Brooklyn Auto Repair

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

For the past few years, as an auto repair shop in Brooklyn specializing in European cars, we’ve leveraged our 25 years of experience to publish a lot of helpful content for owners of European cars looking to keep their car in prime condition. In this article we will circle back to important advice we’ve published for BMW owners in particular. So below, we’ve rounded up 5 important nuggets of advice -- served in bite sized pieces -- we have shared along the way (in no particular order), with links to the original post. 1. Failing Water Pump Warning Signs Has your BMW passed 50,000 miles or has it been 50,000 miles since the last time you replaced your electric water pump? Is your BMW's yellow engine temperature light turning red? If your answer is yes to either/both, we highly recommend that you ... read more

Do you have steam coming from the engine? Is your temperature gauge going to the red zone? Are your engine warning lights coming on? A likely cause is that your car is overheating and its possible reasons could be: Air entering the cooling system caused by a leak leading to antifreeze levels to drop; sucking in and disseminating air. Insufficient antifreeze circulation to the radiator due to some sort of blockage, such as a foreign object somehow lodged in the cooling system. Components in the water pump failing for various reasons like wear and tear. There are preventive measures you can take to avoid these symptoms and their underlying problem. They are as follows: Follow the manufacturer’s recommended interval for flushing the cooling system. Repair ... read more

As we discussed in an earlier post, the Volkswagen Audi 2.0 TSI engines from 2008-2012 with engine code CCTA, CBFA, CAEB and CPMA originally came with an inferior chain tensioner. The aforementioned article discusses what the failure of this component entails and our recommended actions in order to avoid potential catastrophic engine failure that could cost you thousands of dollars. In this article, we'll narrow our focus onto one of the persistent problems often associated with these TSI engine issues and discuss a specific part: the cam bridge. What a cam bridge is The cam bridge's relationship to the camshafts is that it's accountable for dispensing oil lubrication to them. Inside the cam bridge lies a very small aperture with a component, the purpose of which is to regulate oil pressure to the cam shafts. The screen in quest ... read more

Do you want to keep your Mercedes Benz in peak driving condition for as long as possible? Unless you don’t like protecting your investments, the answer is an obvious and emphatic YES. Your Mercedes comes with an owners manual which suggests/recommends a specified maintenance interval you must adhere to in order to provide your investment with the proper care it needs to be the best possible driving machine it can for as long as possible. However, you must take several factors into consideration before you follow this recommendation from the manual to the tee. You may own the same Mercedes as the next driver, with the exact same amount mileage, but your circumstances are not necessarily as identical as these surface-level facts might imply. Therefore, the maintenance intervals between you and the other owner could very well be very different. The ... read more

A great investment requires great care. By purchasing a Porsche Cayenne, you’ve made a substantial investment in acquiring an iconic, high-performance, head-turning machine, and you must be vigilant in your efforts to protect your investment. But as an owner of a Porsche, the concept of maintenance can feel intimidating, and you may think it’s something to be left for repair and maintenance shops specializing in Porsche, like us at MINHS Automotive. But that’s only partially true. While the expertise & services we as a shop provide are invaluable for maintaining and repairing your Porsche, that does not mean you as the owner do not have an active role in increasing your car’s lifespan and keeping any potential problems at bay. The first step towards keeping your Porsche Cayenne in peak driving condition is breaking it in properly. Below ar ... read more