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The part of the quote everyone remembers...

"A Jack of all trades is a master of none..."

The part no one remembers....

"But usually better than a master of one."

Camshaft and crankshaft correlation waveform captured with a 4 channel pico oscilloscope

DIAGNOSTICS

We specialize in diagnostics and take pride in applying a proper heirarchy of fundamental understanding to problem solving. If your check engine light is on or your vehicle isn't running like it used to, ghosts in the machine make strange electrical issues come and go, or it simply won't start; bring it in so we can track down the problems driving you nuts and make your car drive like new again.  We take pride in doing vehicle diagnostics and use a diverse selection of tools and experience to get the problem discovered correctly the first time.       

Chrysler vehicle getting R1234yf air conditioning service

AIR CONDITIONING/

HVAC / R1234YF /R134A

We were working on cars during the changeover from R-12 to

R-134a freon back in the 90's; so it felt natural to immediately start working on the new standard for vehicles around 2018 and up, R1234YF. We were one of the first independent shops in our area to handle certification and upfit our equipment, a lot of the R1234YF work we do is for other shops! The bulk of our work is still R-134A repairs and all aspects of the HVAC system can be handled here in house.

Timing chain replacement service being performed on a Ford Modular V8

ENGINE REPAIR AND 

REPLACEMENT

The heart of your vehicle is the engine and the only reason the rest of your vehicle exists.  The internal combustion motor revolutionized every aspect of life for the last century and for the most part goes unnoticed under your hood.  When it tries to remind you that it's still there with strange noises or lackluster performance don't delay bringing it in so we can determine what your vehicle's needs are immediately.  Cylinder heads, timing chains, timing belt service, valve adjustments and full motor replacement / overhaul are just some of the services we provide.

Close up picture of a vehicle upgraded with 4 piston brake calipers and adjustable coil over shocks.

BRAKES,STEERING AND

SUSPENSION WORK

We've been saying for years that it's one thing if your car won't start; it's another thing entirely if it won't stop. The brakes are arguably the most important part of a vehicle, if you are experiencing any kinds of concerns don't hesitate to come in for an inspection right away to avoid potentially serious issues.  This goes without saying for any steering and suspension concerns you may  have as well.  As with the rest of your vehicle don't be afraid to ask if something; a noise, a feeling, a vibration or anything is normal or not, no matter how small.  We would much rather tell you that there's nothing to worry about sometimes than miss a serious issue one time.

Inside of a V8 heavily sludged up from lack of oil changes and maintenance.

OIL CHANGES AND

BASIC MAINTENANCE

Yep, that's a real picture! We diagnosed several issues on this car to be internal and sold tear down for inspection; this is some of the worst sludge we've ever seen in person but it doesn't take much, even a little can muck up important control systems in the engine internally.  Regular maintenance such as oil changes are highly recommended to be done at the correct intervals for your vehicle. Tire rotations are another big one that's overlooked regularly, you can sometimes double the amount of life you get out of tires with this simple maintenance item.  

                              ....read more

4 speed Ford toploader manual transmission being taken apart to be resealed, which came out of a 1966 Ford Mustang.

TRANSMISSION REPAIR

& REPLACEMENT

If you're having transmission concerns we will be more than happy to inspect your vehicle and quote you for repair.  We handle almost all transmission repairs and replacements in house.  There are circumstances where a dedicated transmission shop could be a better choice such as low mileage, specific problems; and in those instances we will either direct you to or partner with the proper specialists in the area. The industry has reached a point where in house rebuilds usually aren't a good option when considering the long warranties box units have to offer now, if replacement is indeed necessary.

This custom classic car is a 1950 Mercury, we are diagnosing tuning issues with a vintage Snap on Counselor 2 oscilloscope

CLASSIC VEHICLES

We thoroughly enjoy taking a break from the norm and stepping back in time to keep iconic vehicles cruising... I can't remember a time when I didn't randomly work on old classics, either clean restos or straight up beaters, mint stock or modified, I love that it's never the same. I love tuning them in, squeezing out gremlins... I love having a reason to keep standard wrenches in my rollcart and a 1985 Snap on Counselor 2 oscilloscope around (still the quickest and easiest ignition pattern out there), not to forget our 4 gas analyzers either. I promise your baby will be in good hands. 

