Car won't start?
We find the real reason before you spend a dollar on a part.
You need to be somewhere. That is the actual problem, and it is the one we are solving.
What people usually describe
- One loud click and then nothing
- Rapid clicking when you turn the key
- Dash lights come on but the engine won't turn over
- Turns over and over and never fires
- Started fine yesterday, dead this morning
- Only starts if someone jumps it
Any of these is enough to start. You do not need to know which part it is — working that out is the job.
Before we quote you a part
A no-start can come from the battery, the grounds, the starter, the ignition switch or the neutral safety switch, and they all sound identical from the driver's seat.
We test the charging and starting system on the vehicle before anyone orders a part. If the answer turns out to be a battery, you are not paying for a starter — and a battery is the cheapest thing on that list by a wide margin.
This is not a policy someone can waive on a busy morning. It is the diagnostic gate in the engine, and it reads every message you send us — insisting does not move it.
The questions we'll ask you
Every one of these exists because getting it wrong means the part bolts on and the problem comes back. They take you ten seconds and save you a day.
Is it an automatic or a manual?
Manual and automatic transmissions can use different starters — different tooth counts and different mounting on some platforms.
Does it have a towing package or any heavy electrical options?
Alternator amperage varies with the options package. A low-amp alternator will physically bolt on and then run the battery down.
What's the VIN, if you can reach it?
The VIN removes almost every fitment question we would otherwise have to ask, and it is free to decode.
What's on it, and what isn't
On every estimate
- Parts and labor as separate lines, always
- More than one supplier option, with warranty and availability next to each price
- A core deposit shown as its own refundable line where one applies
- Freight passed through at cost, not marked up
- A dollar reason whenever we recommend something dearer than the cheapest option
Not on it
- Tax on labor. Georgia exempts separately stated repair labor, and ours is separately stated
- A price for a part nobody has tested yet
- An upsell we cannot justify in dollars
- A number that changes by more than 10% without coming back to you for approval
Estimates are given as a range rather than a fixed figure until a licensed labor-time guide is in place. We would rather say that plainly than quote a firm number the shop cannot stand behind.
Tell us what it's doing.
Thirty seconds. A person reads every one of these, and if it needs a look before anyone can price it, we will say so rather than guess.
Car won't start — straight answers
Can you just tell me what it costs to fix?
Not honestly, not yet. A no-start has at least five common causes at wildly different prices, and the only way to know which one you have is to test it. We will tell you what the test costs before we do it, and what the repair costs before we do that.
Is it the battery or the starter?
One click usually points at the starter or its feed; rapid clicking usually points at a battery or a connection that cannot carry current. Usually is not good enough to spend your money on, so we measure it.
Can you come to me?
Tell us where the vehicle is when you send the request. If it cannot be driven safely we will say so and talk about towing rather than have you try.
How fast can this be done?
If the part is on a shelf nearby, often the same day. Our supplier comparison shows availability next to price for exactly this reason — a part that arrives in four hours can beat a cheaper one that arrives Thursday.