Going Electric.

Over 200,000 plug-in electric cars have been registered in Germany since 2010.  German automakers including BMW, Diamler, and Volkswagen will spend about $45 billion on electric vehicle technology over the next three years, according to a new report from VDA, which is a German auto-industry trade group.

EV batteries are a challenging roadblock for automakers.  They’re costly to produce.  That makes EVs more expensive for consumers than traditional cars, and depressing sales as a result. EV batteries typically require cobalt, which is notoriously challenging, costly, and controversial to extract.

All of this leads us back to the one place you should think of when having a German car maintained and repaired.  That is A.J.’s Import Garage serving the entire Topeka and Northeast Kansas area’s foreign car repair needs.  A.J.’s is located at 501 S.W. Harrison in the Capitol city.  For an appointment call (785) 233-1000.

The History of the Beetles.

Notice the spelling.  This is about the rich 65+ production run of the classic Volkswagen Beetle.  Do you proudly own one of these in the Topeka area?  More than 21 million were built world-wide!  Production began in 1946 and caught on like wildfire on the European Continent.  It took awhile for Americans to get bitten by “the bug”.

When the 15,007,034th car rolled off the line at Wolfsburg in 1972, the Volkswagen Beetle surpassed the Model-T Ford as the longest-running and most-manufactured car in history.  Subsequently, it has fallen a few notches to number four.  The Volkswagen has unique features and unique challenges to keep it humming along.

There is one shop in Topeka that specializes in Volkswagen repair and maintenance to keep your bug flying for years to come.  That place is A.J.’s Import Garage located at 501 S.W. Harrison in the Capitol City.  When Topeka drives German made vehicles, they know where to get them repaired in 2020.  That’s A.J.’s Import Garage.  Call (785) 233-1000.

More About our Capital City.

We are proud to be a business serving the greater Topeka area.  Downtown Topeka is the employment center of our region and has great potential.  Meanwhile, The City of Topeka is conducting a downtown parking survey to better understand the needs of our residents.  Yes, Topeka is a great place to call home!

Christmas in Kansas is very special.  From the beginning of settlers in the Kansas territory, there has been celebrations of Christmas in Kansas.  Diaries and letters written in the early prairie days of Kansas offer us a glimpse of Christmas in the hard times of our state’s early history.  This year will be no exception.

Serving the Topeka area with the highest quality of auto care foreign and domestic has been our sacred duty for many years.  We are AJ’s Import Garage found in the state capital city at 501 S.W. Harrison St.  Please visit us on the web at ajsimports@sbcglobal.net.  We hope that you and yours have a happy holiday season from all of us at AJs to all of you.

Dec 14th and Dec 21st - 2019 WinterFest Topeka

Dec 14th and Dec 21st - 2019 WinterFest Topeka

(Click the link above for more information)

WinterFest will be a holiday memory-maker for all! Enjoy live performances and ice sculptures. Visit with Santa. Experience reindeer and a sleigh ($5 selfie photos) on the first weekend and horse-drawn carriage rides along the avenue ($3 per person) all three weekends!

 

Click, Click, Click.

It is one of the worst sounds that you can hear this winter when you try to start your car and that is all you hear.  While a bad starter can look like other problems with your car, there are ways to tell if the starter has gone or is going bad.  Take some time to consider whether the starter is the problem, so you aren’t faced with being stranded in a Topeka winter.

How do you know if your starter is bad?

1.  You turn the key and simply hear a clicking sound…or nothing at all.

2.  It takes a bit for your car to crank up to a start.

3.  You hear a grinding noise.

Don’t get stranded out there this winter!  At the first sign of a starter going bad on your vehicle get into 501 S.W. Harrison.  That’s the home of A.J.’s Import Garage.  Don’t let the name fool you…the mechanics at A.J.’s take car of your vehicle be it an import or domestic.  Call for an appointment if you are able at (785) 233-1000.

What is a Rotor?

On all modern vehicles, the front brakes, and most often the rear brakes, make use of a rotor and pad design.  The pads tighten around the rotor (also known as a disc) when you push down on your brake pedal (at least they are supposed to!). The pressure comes from fluid in the master cylinder that activates the caliper housing each set of pads.

How do rotors eventually wear out?  Given the amount of stress they are under brake rotor replacement is not an uncommon repair.  Still, rotors hold up for tens of thousands of miles before they typically need to be swapped out.  But, inexorably over time, the metal material coating the disc simply wears away due to friction.

Don’t put your car (and more importantly your family) at risk!  Have your rotors checked periodically which will vary a great deal depending on your driving style.  The brake and rotor repair and replacement experts of the Topeka area are found at A.J.’s Import Garage located at 501 S.W. Harrison.  Call for an appointment at (785) 233-1000.    

Stay on Schedule.

That’s good advice for most of us.  By following your car’s maintenance schedule, you can help prevent major problems before they occur.  Not only that, but keeping a detailed record of your car's maintenance history can help improve its resale value, too.  Now we are talking hundreds of dollars at sale or trade-in time!

Many manufacturers use a simple 30-60-90 schedule, meaning certain items need to be inspected, or perhaps replaced at 30,000, 60,000, and 90,000 miles. But if you’re like most drivers, you may wonder if every suggested maintenance checkpoint in your car manual is essential for the health and well-being of your car.

If you own an import (or domestic) vehicle in the Topeka area you can count on A.J.’s Import Garage to “shoot you straight” on which scheduled maintenance is essential and when it should be done.  Trust the Master ASE Certified Mechanics at A.J.’s Import Garage located at 501 S.W. Harrison in Topeka.  They are your car’s 2nd best friend!  Just call (785) 233-1000.