Screenshot of a laptop paired with a CardaqM J2534 reprogramming unit performing a ECM reflash or update.

ECM REPROGRAMMING

Software and vehicle engineers don't always get it correct right out the gates. Just like your home computer, laptop, your phone; your vehicle's computers require updating from time to time, usually to eliminate an issue that wasn't caught in prerelease testing, or to change a setting that threatens long term reliability of the systems it handles. In the near future, most or all vehicles will handle this wirelessly (Tesla has already been at this point for awhile).  Until then, it takes special equipment the dealers have been mandated to comply with under a standard called J2534, to allow independent repair shops the ability to do this work without them. It can be difficult depending on the make but let's face it, avoiding a trip to the dealer is usually in everyone's best interest.  :)

Matt's Auto Shop foreman performing a backlash check on a differential assembly, with a dial indicator, while rebuilding the differential.

DIFFERENTIAL REPAIR

AND REBUILDS

Differential repairs are rarer than others, half of our customers don't have a separately serviceable differential in their vehicle and the other half never actually have a problem with it. But when it does screw up, it takes experience and attention to detail to build these work horses correctly.  Precise positioning of the pinion and ring gear, correct torque specs, correct measurement of in lb force to turn the unloaded assembly when setting the pinion nut, taking a pattern for verification, etc... all of these factors can make the difference between a rebuild that lasts 15,000 miles and another rebuild that lasts indefinitely.  Both my foreman and I enjoy the challenge to properly set these up.

This is a picture of an old military version of the Chevy Blazer, equipped with the 6.2l diesel engine.

DIESEL REPAIR AND

MAINTENANCE

Living in North Carolina means access to some great Diesel repair shops dedicated to the trade, it also means an abundance of diesel trucks waiting to get repaired. We initially cut our teeth on diesel due to long waits and high average repair order estimates we were seeing for some of our regular customers.  We've enjoyed the challenge and gotten use to doing some pretty intense repairs, especially the Ford motors, 6.0, 7.3, and 6.7. And as always, applying fundamental understanding versus memorizing repairs places us in a better position for proper diagnosis than even some specialist shops. If anything does fall outside of our wheelhouse, we can direct you to the right local partners.

Jaguar car after getting repairs finished at Matt's Auto Shop in Garner, NC.

FACTORY JAGUAR

TRAINING AND REPAIR

Our shop foreman chose Jaguar as his focus when finishing out school and ended up with some 6-700 hours of factory Jaguar training between schooling and working in a Jaguar / Porsche dealership when he first started. Bring your baby here to not only get proper repairs and diagnostics, but to also get what is likely to be a much lower quote on repairs.

Dodge Ram ProMaster fleet vehicle in for automotive repair at Matt's Auto Shop.

FLEET MAINTENANCE

AND REPAIR

Flexibility is key to fleet maintenance and repair. Fleets from local businesses surmise 25% of our business and we are trusted by a lot of big names in the area. Quality work is the main reason we are so popular but learning the quirks and needs of each company and being able to cater to each individually is a huge plus and one thing we've learned how to do exceedingly well over the last 5 years.  Let us take care of your vehicles, you won't be disappointed.

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MAINTENANCE

MANUFACTURER RECOMMENDED SERVICE INTERVALS

 

If you and your vehicle live by the recommended maintenance schedule provided by the orignial manufacturer, we are here to help in whatever manner you prefer.  If you want every line item handled at the exact mileage it's called for we will be more than happy to take care of everything.  If you want our feedback on whether or not any of those services are truly necessary or not we're here for you too.  And if you are just trying to get by with as little as possible due to financial concerns we will itemize in order what's needed and work with you to get your vehicle's needs handled over time.

Keeping your vehicle running involves more than reactionary repairs implemented after a break down; it involves thorough inspections of your vehicle when it's in our service garage, looking for signs of future issues developing... and it also involves maintaining your fluids and filters.  What it does NOT involve is "wallet flushing", an industry term for selling as many unnecessary maintenance items as possible per ticket to boost sales volume.  We err towards leaving your vehicle alone unless it's obvious that maintenance is needed to avoid spending a lot more of your money in the future.

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