Tacoma Auto Repair

It is vital to understand the importance of tire rotation & balance to keep your vehicle running correctly & extend the life of your tires. When our trusted technicians rotate and balance your tires during an inspection, we manage the tread of your tire wear to extend the life of your tires. It’s important to note that tire balancing and tire rotation are different services, but people often think they are the same. We will break each different service down & explain the risks of not rotating your tires.   During a tire rotation, each tire is moved to a different position on your vehicle. For example, the tire under the left front may be moved to the back rear. This ensures that your tires wear more evenly, reduces noise & vibrations, & provides a better driving experience.    The consequences of not rotating your tires can be deadly. Without routine rotation, the tire treads can wear and cause unsafe driving situations in the form of hydrop ... read more

Preparing Your Vehicle for Winter in the Pacific Northwest   Happy November, Bristow's Auto Family; pardon us for saying a well-used phrase, but Winter Is Coming. Winter-proofing one's vehicle is key to saving you money and time in the long run. Given our past knowledge of what winter looks like in the PNW, we feel there is no better time like the present to remind you of some essential safety tips you should take to ensure your safety on the road during our fast-approaching PNW winter.    Below is a list of key vehicle systems to have inspected:   Car Battery A common winter-car issue is your battery dying. PNW cold can be a recipe for disaster for my car batteries due to cold weather slowing down the chemical reactions in your battery. Your engine's oil will thicken as it gets colder, which means your battery has to work harder to move the oil where it needs to go when cranking the engine over. The cold also means that your vehicle has the added ... read more

Taken from https://www.kimiraikkonen.com/   Happy October, Bristow's Auto Repair family! For our October blog, we have decided to highlight our owner - Pete Bristows favorite F1 Driver. A driver that many professionals have called "A bit of a legend," "very unique," and "an incredible talent." A driver whose nickname is "The Iceman," as he is world-renowned- for his emotionless interactions through the years with reporters and overall aura of "no-shits-given attitude." Bristow's Auto Repair team presents why Kimi Raikkonen is Pete Bristow's Favorite F1 Driver.    INTERVIEWER: "WHAT IS YOUR FEELING BEFORE THE RACE?" KIMI: "IT'S ALRIGHT."   It's fitting to highlight Kimi and his awe-inspi ... read more

Happy September, Bristow's Auto Repair family! Given that the fall season is descending quickly upon us, it is a perfect time to talk about fall preventative maintenance tips for your vehicle.  Let's start by loosely defining preventative maintenance. Preventive maintenance refers to regular, routine maintenance/upkeep to help your vehicle stay up and running; by taking these measures, you prevent expensive downtime/costs from unanticipated equipment failure. Preventive maintenance involves carefully inspecting your vehicle's systems and equipment where potential problems are detected and corrected to avoid a breakdown. Preventative maintenance can include many different services, and our ASE Certified mechanics at Bristow's Auto Repair can help you extend the life of your vehicle. In this blog, we want to highlight the most common fall preventative maintenance tips for you and your car!    Vehicle Cabin Air Filter Replacement No one wants to get st ... read more

Given that August is upon us all & the extreme heat waves that we've seen throughout the country, there is no time like the present to talk about the implications of your vehicle overheating. The last place any of us want to be during these sweltering days is stuck on the side of I-5 with an overheated/smoking vehicle. Given the expected high temperatures surrounding a running engine and the aid from mother nature, heating the pavement and air around us, the end of summertime creates the perfect storm of conditions for an overheated vehicle. The team here at Bristow’s Auto Repair wants to ensure the safety of everyone on the road & to keep your vehicle from overheating, so we present Summer Car 101 Overheating Edition.   Overheating Warning Signs Hot Hood:  Although it's normal for a hood to feel warm when the engine is running, especially in the summer. One fundamental way to tell if your hood is too hot is if you can't touch the hood for more th ... read more

