Albert Lea Auto Repair

What Is a Tune-Up and Why Do I Need One? What do you think of when you are told your vehicle needs a tune-up? Does that mean an oil change? How about spark plugs or a filter? Maybe it means some kind of fuel injector cleaner labeled as “tune-up in a can”, or is it just a good inspection? It’s one of those automotive terms that can mean different things to different people. Let’s look back at what the term historically meant before we look forward to what it means now. Way back at the dawn of the automotive area, the Ford Model T was first unveiled in 1908. It was designed as a cost-effective vehicle that many people could afford. Introduced at $825, and due to the development of the assembly line, the price dropped down to $260 by 1925. These vehicles are simple in design but require significant maintenance to keep them operating at peak performance. With daily, weekly, and monthly maintenance schedules, the vehicle owner got to know their vehicle intimately. I ... read more

What to Know About Lift Kits and Suspension Modifications Is your stock vehicle just begging you for bigger tires and a lifted suspension! I get it. Some vehicles just look wrong when left in stock form. Especially when vehicles with big tires are everywhere once you start looking for them. It seems like it would be an easy thing to order up a lift kit and a set of big tires so you can be the coolest cat on the block! Just Google a lift kit for your truck and many options will likely pop up. Some of those options are much better than others. Do you know what to look for and what to stay away from? Well, you’re in luck because that’s exactly what we are going to talk about here. When you know the right questions to ask, you can ensure that you don’t end up wreaking a perfectly good vehicle and turning it into something you hate to drive. In most cases, vehicle suspension modifications will be required to fit those big tires under the vehicle. Vehicle manufacturers spe ... read more

The Truth About Minnesota Collector Plates Why would you want a collector, pioneer, classic, street rod, or military license plate? To save money on annual tab fees. The tab fee you pay every year is a tax for operating your vehicle on public roads, which is based on the age and value of the vehicle. The tab fees start out high and decrease as the vehicle ages. Collector plates, on the other hand, have a one-time tax fee and don’t require yearly tabs after that point. Each plate has its own specific standards, but all must meet some basic requirements to be eligible for collector plates. The vehicle must be at least 20 years old or of such rarity that they were made in limited quantities. You must own a vehicle registered with regular taxable plates that is available for daily transportation needs. That's really the basic requirements for collector plates. See Minnesota Statute 168.10 for more information. My buddies and/or the DMV people say that "You can only drive m ... read more