Johnson City Auto Repair

We can’t believe November is here! It seems like just yesterday that we were celebrating Easter and Fourth of July. Even though Thanksgiving might look a little different this year, we can still expect to see the roads packed with drivers, either racing to the grocery store for last-minute items or planning a trip to your grandmother’s.  The team at Ponder Auto Repair is here to help! Regardless of what you have planned for Thanksgiving, our technicians want you to experience a stress-free holiday. We have compiled a few helpful Thanksgiving traffic tips to help you get through the busy Holiday season:  If you have a road trip planned for Thanksgiving, don’t head out the night before. Traffic always peaks on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, particularly between 10 pm and midnight, as people are heading out after work. We recommend avoiding traveling on Wednesday all together, seeing as you might experience traffic in the morning and afternoon too.  ... read more

We can’t believe Halloween is almost here -- the year is going by so fast! The team at Ponder Auto Repair wants you and your family to have a safe and sound Halloween this year. Fortunately, Johnson City and the surrounding communities are home to many exciting Autumn activities. However, we encourage you to double-check the hours and COVID-19 era policies before heading out.  We may be looking forward to Halloween this year, seeing as these past months have been stressful. We encourage you to check out these Halloween hideaways this year for a fun, festive, and family-friendly Halloween near Johnson City and the surrounding communities:  Haunted Forest: 172 Big Springs Rd, Elizabethton, TN Beck Mountain Haunted Corn Maze: 110 Corn Maze Lane, Elizabethton, TN Horror at Industrial Park: 349 Austin Springs Rd, Johnson City, TN Hartman’s Haunted Corn Maze and Zombie Paint Ball:  7941 Blue Springs Pkwy, Mosheim, TN Stickley Farm Haunted Maze: 531 Timbermill ... read more

Schools may look different this year, but the level of hecticness we all experience will stay the same, as we try to navigate something we haven't gone through before. The team at Ponder Auto Repair doesn't want you to worry about your vehicle's condition as we move through the school year. Before you are swamped, we recommend bringing your vehicle to our facility for some back-to-school car care.  When you arrive at our auto repair shop in Johnson City, we will perform a thorough inspection, but we will focus on a few individual components. However, the overarching theme is an essential preventative maintenance designed to preserve your vehicle's longevity, driveability, and safety. Oil changes, tire rotations, and filter replacements should be performed on routine maintenance, as they will extend the life of your vehicle. It is also imperative to top off all fluids, including brakes, coolant, and transmission. These fluids help your vehicle run safely and smooth ... read more

If you are a parent, you know how it goes… You find yourself stuck in traffic, and now you and your little ones are going to be stuck in the car for hours on end. Perhaps, you and your family, instead, on our a spontaneous trip to the mountains, and the weather takes a turn for the worst. Either way, as a parent, you have to be prepared for anything. The team at Ponder Auto Repair is here to help -- here are five things every parent should have in their vehicle:  Sunscreen: no matter where you are, sunscreen is an absolute must. Even if the sun isn’t out, the UV rays can still affect you and your little ones, and dealing with a sunburn is easily one of the most uncomfortable experiences. To avoid these situations, make sure to stock up your vehicle with sunscreen.  Emergency First Aid Kit: It almost goes without saying, but an emergency first aid kit is something we should all have in our cars. This emergency kit should include all the first aid basics, includi ... read more

Summer is almost here, which means we need to break out our bathing suits, summer dresses, sunscreen, and anything else that will keep you cool. Just like how you need to prepare for summer, your vehicle does too. There are specific measures you can take to keep your car from overheating, and most of these measures are as easy as applying sunscreen to your nose.  The team at Ponder Auto Repair can perform a thorough inspection of your vehicle, specifically your fluids, to ensure everything is in proper condition. This way, we can keep your car from overheating, so you can enjoy your summer:  Park your car in the shade.  If you can’t park in the shade, use car window shades. Think of tinting your windows. Window tinting provides UV protection and prevents sun damage.  Leave your car windows open slightly. Hot air can escape through these window cracks, leaving an overall cool vehicle.  Floor vents are the most efficient in cooling your vehicle. Inste ... read more

