Automotive Industry News & Information - Dirk's Auto Clinic

battery diagnostics being ran on a car battery by a mechanic

Your vehicle's radio and headlights, plus a slew of other important functions, are powered by an electrical current generated by your vehicle’s engine. A vital part of generating electricity is having a place to store it while it’s not being used, which is where a car battery comes into play. The battery holds electrical energy while a car is off in order to help the engine turn over and create a spark to start internal combustion. Without a working battery, your car will not be able to start. If you perform proper maintenance, however, an average car battery can start your car reliably for roughly four years.

If you think your mechanic doesn’t have to deal with getting certified like other professionals, you are quite possibly mistaken. We say “quite possibly” because mechanics generally aren’t required by law to get certified in this country, so it’s conceivable that Bub down at the local filling station doesn’t have any meaningful credentials hanging on his wall. However, since the founding of the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) in 1972, a culture of professionalism has emerged and today about half of the country’s auto mechanics are ASE-certified. There are other kinds of certification, too, and other issues to consider when searching for the right mechanic. We’ll walk you through the details.

At Dirk’s Auto Clinic in Crystal River, we specialize in detailed knowledge of complicated, performance systems. One such system, which is becoming ever more precise and complex, is the suspension on your car. Luxury and performance vehicles are innovators and leaders in the suspension field; and as such, it takes leading technicians to service them.

Everyone from mechanics, to your uncle that works on cars, has at some point given you advice concerning engine oil. The fact of the matter is that while we are familiar with words like “synthetic” and “oil weight,” many people don’t know exactly what the terminology means, or why common knowledge about oil exists in the form that it does. At Dirk’s Auto Clinic in Crystal River, FL, we keep things clear and simple. The more you know about your vehicle, the better equipped you are to keep it maintained, and we know a thing or two about vehicles. We have compiled a short list of common myths for you, most of which you’ve heard, but maybe never second guessed.

At some point or another, it’ll happen to you. You leave your headlights on, your battery finally fails, or for some other reason, you don’t have enough juice to start your car. Don’t call a tow truck just yet, though...Dirk’s Auto Clinic in Crystal River has the info you need to properly jump start your car.

mechanic balancing a tire in the auto shop

Two things matter when mounting new tires on your truck or commercial vehicle. First, you want it done right. Second, you want it done fast. For both, Dirk’s Auto Clinic in Crystal River, FL has you covered.

When it comes to installing new tires on your Dodge, Chevy, or Ford diesel pickup, you want it done right the first time. Our technicians have the equipment necessary to get you cruising smoothly down the road in no time.

At Dirk’s Auto Clinic in Crystal River, we understand how vital solid battery power is to a truck driver. A dead or weak battery isn’t a big deal in a passenger vehicle; in a commercial truck, missed deadlines, incomplete jobs, insufficient equipment, and inconvenient situations are all consequences of a less than adequate battery.