Southampton Auto Repair

Why Are My Headlights Foggy? Your vehicle's headlights are similar to your eyes. You need them to see when you're driving at night! Over time these headlights will collect dirt and scratches. Not only are they a cosmetic concern, but they can seriously impact your safety. We recommend regularly inspecting and testing your headlights to make sure they're always in tip-top shape. Regular car washes can help with this to a certain extent. If your headlights need a deeper clean you might want to bring it in to Frank's Servicenter. Click here to make an appointment today!   The headlight restoration process entails sanding the surface of the lenses to remove any blemishes and haziness. Our skilled technicians will continue with polishing the lens to eliminate any scratches that might make the light look blurry. We will then reseal the lenses to protect them from future damage. This procedure is pretty quick ... read more

If safety comes first, then hearing your car’s brakes squeak probably has you a little worried. No sweat though - you’ve got Frank’s to keep you informed! Why Do My Brakes Squeak? Noisy brakes? Visit Frank’s by making an appointment online! Grinding, squealing, chirping. Sometimes your car’s brakes will make noise while driving. It generally signals that you need to have a mechanic inspect them. Sounds from your brakes can mean pads or rotors need replacing. How Do Car Brakes Work? Most modern vehicles use what’s called “Disc Brakes”. In this system, a set of brake pads are pressed against a metal disc, called a disc brake rotor. The friction they make causes the car to slow down. If you press the brakes too hard or too often it will wear your brake pads and can overheat the rotors! Noisy Brakes After Rain If you’re still wondering ... read more

Ever been surprised by your car repair bill? Most have. Although there are a lot of factors that contribute to the final cost of fixing a vehicle, the truth is that it’s easier to know when you’re at a good shop. What Makes A Mechanic Good? Try Frank’s by making an appointment online now! If you’re saying, “How can I find a good mechanic near me?” we have you covered. There are four major things you want from the company fixing your car, Customer Care, Warranty, Communication, and Diagnostics. Good Mechanics Care About Their Customers Why does Frank’s have a fleet of courtesy cars and a super clean facility? We care about our customers and are always willing to go the extra mile to earn their business. Since 1962, we’ve been putting our customers first. One visit to another shop will show you how high quality of a mechanic in Bucks County Frank’s Servicenter truly is.  ... read more

When it comes to your car you want to get the most bang for your buck. One wear item that you might want to think about are your brake pads. How do these little parts work? How can you save in the long run? Let’s take a look! How Long Do Brake Pads Last? Think you need brake repair? Book online with Frank’s! With average driving in the Southampton, PA area of Bucks County, Frank’s Servicenter estimates how long brake pads take to replace at roughly 25,000 to 40,000 miles. There are a lot of factors at play with brake repair though. If you want to maximize your brake pad lifespan let’s look at two other things… How Do Brake Pads Work? Friction!!! As the wheels spin the brake pad is pushed into contact with something called a brake rotor which is fastened to the turning wheel. This provides the force that slows down the car. The brake pad is pushed into the rotor by something called a brake caliper ... read more

Teamwork - that’s how a car’s motor works. Lots of components come together to keep you cruising around. One particularly important piece though is the radiator and the hoses that connect it to the engine block. Replacing Radiator Hoses In Your Car Think you need new radiator hoses? Book online with Frank’s! There are so many things to replace on your car, so you may ask, “Should I replace my radiator hoses?” First, the radiator is where the hot coolant comes out of the motor and is cooled so it can go back into the hot engine and keep it at a proper temperature. Let’s take a closer look at how the rubber hoses leading to your radiator can affect your vehicle though. Signs of Radiator Hose Wear The first thing to consider if you’re wondering if you should change your radiator hoses is if they are worn down. Simply squeezing the hoses (when the motor is cool) is a good way to tell ... read more

Most of us are told to avoid potholes when driving, but why? Why can't we just go over them? The primary reason you should avoid these pits on the road is that they can severely hurt your car. Here are the different parts of your vehicle that can suffer from pothole damage: Steering System One area that can become affected by pothole damage is the steering system. If your car starts pulling to the left or right while trying to drive straight, you could be experiencing misalignment. Your tires are probably affected too. Some other symptoms you may experience include squealing tires and a crooked steering wheel. Tires Potholes can harm your tires by making them more susceptible to punctures, bulging, and premature wear. If you notice damage to your tires following a pothole incident, please take your car to a mechanic for an inspection ASAP. Rims In addition to wearing out your tires, you can also bend or dent your rims if you hit a pothole badly enough. Undercarriage or Exhau ... read more

You probably touched the hood of your car before and noticed that it was or wasn’t hot. Have you ever wondered how your motor can get so hot though and still run? Thanks to your cooling system your car is able to keep operating temperature and get you where you need to go. One of the key elements of the cooling system is the Coolant or Antifreeze. What Is A Coolant Flush? Need new coolant in your car? Book online with Frank’s! After miles and years go by the coolant that was keeping your car from overheating eventually breaks down and gets dirty. To keep the inside of your motor in tip-top shape the coolant needs to be periodically flushed and refilled.  How Often Should You Perform A Coolant Flush? This question can be hard to answer. All cars vary in how often they’ll need the coolant replaced in the motor. Some drivers log more miles than others too. In normal driving conditions, every 4 year ... read more

Antifreeze or Coolant? It may seem worse than a family feud. Which of these words is right to use when you’re talking to a mechanic? Let’s take a closer look at that fluid pumping through your motor. Are Antifreeze And Coolant The Same Thing? Is your car leaking coolant? Call Frank’s at (215) 355-8877. When it comes to the battle between antifreeze and coolant we - unfortunately - have to throw in another word: Refrigerant. Oh no! What could this third thing possibly be? How do these three things work together to help you drive down the road? Don’t worry. Frank’s can explain everything. Coolant Versus Antifreeze Versus Refrigerant Coolant is a substance used to keep excess heat from building up in your motor. It is a mix of water and antifreeze - a chemical that prevents the water from… well… freezing! Refrigerant is a little different. A chemical, generally freon, is stored in your car&r ... read more

You may not believe it, but everyday you rely on a substance called Ethylene Glycol. What the heck is that? It’s a chemical used to keep your car operating the way it needs to so you can stay on the road. What Is Antifreeze In A Car Not sure if your car needs antifreeze? Come to Frank’s by making an appointment online! When water freezes it expands - you might remember this from a school science lesson. Sometimes that expansion can be a problem though - say if it cracks the engine block of your car’s motor! To avoid this predicament, antifreeze was made and it does just that. It prevents water from freezing in the winter or boiling in the summer.  What Is Antifreeze Used For? In automotive terms, when antifreeze is mixed with water it becomes known as Coolant. This mixture runs through your car’s motor and keeps that temperature needle right in the center, keeping your car at proper operating tempe ... read more

Driving is something you have to take seriously and with all that snow and ice on the roads, what if the worst should happen? Don’t worry! As always, Frank’s Servicenter has the info you need to get you through it all.  Driving In Snow and Ice Need accident repair? Book online with Frank's! When it comes to winter conditions and driving in snow and ice, safety is very important. Here’s a list of tips to get you to your destination without any trouble: 1. No sudden changes: in steering or with speeding up or slowing down. If your tires turn too fast they may lose their grip and braking too quickly can do the same. 2. Momentum is your friend. If you’re approaching a hill you don’t want to speed up or slow down, but use your car’s momentum to carry you through. Adjust your speed carefully to anticipate change in elevation. 3. Test your traction: by using your brakes lightly if no one is behind you. This ... read more