During these trying times, we want to let you know that the team at Ponder Auto Repair is here for you. We are offering a touchless experience, along with ongoing specials, so you can adhere to a budget. Here is what our touchless experience entails:  Feel free to book your appointment online at ponderautorepair.com/ or call us Take advantage of our free pickup and delivery during this time Or you can take advantage of our night drop box to the left of our front entrance door. Fill out the envelope with the pen provided and put your keys in the envelope and place through the drop slot. You can also do this during the day if you'd rather not come into the office...don't worry, this is a judge free zone. All communications can be done over the phone or via email. All of our digital inspections are shared with you electronically We make sure to sanitize all of the touch points of your vehicle after we service it, including your keys! We will treat your vehicle with an ... read more

Spring is officially here, and for many of us, spring means spring break! Often our spring break destinations will involve a road trip. If you have little ones, you know how long even the shortest road trip can take, especially if your kids’ stomach is grumbling. To avoid stops that just prolong the trip and the inevitable “are we there yet,” our technicians have put together a list of easy and healthy snacks for road trips with your little ones.  Not only are these snacks easy to prepare, but they are healthy too. You can count on our technicians to keep your vehicle healthy. Before you embark on your spring break road trip, stop by Ponder Auto Repair for an inspection. We carefully and precisely examine your vehicle bumper-to-bumper to make sure each component of your car is performing in tip-top shape. We want your road trip with your little ones to go off without a hitch. You can focus on preparing your little ones’ easy and healthy snacks for your upc ... read more

Is it time for a timing belt replacement? The team at Ponder Auto Repair is here to help. If you don’t have your timing belt replaced in time, and it subsequently snaps, various components of your engine can be affected.  Here is how to tell when it is time for a timing belt replacement:  Material Loss -- belt wear is just like tire wear; you can see noticeable signs of wear and tear.  Belt Abrasion -- your timing belt’s edges have been worn down.  Cracking -- your timing belt is visibly cracking.  Glazing -- the timing belt has a shiny or glossy appearance on the underside of the timing belt.  Piling --  you will hear unusual noises and excess vibration.  Hydroplaning -- this occurs when water cannot be properly dispersed from the warn belt and pulleys.  Elongation -- when driving you feel less tension, and your vehicle’s performance has diminished.  Misalignment -- you will feel high levels of vibration, noi ... read more

Happy New Year’s from the team at Ponder Auto Repair in Johnson City! We wish you a happy and healthy 2020 and decade! It isn’t that challenging to think about New Year resolutions for ourselves, such as going to the gym every other day or reading one book a month. But it can be a struggle to think of resolutions for our cars. The team at Ponder Auto Repair is here to help! Preventative maintenance for your vehicle is the way to go, and the way to keep your vehicle performing in tip-top shape.  You always hear technicians preaching about the importance of preventative maintenance, but why exactly is it important? For starters, think about how you visit your doctor every so often for a physical -- you take a proactive approach for your health. For example, let’s say your cholesterol levels are exceptionally high, and to make sure you stay away from any heart attacks, your doctor will proscribe you medicine. You don’t wait until you have a heart attack; inst ... read more

It is easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. We want you to take a moment and think of how much you rely on your vehicle. Imagine this -- you have a busy day ahead, and after you finish packing up your car for your trip to Grandma’s house for New Years, you put your key into the ignition and get ready to go. Much to your surprise and frustration, your car doesn’t turn on!  Your trip to Grandma’s thwarted, and you realize how much you depend on your vehicle. The team at Ponder Auto Repair is here to keep situations like that from happening. Routine preventative maintenance is a must to prolong the health and safety of your vehicle. It is a perfect time to spoil your car this season, especially since you usually need your car the most this time of year.  During the winter months, your car works extra hard. The colder places a strain on your vehicle, as each component of your car works overtime to counteract the effects of cold ... read more