FAQ
Everything people ask before they book — answered the way we'd want it answered.
Service & Coverage
We're based in Port Angeles and cover the Olympic Peninsula: Sequim, Port Townsend, Joyce, Forks, Port Ludlow, and everywhere in between. Travel for diagnostic visits is billed at $1.50/mile from Port Angeles, so your location sets your exact cost — the estimate form does the math.
Most of what cars need, yes: brakes, starters, alternators, batteries, cooling systems, belts and hoses, tune-ups, carburetor work, fuel delivery, suspension components, gaskets, and general maintenance. See the full list on the driveway repairs page.
Some jobs honestly need a lift, a press, or a machine shop. When yours does, we say so and point you the right way instead of improvising in your carport.
Classics 25 years and older are the specialty — Toyota, Nissan, Mazda, and Subaru icons; pre-'94 Volvos; and everything pre-1972 regardless of make. But daily drivers are absolutely welcome. Good tools and honest billing don't care what year the car is.
Money
Diagnostics: $125 + $1.50/mile from Port Angeles (Sequim ≈ $150 total, Port Townsend ≈ $195). Repair labor: $125–135/hour, parts quoted before ordering. Every rate is on the pricing page; nothing appears on an invoice you didn't approve first.
The hourly rate is comparable — the total is usually better. A car that can't drive needs a tow to reach a shop, and Peninsula tows regularly cost more than our whole travel fee. You also skip the shuttle rides and the waiting room.
Veterans and seniors (65+) get discounts, and flexible payment plans are available for those who qualify. Mention it when you request your estimate.
Where it makes sense, yes — common on classic jobs where you've already hunted down the correct NOS or reproduction pieces. Otherwise parts come at wholesale plus a standard markup, shown to you before we order.
Booking & Special Programs
Start with the estimate form: vehicle, location, and what's going on. It calculates your estimate on the spot, and we follow up to confirm the scope and set a time. Consultations are free and no-obligation.
Broken car you'd rather sell than fix? We repair it, help sell it as a running vehicle, and get paid from the sale proceeds — you pay nothing up front, and the split is agreed in writing before any work begins. Full details on the Fix & Flip page.
Always — and before the deposit, not after. Our 51-point pre-purchase inspection happens at the seller's location and gives you the fix-it list that either negotiates the price down or saves you from the car entirely.