Brooklyn Auto Repair

As a dealer-alternative European auto repair shop serving Bay Ridge Brooklyn, we have over a 25 year track record of exceeding customer expectations. We provide general repairs and maintenance on all domestic and import cars and offer specialization services for BMW, MINI, Volkswagen, Audi, Volvo, Land Rover, Jaguar, Mercedes Benz and Porsche vehicles. The three things which set us apart: Unparalleled level of protection Dealer quality service, for less than the dealer price Customer service that goes above and beyond 1. Unparalleled level of protection - 3 Years – 36,000 Miles Nationwide warranty on our service. A job well done in conjunction with a piece of mind. We are one of very few shops in al ... read more

Internal combustion engines depend heavily on robust car batteries, which are still as much of a necessity for a vehicle as they were 80 years ago. Modern day car batteries last longer, need less maintenance and malfunction less frequently. Any battery that goes through multiple charge/discharge cycles (like the battery in your laptop or phone) will begin to weaken and degrade with time. Car battery life can be extended for years. If your battery isn’t at least 2-3 years old, and it seems to have failed, then it might be that it’s not actually dead. Car batteries can lose their charge occasionally, if you don’t drive for a long time, since shorter drives can lead to earlier corrosion and crystalline deposits on the negative terminal of your battery. Cold weather can also be a factor, since most car batteries are less capable of maintaining their charge in these conditions. At a temperature of 20 degrees, a battery can only deliver about 50-60 percent of ... read more

It's that time of the year, when we're all eagerly waiting for our tax refund. The wise among us, once it arrives in the mail, will choose to invest it. The not-so-wise will splurge on frivolous things and then look back shaking their heads with regret (we've all been there). So here's a great place for you to consider allocating your refund dollars for reaping long-term dividends, according to the Car Care Council: your car. By putting your refund towards auto maintenance, however un-sexy as it may be, you will enjoy a better performing car with a longer lifespan, save gas money, and push the major blow to your wallet that is having to purchase a new car further down the road ... read more

As you know, Winter's off to a rough start in 2017/18 and we're not out of the woods yet. With the bomb cyclone (hopefully) behind us, and who knows what else ahead of us, we want to share six valuable tips for our readers to employ in avoiding roadside emergencies this, and any other, Winter. They are as follows: To decrease the odds of moisture forming in the gas lines and potentially freezing, keep your gas tank at least half full. Because tires are prone to losing pressure in cold temperatures, vigilantly check/monitor your tire pressure. Cold weather can obviously forces you to drive with the windows closed. This makes carbon monoxide leaks that much more dangerous. So have your exhaust system checked for carbon monoxide leaks. Freezing temperatures make oil in your engine & transmission longer to circulate, so take longer than usual to warm up the car. Low-viscosity oil flows more easily in cold, so change to it during Win ... read more

Winterizing your car, so it can handle the strain of severe weather that Winter brings, should not be viewed as optional, but rather mandatory. Especially here in the Northeast. Severe winter weather, brings a unique set of challenges for your vehicle that aren’t the case other times of the year. And these issues need attending to in order to have your car properly handle the road conditions of winter. Emergency breakdowns failed batteries exacerbated brake problems tires not gripping slick roads thickened oil preventing car from starting increased risk of windows cracking moisture forming in the gas lines and possibly freezing car is running but you can’t clear your wind-shield sufficiently b ... read more

THE PROBLEM This BMW equipped with the N63 engine had an oil consumption issue where 1qt had to be added every 4 days and was blowing smoke from the tailpipe with a blue tint when accelerating post-warmup. This is caused by the aged rubber on the valve stem seals that hardens and cracks which will lose its ability to seal the valve guide. Bad valve stem seals will cause excessive oil consumption and can be identified by recording the level of oil loss. This is unfortunately a common problem that has carried over from the N62 to the N63 BMW engine. The models affected are vehicles from 2003-2008 with N62 V8 engines such as the  E60 545i, E63 645i, E65 745i, E53 X5 and vehicles from 2009-2013 equipped with N63 engines such as F10 550i, F12 650i, F01 750i, and E70 X5. HOW WE FIXED IT We fixed it the only way you can fix this problem when it arises: by replacing the valve stems with new ones. First and f ... read more

At MINHS, we may be an auto repair shop in Park Slope Brooklyn (specializing in European cars), but we're a repair shop that's been serving this neighborhood for over 25 years. And as such, we have a wealth of knowledge about this amazing community which is going to be very valuable for readers of our blog -- whether you're a resident, thinking about moving here, or just planning a visit. So we've decided to share our intimate knowledge of the community we call home with our readers, as a change of pace from just auto-related content, and as yet another way to be helpful to our Brooklyn residents beyond keeping their cars in peak condition. Included in this guide will be a lot of amazing local businesses, as we encourage you to always support small local businesses. So without further ado, we present the MINHS Automotive guide to Park Slope Brooklyn. Restaurants BRUNCH: Cafe Dada, 57 7th Ave. COFFEE: Café Reg ... read more

The Point of This Article, Up Front No need to scroll to the bottom to get the main point of this post; let me provide it up front to get it out of the way right now, before we go into the "why." It is as follows: When it comes to Brooklyn autorepair shops, don't take your car to the nearest auto shop, take it to one stacked with auto mechanics who have experience & specialization in repairing your particular make and model. The superior auto service of a shop specializing in working on your specific car is actually the most convenient and prudent thing to do in the long run for the well-being of your investment in a powerfully engineered European car ... read more

Objective / Main message No need to scroll to the bottom to get the point of this article; let me provide it up front to get it out of the way right now, before we go into the "why." It is as follows: don't take your car to the nearest shop, take it to one which has experience & specialization in your particular make and model. This is actually the most convenient and prudent thing to do in the long run for the well-being of your investment in a powerfully engineered European car. Transition in/hook To understand why this is so important for you as an owner of a European car, let me provide one of the best stories that illustrate this point. Going to the nearest auto repair shop in Brooklyn is a trap too many car owners in the borough succumb to, because of the false sense sense that this is the most convenient route. Why drive an extra 15 minutes to a shop when there's o ... read more

Your Audi is a big, powerfully engineered investment. Such an investment needs to be vigilantly protected, and below are a couple of helpful articles we've published that will arm you with valuable knowledge that should help prevent costly repairs, extend your Audi's lifespan, and keep it in peak condition. 1. Carbon build up on Audi Engines Affecting Your Audi Fuel Economy & Audi Engine Performance Carbon build up in your Audi is an inevitability because over time carbon deposits will build up on the intake valves. This then leads to reduced performance & fuel economy by your Audi engine, which you can read about in more depth in this article. And when you drive Audi, the last thing you want is reduced performance & increase in money you have ... read more