Brandon Auto Repair

Proudly servicing Brandon Florida's auto repair and service needs for over 30 years on domestic and Asian vehicles. We are equipped and trained to work on today’s automobile and everything we do keeps your car under warranty. Beyond oil changes, the basic servicing of a vehicle is becoming less demanding, particularly within the first 60,000 miles of ownership. Spark plugs typically don't have to be changed for at least 100,000 miles, and most new cars don't require any chassis lubrication. With coolant systems that are entirely recirculating and with coolant manufacturers making strides in their products' chemical components, the seasonal radiator flush is becoming a thing of the past. Yet anyone who goes to a service facility is likely to get pitched "routine" maintenance services from fuel injector cleaning to coolant flushes to air-conditioner refrigerant replacement. Just say no -- or at the very least compare what they're trying to sell with what your owner's ... read more

At Clarke Automotive, we specialize in auto repair for Brandon, Tampa, Ruskin, and more. With our car repair team’s extensive knowledge and training in repairing and maintaining domestic and imported vehicles, our shop guarantees all customers the best service they deserve. Our cost-effective offerings make us the perfect alternative for auto repair and maintenance services from the usual car dealerships. Today we have some tips for you to save money on your car maintenance while keeping your wheels on the road. 1. Stop changing your oil so often. You should only change your oil according to your owner's manual provided in your vehicle. Changing it more often is a waste of time and money for you. 2. Lubing your chassis. If someone says your chassis needs lubing, check it out before doing anything. Most cars built in the last couple of decades don't require lubrication. And if the mechanic says he can put in a fitting so t ... read more

By performing routine maintenance on your vehicle, you can decrease your chances of getting into an accident, which in turn will help keep your insurance premiums and auto repair costs low. To get your car ready for your college travels and overnight trips out of town, always bring it in to Clarke Automotive, your local Brandon FL auto repair and maintenance team. It’s common knowledge that it’s important to change your car’s oil regularly, rotate your tires, and keep your gas tank above empty. While those are all important ways to keep your car running smoothly and safely, you might be surprised at these less common maintenance practices. 1. Windshield Wipers: This is one of the most basic maintenance procedures. On average, windshield wipers should be replaced every six months to one year. You can tell it’s time when your wipers stop pushing rain or snow off your windshield, causing streaking instead of clearing the glass. 2. Lights: Tu ... read more

For most consumers, a car is their second biggest investment, yet many treat their vehicle about the same as their washing machine, electric range or other major appliance: They don't worry about it until something goes wrong. Here at Clarke Automotive, your trusted Brandon FL auto repair, we see this all the time unfortunately. While not following the maintenance schedule in the owner's manual is very common, it doesn't mean it's okay. We've compiled a list of 5 things you're doing that's killing your vehicle faster than you realize. 1. You're not checking or changing the car's oil. Although today's vehicles don't burn oil the way they did 25 years ago, troubles can arise that reduce the engine's oil level -- sometimes to dangerously low levels. Checking the level every couple of weeks will alert you to a problem if your car is consistently burning or losing oil. 2. You aren't changing the oil filter. Just like you, your car's engine mus ... read more

Hello Brandon, Florida! This is Jack, Car Jack, from Clarke Automotive Systems in Brandon. I’m writing you to let you know to stop in for regular maintenance on your vehicle or if you start hearing that dreaded knock while you are driving. Clark Automotive Systems will always treat your vehicle right and treat you with respect by giving you an honest, thorough estimate of your repairs. Clark Automotive is the leader in integrity among auto repair shops in Brandon. Mr. Clark and his team have an impeccable reputation as honest, expert mechanics that work hard and provide excellent customer service. You don’t have to believe me though. Just take a look at the reviews their customers have written in response to the service they’ve received. What were the two themes of both reviews from these women? Both mentioned that Clark Automotive is honest and knowledgable. What more can you ask of an auto repair shop? V ... read more

Here at Clarke Automotive, we're Brandon FL's trusted auto repair team and have been for over 30 years. Specializing in domestic and Asian imports, we are equipped and trained to work on today’s and yesterday's automobile. Plus, everything we do ensures that your car stays under warranty. We see a lot of people who bring their vehicles and they're way past due for their oil change. While we understand that an oil change is never at the top of anyone's to-do list, it is still important. Much like our hearts and bodies need clean blood to survive, our engines need clean oil. Oil is a lubricant which allows all the metal parts of your engine to work efficiently. If your engine was devoid of oil, there would be extreme wear on your engine and it's part as well as increased friction. Your oil filter is also an essential part of your engine and should be changed with every oil change. So what happens if you just never change y ... read more

The automotive world is filled with myths and misconceptions. Many are encouraged by carefully worded advertisements. And some, particularly those concerning how a car actually works, are created when complex subjects are oversimplified. Clarke Automotive, proudly serving residents of Brandon FL with auto repair and service needs for over 30 years on domestic and Asian vehicles, has seen its fair share of automotive misconceptions. Today we're addressing some of the most popular ones and setting the record straight once and for all. Myth #1: All-wheel drive will help you dodge objects in the road and go faster around corners. This is a nice thought, but it's inaccurate. While AWD is great at helping a vehicle accelerate, even the most advanced systems do little to help a driver avoid road hazards or grip the pavement in corners. How a vehicle responds in emergency or racetrack-type maneuvers is determined mainly by the tires, suspe ... read more

At Clark Automotive in Brandon, Florida, we cover all types of auto repair and maintenance tips and handy tidbits on our blog. We are doing some blog run-downs to review some of the best information that we’ve covered here. Basically, we review the best information to know from the best blog posts and post it with links, so you can read them in your entirety if you so desire. We discussed the potential causes of a fuel leak, which is good information to have, but regardless, you are going to want to get your care to a mechanic at Clark Automotive as soon as possible. “It's important to know that at the end of the day, it doesn't really matter what is causing the fuel smell in your car. you just need to bring your car in to Clarke Automotive as soon as you start noticing the gasoline smell. If your fuel leak is near the exhaust or engine, you're rid ... read more

For us here at Clark Automotive in Brandon, Florida, we try to cover a lot about auto repair and maintenance on our blog. We’ve had some great information lately, so it is time to do some blog run-downs to review some of the important things we’ve covered here. Basically, we will simply review the best information from the most helpful blog posts and post it with links so you can read the blog posts in full. Last month, we spent some time on fuel efficiency by giving some helpful tips to save money. Here’s a couple of the ways listed in the first part of a two-part blog series: “Be mindful of your right foot. If you're speeding away from red lights and stop signs, you're wasting fuel. If you're racing cars down the interstate at 80 mph, you're wasting fuel. Here's a rule of thumb: your gas mileage can drop off up to 15% when driving at or below ... read more

In today's day and age, we hear a lot of our customers complaining about gas prices and their vehicle's fuel efficiency. While you may not drive a Prius, there are still things you can incorporate into your driving practice that can enhance your car's fuel efficiency and make that dollar go a bit farther. Here at Clarke Automotive, your local Brandon FL mechanic, we've got a few more tips for you on things you can do to increase your fuel efficiency. 1. Remove your roof rack. If you're not using it, there's no reason to drive around with it. It's great if you're going biking or skiing, but if you're commuting to work you're just throwing money out the window by making your car less aerodynamic. 2. Change your air filter. While it may be out of sight, out of mind, you still need to change your air filter on a regular basis because it is what protects your engine from ingesting dirt and dust from the air and roads. If it's doing its job, yo ... read more