to say I was out of luck, they wouldn’t do anything. The following issue was not addressed with the shop because it took longer to be investigated. That said, it clearly demonstrates their level of competence and unfortunately, it's a more significant example. TWO weeks from the purchase date, the check engine light came on. I had the code read and it was a misfire. Due to a student budget, I took some time to get to the bottom of it. I did the more affordable and simple possibilities myself (spark plugs and coil packs) but still spent a lot of time and money doing that. The misfire persisted and I brought it to a mechanic. The culprit: BURNT EXHAUST VALVES! The engine was shot and needed a rebuild. I was standing next to him when he measured the valve clearances, there was no doubt about it. To top it off, during the rebuild the mechanic found numerous additional leaks coming from a flex joint in the exhaust from a section in the engine bay. As they say, best for last? Prior to buying the car, I was discussing with Jonathan Woo what the "in-depth" $300+ dollar pre-purchase inspection would include. I asked if they could do a Leak-Down Test on the engine. To my surprise, he responded in an agitated manner and questioned why I wanted that test done. His reaction was very bewildering to me. I mention something about compression etc.. He replied that the mechanics will be able to determine that when they test drive. I didn't know better. Well as luck would have it, a Leak-Down Test would have identified the burnt valves and I wouldn't have had to spend $4000 on an engine rebuild. All that said, this experience left me with this impression of The Garage: They're negligent (possibly incompetent?), and they lack accountability. They cost me a lot of money and headache. Take your business to someone that deserves it. ***Reply to owners response*** Hi Jeffrey, I did write this review a long time after the fact. Life is busy and I had moved on, but part of me felt a responsibility to share my experience so that the next consumer might avoid a similar thing. The vehicle was hardly modified. It had a section of aftermarket exhaust (not the leaking part). As we've discussed before, there is little good in a $150 credit when I would need to spend almost $200 and a day of travel to use the credit. I requested a more appropriate option, a refund, and you declined. This is much less about the lack of accountability, and more about the lack in service. I sure hope your technicians don't need a crystal ball to at least find the obvious exhaust leaks that I described. Since you bring it up, though, maybe they would have more success trying a "magic wand or crystal ball" in the future.read more

mark Nicholson

22:42 01 Oct 19

Always a great place to take your vehicle. With friendly staff and knowledgeable techs, you can expect the highest... quality careread more

Daryl Leopold

23:11 21 Sep 19

Jeff and his illustrious crew go beyond what is required of them. Always courteous and friendly, The Garage also has... top notch experienced mechanics who can handle any vehicle and any situation. Absolutely A1 company.read more

Soma Feldmar

18:13 03 Apr 19

This family run repair shop is top of the line. Not only have they been taking care of my parents' cars for over 10... years, they are now taking care of my first car, and me, to be honest. Their customer service is impeccable. They will drive you almost anywhere after you drop your car off, and they'll come pick you up and bring you to the shop when your car is ready. It has been run by the same family for four generations, and Jeffrey, the current manager, helps his crew work like a well maintained engine. They will never do work on your car you have not approved. They will send you an estimate of everything before they do anything. And they will explain all of your options for all of the work. Also, whenever possible, they will offer you pricing and parts options, which is excellent. I can not recommend them highly enough. Please take your car there!!read more

Author Archives: Ronald Tremblay

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