Great Falls Auto Service

Using Good Quality Parts.

When something goes wrong with your vehicle, it can be tempting to take the cheapest route. With eBay, Amazon, and the countless other sources for car and truck parts on the market today, many people decide to go that route to save some money. Here we choose only quality automotive parts for our Northern Virginia drivers at Great Falls Auto Service because we want to ensure their parts match our commitment to providing them high quality repairs.

Using quality parts ensures Reliability. Reliability is a big concern when it comes to parts. Two parts that look the same with different prices are often very different. Manufacturing tolerances, procedures, and materials used make all the difference in how reliable a part will be. When it comes to machinery, one-thousandths of an inch can make all the difference.

Cost. Saving some money on a cheaper component may save you a few bucks initially, but it can quickly get expensive. If the part fails, in the best case scenario you’ll be spending the money again on a replacement. More than likely, you’ll be replacing that part, plus whatever that part damages when it fails - a cheap wheel bearing can ruin your tires, your brakes, and your suspension along with the bearing itself. Plus, a lot of the cost from vehicle repair comes from the actual job itself. A component that costs ten dollars but takes 12 hours to replace isn’t a job you want to pay for twice. It’s always better to do it right the first time.

Warranties. Warranties are important - a good one not only protects the part, but the labor and other damage associated with it if it fails. We want to ensure you get quality repairs backed by parts from suppliers that offer the best products available for your vehicle repair. If possible, we want to ensure you have a warranty on those products and one that will be honored.

Our technicians only use quality parts and only perform quality work because we want our customers to have their vehicles running like new! For the best repair and service shop in Northern Virginia, call or stop by Great Falls Auto Service today.

Do you want to get more miles per gallon?

At Great Falls Auto Service, efficiency is a concept that interests us. While your fuel economy is largely dependent on what kind of car, truck, or SUV you drive, there are a variety of tips and tricks to get the most bang for your buck. We’ve provided a few of our favorites here.

Check your tire pressure, regularly. Low pressure isn’t always caused by leakage; your tire pressure will drop with changing weather and over time. By keeping your tires inflated to the correct pressure, you significantly reduce the friction your engine is constantly fighting. Not only does this save your tires, but you’ll also notice better gas mileage as well.

Accelerate smoothly. Hard acceleration wastes more gas than anything else...you use a lot more fuel getting your car up to speed than you do maintaining that speed as you drive down the road. Avoid accelerating as much as possible, and practice keeping steady momentum to reduce fuel consumption.

Don’t speed. The faster you drive; air resistance increases exponentially. Air resistance is actually the greatest force affecting your vehicle as you drive and fighting as little of it as possible will greatly increase your gas mileage. Plus, the faster you go, the higher your engine has to rev, which burns more fuel as well.

Keep your car maintained. Faulty sensors, neglected tune-ups, vacuum leaks, expired spark plugs, and a myriad of other potential issues will negatively affect your gas mileage. A vehicle with faulty oxygen sensors, for example, can lose ten miles per gallon. Make sure your car, truck, or SUV is running well...it not only keeps your car on the road longer, but it also saves you money in the process.

For all your maintenance and repair needs, trust the experts at Great Falls Auto Service. Our mechanics have the professional knowledge and ability to service your vehicle, no matter what you drive, and keep it reliably on the road for years to come. Call or drop-in today!

Do you have a shake or vibration? Come see us today !

Do you have an ALIGNMENT issue?

When your car, truck or SUV begins to shake, vibrate, or pull to either side while driving it typically means it's time to bring it into our shop here at Great Falls Auto Service, for an alignment! Doing so will save you serious wear and tear on tires and it is an easy fix if caught early. But what exactly is a tire alignment and why is it important?
Wheel alignment is important for many reasons. First off, a properly aligned car drives better and handles the road with more agility. Then there is the cost factor. An out of align car will wear tires out in as little as a few thousand miles. With the high cost of tires today it really pays to keep your car in proper alignment. We look at our customer's vehicles each time they come in and set up a vehicle maintenance plan for them, alignments are part of your vehicle maintenance and checked typically every 6,000 miles on average. Wheel alignments ensure optimal vehicle driving and help your tires last longer, your vehicle will drive better.
Alignments can also be necessary after a shock to your front wheels like running through a pothole, hitting a curb, driving on back roads, and bumping on solid objects with your tires here on our local streets in Northern Virginia. The suspension and front-end assembly of your vehicle you drive are comprised of many different components, which keep your tires centered and resting flat on the pavement. When things wear out or move over a fairly long period of time, it’s necessary to reset your front-end components to get your car, truck, or SUV driving straight again. Avoid driving too much if you believe your tires need an alignment; investing in a repair at Great Falls Auto service as soon as you notice any of the symptoms listed as the more you drive, the worse the damage is.
Important Tips: To save you hundreds on repairs with new tires, suspensions & steering parts, make sure to look at your tires for uneven tread wear.

Signs of Off Alignment Checklist:
- Your car or truck pulling to one side, or the other is a great sign that you need an alignment. Simply get on a straight road like an interstate and release the wheel for a few seconds and see if it pulls. When you come into the shop let us know which side it pulls towards.
- If the steering wheel is crooked! Your alignment is off! Sounds odd but it is true, looking at your steering wheel when you are going straight if it isn't properly lined up you DO have a problem.
- When you are driving on a smooth road and your steering wheel is vibrating or shaking, we have a problem which could be an alignment, or it could be a tire balance problem.
- Your tires are starting to wear unevenly or rapidly is a sign of needing an alignment.
For your safety and to save money, bring your car into Great Falls Auto Service for regular wheel alignment checks. If you feel a pull to one side or the other as you drive, you will want to get your vehicle looked at as soon as possible. It may be an alignment problem that needs to be addressed or it could be an indication of a mechanical or tire problem and could be dangerous.
Trust our team of highly trained mechanics at Great Falls Auto Service, to diagnose your vehicle issues and get you safely on the road. An alignment when you first notice the issue will save you the costs of replacement tires and suspension parts plus the dramatically improve the drive quality of your vehicle. Our mechanics will align your wheels and front end quickly and do it right. Come by Great Falls Auto Service and get your alignment troubles taken care of today!