Automotive News & Information - Dirk's Auto Clinic

Failed engine mounts are an irritating issue to live with causing your car or truck to vibrate and you don't know why. At Dirk’s Auto Clinic in Crystal River, FL, we can help, no matter what type of car, truck, or SUV you drive and it is an easy issue to detect on a test drive.

There are a few indicators your engine mounts need to be replaced. For one, you can do a visual inspection, if they’re accessible enough - if they looked cracked, smashed, or dry-rotted, it’s probably time for new ones. If the engine visibly shakes while it’s running, engine mounts are also likely the culprit. However, if you are like most drivers you simply get in and drive on down the road until something is different or a light comes on! Then you call our shop for help!

Are your fleet vehicles equipped with four-wheel or all-wheel drive? More and more, companies are moving towards vehicles equipped with one or the other - they’re safer and more useful, particularly in inclement weather or less than ideal conditions. If your fleet is powered by all four wheels, Dirk’s Auto Clinic in Crystal River, FL has you covered.

If you drive a performance or luxury vehicle, you know that your precision engineered equipment demands precision tuning. At Dirk’s Auto Clinic in Crystal River, FL, we specialize in high-end imports and performance vehicles and keeping them up to par.

There are multiple types of tires on the market for almost every car, truck, or SUV. The type of tire you want depends on a variety of factors, from climate to how you drive. Here’s a short rundown of common street tires that’ll suit your needs.

There is a reason we check your brake fluid when you come in for a service check. Maintenance pays big dividends and we want to avoid high repair costs for our Crystal River drivers. Did you know that brake service isn't just all about the brake pads, drums & rotors? That we have found low brake fluid to be the cause of a large percentage of brake issues here at Dirk’s Auto Clinic? Seriously, brake fluid is an important part of your braking system and with your service intervals being less frequent on the newer vehicles 5,000-10,000 more miles this has become an issue! Why?...

Sometimes it is EASY to see if your car or truck needs to come into our shop for professional repairs!
1. You see steam rising from the engine!
2. The Check Engine Light is on!
3. The engine starts, but there is an odor that is not right.
4. You hear grinding or thumping noises.

Repairs are costly and we all want to avoid them including our team here at Dirk’s Auto Clinic! It's our job and we take it seriously. Here, it is all about keeping your car or truck serviced and looking for problems "before" they happen to avoid those high repair costs and ensuring you avoid any breakdowns when it's hot outside or cold outside as either is a problem for our Crystal River drivers! Nobody can forsee a flat tire or blowout due to running over a nail, but we can avoid some of the regular issues we see all the time such as....

Our fleet truck customers do not need to spend valuable time in the shop with transmission issues due that could have been avoided by servicing their fleet vehicles based on their owner's manual recommendations! Especially if it is simply changing a clogged filter, changing fluids or clutch issues! Our transmission technicians here at Dirk’s Auto Clinic in Crystal River believe that service = saving high repair bills! Therefore, we believe in a proactive approach!