Cape Coral Auto Repair

We can’t believe November is here! It seems like just yesterday that we were celebrating Easter and Fourth of July. Even though Thanksgiving might look a little different this year, we can still expect to see the roads packed with drivers, either racing to the grocery store for last-minute items or planning a trip to your grandmother’s.  The team at Ponder Auto Repair is here to help! Regardless of what you have planned for Thanksgiving, our technicians want you to experience a stress-free holiday. We have compiled a few helpful Thanksgiving traffic tips to help you get through the busy Holiday season:  If you have a road trip planned for Thanksgiving, don’t head out the night before. Traffic always peaks on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, particularly between 10 pm and midnight, as people are heading out after work. We recommend avoiding traveling on Wednesday all together, seeing as you might experience traffic in the morning and afternoon too.  ... read more

When someone thinks of preventative maintenance, they can't help but think an oil change. It is the quintessential auto repair service, but you would be surprised to learn how many people forget about this service. The Premier Auto Service Center team is here to remind you about the importance of an oil change and which this service is such a treat for your vehicle.    Your engine is made up of several moving parts, and these parts need to be adequately lubricated, or other components of your engine can become damaged. Over time, a build-up of oil, dust, and debris from both your engine and environment starts to contaminate your oil. When this happens, your oil won't be able to lubricate your engine correctly. Proactively changing your oil keeps your engine running safely and smoothly. Routine oil changes have five key benefits:    An oil change will keep your engine lubricated.  Regular oil services keep your engine cool.  Proper oil changes al ... read more

With the amount of time we spend in our vehicles, you would think we would know more about them. For many of us, we aren't too familiar with the inner workings of our cars. However, our understanding of our vehicles -- how they work and how to care for them -- is related to our car's lifespan. If we know how our cars work and what they need, we can treat them better, which means they will last longer.    To ensure you feel more confident as a car owner, we have compiled a list of 5 things everyone should know about their vehicle:  Year, make, and model: Let's start with something simple. You should know the year your vehicle was made, the make, and the specific model. This may seem simple, but you would be surprised to learn that many people glaze over this information. Different makes, models, and years can all significantly different parts, so it is essential to know this information.  VIN: You need to know your Vehi ... read more

The team at Premier Auto Service Center is incredibly grateful for their clients, and we are honored to be the go-to auto repair shop for the Cape Coral and Fort Myers community. We recognize that adhering to a strict budget can be a challenge, which is why we continue to offer our customers several specials to choose from.    We recognize that right now is a stressful time for many of our clients, in the wake of COVID-19. The team at Premier Auto Service Center doesn’t want you to worry about your vehicle's condition. Instead, we encourage you to bring your vehicle to our shop for service while utilizing one of our specials. Here are the current specials we are offering:    10% off for all veterans, active duty, and first responders: Veterans, Active Duty and First Responders receive 10% OFF any service or repair. Excludes tire & batteries. Not valid with any other offer.  ... read more

Not all antifreeze is created equal -- you may have noticed that antifreeze (also known as coolant) comes in different colors. There are pink, orange, blue, and green engine coolants out there, and they all differ. All these colors make it complicated for car owners -- which coolant works best for my vehicle?    Green antifreeze may be the most common option, but it does not mean it is the best option for your vehicle. Green antifreeze is commonly used in cars produced domestically between 1920 and 1990. For example, if you own a GM, Ford, or Dodge produced between the 20s and the 90s, you will most likely find a green coolant in your engine. This type of coolant contains silicates and phosphate corrosion inhibitors to protect several metal parts in your engine, including your radiator and engine.    Newer vehicles have OAT antifreeze, which ranges from orange, red, blue, and dark green. This type of coolant does not have silicates or phosphates, but it does contain ... read more

  School is out for the summer! For many of us, this means our college kids are back and getting settled in for the summer ahead. It may seem like a whirlwind with our loved ones again, but the team at Premier Auto Service Center is here to help ease your stress levels by checking one thing off your to-do list -- preventative maintenance for your college kid’s vehicle.    During the school year, your college kid is busy with homework, finals, and friends, and it easy for them to forget to have their vehicle serviced. Now, that both the car and your son or daughter is back for the summer, their car needs a little TLC. Preventative maintenance prolongs the longevity, driveability, and safety of your vehicle. Without routine preventative maintenance, you might find yourself in a potentially dangerous and expensive situation.    Your son or daughter’s vehicle, most likely, has been neglected during the school year, and the team at Premier Auto Service C ... read more

Even though our lives may be a little different than how we expected them to be this month, Mother Nature is still in operation, and we are beginning to see those pesky love bugs out and about! Some of us may think these love bugs are quite cute and adorable, but they can wreak absolute havoc on our cars. Lovebugs are starting to make their Spring appearance, but there are steps we can take to make sure these highly-acidic bugs don’t show our cars too much of their love.  Here is how to combat the influx of love bugs:  For best results, wash them completely off your vehicle’s surface as soon as possible, as their acidity can quickly erode your car’s paint within days. Try not to use your windshield wipers and washer fluid to eradicate those love bugs. You will find yourself with a flurry of bug parts!  There are many commercial cleaners out there that can adequately clean your vehicle and wash away those love bugs. Super Clean, Simple Green, and Spray ... read more

You may be surprised to learn that even if you live in SW Florida and don’t drive your vehicle very much, having your vehicle maintained once a year is a good idea to help keep your vehicle running better longer. Some manufacturers recommend once a year maintenance inspection, which is designed to prolong the longevity, driveability of your car, and a key component for preventative maintenance. If you are looking to keep your vehicle performing in tip-top shape for the long-term, maintenance inspection is a must, even if you don’t drive your car very much.  Did you know that the weather can affect your vehicle in a good and bad way? Especially when your car isn’t being driven often, the oil isn’t flowing; the tires are sitting, belts, and batteries don’t like the heat of SW Florida, the joints and lubricants are not operating. The more your car sits, the more these internal systems in your vehicle don’t like it. If you aren’t planning on ... read more

It all started at Target, when one of the owners of Premier Auto Service Center, Jocelyne Dauphinais, noticed that a poster about giving 5% of your purchase price to the school of your choice. This idea resonated with Jocelyne, especially when she saw that every school year, each of her children’s teachers would have for a list of items, hoping that the parents would help them.  Instead of volunteering, Jocelyne decided to ask the PTO, the principal, the teachers, and even the coaches to figure out the best way they could help the school and teachers. The team at Premier Auto Service Center strongly believes that if we help our teachers, we help everyone’s future. With that in mind, we decided the best way to help the schools would be to give the schools 5% of the sales of anyone who tells us they are from a school, whether they are parent, student, teacher, or grandparent. The proceeds are directly from our shop’s profits.  Jocelyne and the rest of t ... read more

Romantic places and activities are scattered across Florida -- all you have to do is to find them. The team at Premier Auto Service wants you to spend a lovely Valentine’s Day with your beloved, which is one of the reasons why we have compiled a list of the most romantic places and activities to drive to and complete with your sweetheart this Valentine’s Day.  Seaplane in the Florida Keys: Imagine being suspended over the sea in a seaplane with your significant other. It sounds and likely is incredibly romantic.  Kayak around the Jupiter Inlet: You can rent a kayak and paddle around the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse.  Sandpearl on Clearwater Beach: Drink two glasses of champagne while being poolside at the Sandpearl Resort.  Cinderella’s Royal Table at Magic Kingdom: Treat your loved one like a Princess and escort her to a royal dinner.  Carriage Ride in Historic St. Augustine: Travel down the road in a horse-drawn carriage in the nation&rsquo ... read more