Buying a used car that’s been sitting unused for years can seem like a steal—especially when the price is significantly lower than market value. In Queens and across New York City, many buyers hunt for deals on older vehicles that have been in storage or parked outdoors for extended periods. While the low asking price looks attractive, cars that sit idle for 2–3 years or more often develop hidden mechanical, cosmetic, and safety issues that aren’t obvious during a quick test drive. At Tolima's Auto Center in Long Island City, Queens, we regularly see customers who thought they found a bargain, only to discover expensive repairs waiting after purchase. A professional pre-purchase inspection in Long Island City or Queens can uncover these problems before you commit, helping you avoid thousands in unexpected costs and potential safety risks.
If you're hearing a strange chirping sound coming from under your hood, you're not alone. Many drivers experience this issue, and it can be a sign that something needs attention. At Tolima's Auto Center in Long Island City, Queens, we see these kinds of problems often and help get vehicles back on the road smoothly. In this post, we'll break down the top 5 most common reasons for that annoying chirping noise.
When Your Car Doesn't Start After You Leave It Parked For A FewDays
Discover the #1 maintenance tip to prevent catastrophic Hyundai 2.0T engine failure in Genesis Coupe, Sonata 2.0T & Veloster Turbo models. Tolima's Auto Center in Long Island City, Queens reveals burnt piston damage and oil starvation issues—schedule your oil change today!
The 4th-generation Honda CR-V, was produced from 2012 to 2016, and is a reliable compact SUV popular with many of our customers. It is powered by a 2.4-liter engine and equipped with either a 5-speed automatic (2012–2014) or a CVT (2015–2016), it’s a common sight at our auto repair shop. However, even this popular model […]
The F15 BMW X5, was produced from 2013 to 2018, and is the third generation of BMW’s flagship luxury SUV. These are pretty popular cars among our customer base. However, like any vehicle, it has its share of common problems that owners and prospective buyers should be aware of. In this blog post, we’ll explore […]
At Tolima’s Auto Center, a common question we receive is whether we recommend dash cams and if we install them. The answer is a resounding yes, and here’s why you should consider one, particularly in light of recent insurance fraud schemes in New York City. Why Install a Dash Cam? How Dash Cams Work in […]
Today, we will be answering the most common questions we get about the yearly NY State Inspection. Every year, New Yorkers have to get their vehicles ready for their New York State inspection. The cost of the yearly inspection at the time of this blog post, is $37 to pass or fail. If you fail […]
Many customers contact us for auto body and collision work estimates for their cars, and we always emphasize the auto body and collision estimates based on pictures are rough estimates because we can’t properly estimate the amount of labor and parts for the car to be 100% repaired. We recently had a perfect example of […]
We had a 2017 BMW 330i customer come in with a coolant leak. The car was regularly losing coolant so it was brought to our shop for diagnosis. We had to figure out why it was consistently losing coolant. For this type of diagnostics, we like to use a coolant pressure testing kit. The tool […]