Dublin Car Tek is a Dublin-based general repair shop that works on foreign and domestic vehicles for Alameda and Contra Costa County motorists. The company’s services range from oil changes and engine and transmission repairs to tune-ups, smog inspections, and brake and tire replacements. It also provides repair and maintenance services for heavy duty truck fleets and RVs, and it recently celebrated its 40th year in business.
Owner and longtime Bay Area resident Tim Johnson has more than 40 years of experience owning and operating automotive repair shops. Mr. Johnson considers Dublin Car Tek a family business and thinks of his customers as part of that family. “Many of our clients are longtime, second-generation customers who depend on us for all their automotive needs,” he says.
Dublin Car Tek uses factory-designated equipment to accurately diagnose and repair customers’ vehicles. All its mechanics are ASE Certified and undergo continuous training to keep updated on industry advancements, and Mr. Johnson is both an ASE Master Technician and a licensed Smog Technician.
“We take an old-fashioned approach to dealing with customers—we’re honest and fair, and we take the time to listen to their concerns. We’re in this business to serve their automotive needs, and that process begins with excellent customer service. Anybody can perform good repairs, but we strive to be a truly great company by standing behind our work, quickly remedying any problems, and offering incomparable service that makes our customers want to return again and again.”
Save money and extend your vehicle’s life through factory-scheduled maintenance.
Factory-recommended maintenance is one of the easiest and least expensive ways to maintain your vehicle. Routine maintenance checks not only enable your mechanic to find small problems and repair them before they become major problems, they also provide a baseline so you’ll know what to look for to prevent future issues.
Most auto repair shops will provide you with a list of factory-recommended services that are specific to your vehicle’s make, model and year. These preventative maintenance services usually include oil changes; engine, transmission, brake and steering checks; and heating, cooling and starting system tests. In between factory maintenance checks provided by your auto repair shop, you can perform routine checks of your own to ensure your car is running to its full potential:
Engine oil.
Use the dipstick to check your car’s oil every week or whenever you stop for gas. Visit your mechanic right away if the oil seems to be burning off between checks or if your vehicle seems to be rapidly losing oil.
Engine coolant.
Check the coolant every week or whenever you stop for gas. Be sure to monitor the level from the reserve tank and not from the radiator cap, as hot oil may spill from the radiator if the car has been running.
Brake fluid.
Check monthly. Low brake fluid poses a danger to your car and can be indicative of an underlying problem. Immediately take your vehicle to a service center if you notice low brake fluid.
Tires.
Test your tire pressure every month and refill to the recommended pressure whenever it’s low. While testing, look for uneven or excessive wear and foreign objects. Take your car to an auto repair shop if you notice uneven wear or if tire pressure is consistently low.
Battery.
Check your battery every month (more often in harsh weather or driving conditions). Look for corrosion and test the level of fluid or color indicator.
Lights.
Test all the lights on your car once a month (you may need a friend to help you). These include headlights, taillights, parking lights, brake lights, back-up lights, turn signals and the license plate light.
Maintaining customer satisfaction is a crucial aspect of any business, but it's even more important for auto repair companies that have earned the prestigious Diamond Certified award. For Dublin Car Tek, the key to achieving and maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction is building personal, long-term relationships with its clientele, which it accomplishes by always putting their needs first and promoting open communication in every aspect of its operations. "Our shop has an open floor plan, so customers can talk directly to the technicians who are working on their cars," explains owner Tim Johnson. "That lets them know their repairs are being done correctly, which makes them more comfortable with the entire process."
Dublin Car Tek has been repairing all types of foreign and domestic vehicles at its Dublin facility since 1999, handling everything from oil changes and engine/transmission repairs to tune-ups, smog inspections, and brake and tire replacements. The company also provides repair and maintenance services for heavy duty truck fleets and RVs.
Unlike less experienced auto repair companies that take a hands-off approach to quality control, Dublin Car Tek performs a comprehensive series of procedures that are designed to ensure each car's repairs are of the highest possible quality before it leaves the shop. "We road test every vehicle before we work on it so we can hear and feel the problem, and we road test it again after the repairs are done so we can confirm the problem has been solved," explains Mr. Johnson. "Our customers really benefit from this type of hands-on experience."
Another distinguishing feature of Dublin Car Tek is its use of specialty tire equipment, including a spin balancer and state-of-the-art tire changer that enable its technicians to provide tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) repairs. "Most people don't realize that each tire has a sensor that's hooked up to the valve stem to alert them if their tire pressure is low," says Mr. Johnson. "Shops need certified equipment and sensors in order to repair these problems, and that's where we set ourselves apart."
