Coon Rapids Auto Repair

A bit of rain now, a bit of driving later. Minnesota weather does not disappoint in the avenue of keeping us "on our toes". While almost everyone has an idea of what they need to get done before the cold winter months, by the time we get to June, a lot of us just want to relax. We don't want to think about all that we have to do. We here at Minnesota Automotive, however, want to highlight that being prepared might make relaxing that much better. Checking that your cooling system is properly functioning and maintained may stand as one of the brighter highlights to consider in the summer months. The outside heat can increase the workload of the vehicle's engine, which in turn raises its operating temperature. Without the cooling system functioning at 100%, the engine could begin to overheat, causing a bigger list of repairs than just the cooling system. So we recommend keeping up to date on your cooling system's maintenance as well as always having an eye on the coo ... read more

We are reaching the end of winter, and though it's been fairly reasonable, there have been some very cold days this year. With that, our shop has seen its fair amount of charging system issues and questions. A couple that we get often, with all the new electric and hybrid vehicles, are: What is the difference between a lead battery and a lithium battery? Can I switch the type of battery I'm using now? Are there other types of batteries? What kind of battery does a new car have? Here, we'll take a brief look at each question: What is the difference between lead and lithium batteries? This question ends up being both simple and then slightly complicated to answer. Essentially, lithium-ion batteries charge faster, are lighter, last longer, and store more energy than typical lead-acid batteries. Lithium batteries have a higher cost overall than lead-acid batteries, but, as stated, hold more charge and have a longer life. That being said, lithium batteries have a very strenuo ... read more