  We are so close to summer finally being here in the PNW! Given the pandemic and social distancing guidelines loosening up, we at Bristow's wanted to put together a summer weekend getaway for our customers. However, as you'll notice throughout this guide, we try to include primarily outdoor and socially distant activities for you and the family. Just a drive away from exploring what Washington offers in its warmer months! Let's go!     Do You Love Kites? Visit Ocean Shores   If you travel two hours West from our shop and stay on Highway 8, you might find yourself exploring Ocean Shores! While staying in the blissful and quaint town, some outdoor exploring is needed. Check out the North Jetty beach area, and you might spot some spectacular wave action from views on the beach, as well as checking out the tide pools for hidden marine life and shells. If you wanted to trade up transportation methods, try another ocean shore staple, horseback ridin ... read more

Racing In The PNW    Have you ever wondered about the origins of racing in the Pacific Northwest? Since the early days of engines, pushing for bigger, faster, and more has been a favorite pastime. Everything from drag racing, limited and unlimited hydroplane racing, road racing, off-road, circle track, and Motocross have been the racing scene's headliners in our lovely PNW. There is a lot of rich racing history in our area!   Pacific Raceways, formerly called Seattle International Raceway (SIR), is owned by a local family. In the '70s, Pacific Raceways was home to incredible events that brought huge crowds and intense entertainment, including side-by-side burnouts. The stands were filled with excited fans of all ages. SIR was host to many races, such as the 64 Funny Cars and the Fox Hunt, the two most significant events in the '70s. Those events eventually evolved into today's Northwest Nationals.   If you are into racing, you ... read more

  The History of BMW 2002   The BMW 2002 first rolled off the line in 1968. This iconic car's base model came stock with a single carburetor that produced 101 horsepower; this matched the Datsun 510 at the time. The BMW 2002Ti, an upgraded version, sported twin Solex 40 carburetors with a higher compression engine that delivered 119 hp, which pushed this little powerhouse to a top speed of 115 mph putting in the class of the likes of the Austin-Healey 3000 MkIII, but this 2002Ti seats 4 with space in the boot (trunk). The 2002Ti weighed more, but with those twin Solex 40's it had the pulling power to deliver both speed and performance.   When 1969 rolled around, BMW offered an automatic 2002 with a 3-speed transmission with a single carburetor engine. This coupe was not designed for sport but as a stylish easy-driving car. By 1971, BMW offered yet another version; the cabriolet had a 1.6-liter engine that was later upgraded to a 2-liter engine making it a ... read more

  History of The 911   When the Porsche 911 first rolled off the production line, it had a 2.0-liter air-cooled flat-six engine in the boot. This engine design was in production until 1998. Not everyone knows that the 911 was initially called the 901. It turns out that Peugeot claimed the rights to cars with a three-digit number having a 0 in the middle, and so Porsche changed the name to 911.    Throughout the years, Porsche made a number of styling updates to the 911 and employed various technological upgrades. In '83, Porsche upgraded to a 3.2-liter engine in the Carrera 3.2, and in the 964, they put a 3.6-liter engine.    In 1967 Porsche believed that convertibles would be made illegal in the United States, which is why they initially designed the Targa, named after the Targa Florio race. It took until 1983 for Porsche to produce a full convertible.   1988 was a monumental year for Porsche because the 911 classic was replaced by the ... read more

  At Bristows, we know the importance of being able to hop in your car and take a drive to clear your mind. Don't let recent events like the election, talk of the second wave of COVID-19, or the current season change have you feeling stressed, a little blue, or trapped. Take a nice drive to keep having fun this fall! The Pacific Northwest is a favorite of many, and as a Washington resident, you already know why. The beauty of Washington abounds in every corner of this beautiful state. There are so many gems that are just a road trip away. Need some fun fall road trip ideas? Look no further.    Port Angeles Just a hop, skip, and a jump away is amazing Port Angeles. Getting there is easy from Tacoma; it's only about two hours away. Port Angeles is about a 100-mile drive, and you'll get to cross the Tacoma Narrows Bridge! Here is a fun fact for you, the original bridge was named Galloping Gertie. It was rebuilt in 1950 and later renamed by locals Sturdy Gert ... read more