Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: October 2026

Have questions? Here’s what to expect at My Garage Auto & Tire.

We are Airdrie’s premium independent auto service centre. What does “premium” mean? It means higher standards of quality, competence, integrity, and attention to detail — from a team that truly works with your best interests in mind. If you value these things, then we can expect to enjoy a wonderful relationship together. It truly is a relationship to us; we seek to earn your trust and continue earning it for many years to come. If you are seeking the cheapest option or just want something fixed for now instead of fixed for good, we are probably not a good fit.

Your calls, emails and text messages will always be answered by a caring human being who is always happy to answer questions. At the time of booking an appointment, we will discuss not just the scope of work, but all of the other logistics involved, including drop-off and expected completion times. We’ll also walk you through conveniences like our 24/7 key locker, complimentary shuttle, and complimentary courtesy cars, so your appointment fits your life as smoothly as possible.

Once your vehicle enters our organized, state-of-the-art shop, it will be in the hands of one of Alberta’s best Technicians. With a waiting list of Technicians who seek to work with My Garage, we’ve been afforded the opportunity to hand-pick the current team for their skill, their attitude and how much they truly care. In a shop that prioritizes quality of work over quantity, you can expect the little things done right, even when nobody is watching.

We have fun. We know vehicle ownership is expensive and stressful, and this job isn’t always easy either. But as positive problem-solvers, while we’re working hard for you, we’ll do our best to put a smile on your face at the same time.

As part of our culture of maintenance, we intend to inspect your vehicle once per year. We don’t do inspections to sell you work. We do them because we understand what it takes to keep a vehicle healthy, and we understand that regular inspections are where that starts. It’s not just about longevity, but reliability too: not every breakdown can be prevented through inspections, but 90% of them can. Our regular maintenance clients also know 6-12 months in advance when services like brake replacement will be required. They have time to budget for major repairs and the benefit of handling them on their schedule. They save money when we catch little issues before they become bigger problems. Even our regular clients’ tires last longer because we keep the rest of their vehicle in better shape.

We’re human, and we sometimes make mistakes. When we know about one, we’ll always own up to it and fix it. You will never pay for a misdiagnosis or a repair you didn’t need. If we’ve fallen short of your expectations, or made a mistake we haven’t caught, we sincerely ask that you tell us. A situation gone wrong is a chance to show how much we care, and you might be surprised how far we’ll go to make it right.

We truly appreciate our clients, more than you might realize, and we hope to show it over the years to come.

Can I wait while you service my vehicle?

Yes, you can wait at My Garage in Airdrie, Alberta while we perform shorter services like tire repairs, tire change-overs, and sometimes oil changes. For everything else, we ask that you leave your vehicle with us.

Doing a repair properly takes time, and most services take longer than they used to, especially with the attention to detail you’ll find here. (Most vehicles also need more than just an oil change at each service interval, so check your owner’s manual to see what yours needs.) To make dropping off easy, we offer 24/7 drop-off and pickup, a complimentary shuttle service within Airdrie, and complimentary courtesy cars.

All waiting appointments are scheduled for 7:50 AM. Getting your vehicle into the bays first thing means there’s no chance of a job ahead of yours running into delays and keeping you waiting longer than necessary. While you wait, our comfortable client lounge has free WiFi, entertainment streaming, and complimentary hot and cold beverages.

Which vehicle brands does My Garage service, and why not all of them?

My Garage in Airdrie, Alberta services vehicles from eight manufacturers: General Motors (Chevrolet, GMC, Buick, Cadillac), Ford (Ford, Lincoln), Stellantis (Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram), Honda and Acura, Toyota and Lexus, Hyundai and Kia, Mazda, and Tesla.

We see this specialization as a strength, not a weakness: it allows us to offer a much higher level of capability than you’d normally receive from an independent service centre like ours. This means higher quality repairs, faster and more accurate diagnostics, and better-than-dealership level capability. This brands that we service breaks down all of the advantages in more detail.

Do you service electric vehicles?

Yes, My Garage in Airdrie is an electric vehicle (EV) specialist, servicing more EVs than any other independent service centre in Alberta. Given that, it might seem strange to include this question, but it’s one of the most common questions we hear from new clients! Many of them have heard great things in the EV community about a shop in Airdrie, and they want to make sure we’re that shop. We’re happy to report: yes, you’ve come to the right place!

Can you provide a repair estimate before I bring my vehicle in?

In most cases, My Garage cannot provide a reliable repair estimate before you bring your vehicle in. (If you are an existing client checking in on a previous estimate for budgeting purposes, we’re always happy to help.)

Why not? With complete respect intended: in our experience, the whole exercise of a client shopping around and service centres preparing estimates usually ends up being a waste of time (yours and ours) when your vehicle arrives, gets inspected and almost always ends up needing something completely different than we’ve quoted. We have a great Facebook post that explains this in more detail. Today’s vehicles are complex, with every symptom having dozens of potential causes. That’s why we start with a proper diagnosis first. You can trust our skilled and caring team to provide accurate, honest answers and a fair estimate for a repair you actually need.

Do I still have to pay for diagnosis/testing if I proceed with a repair?

Yes, My Garage in Airdrie, Alberta still charges for the time a Technician spends diagnosing a problem, even if you choose to repair your vehicle with us. One reason is simple: just like you, our staff doesn’t work for free.

Giving away testing time is an outdated practice from an era when diagnostics were quick, simple, and required almost no specialized equipment, and when repairs were very profitable. Thirty or forty years ago, the cost of an easy 15-minute diagnosis was easily absorbed into a multi-hour repair. Today, the situation is often reversed: it can take many hours of technician time to pinpoint a corroded wire buried deep inside a vehicle, and then only 15 minutes to actually fix it. Modern vehicles are complex. Diagnosing them requires advanced equipment, expensive service information and software, and a highly skilled Technician. That’s why testing time is actually the most valuable service we charge for.

What about those “free” inspections that you’ll find at certain service centres? Here is a social media post explaining why you can’t afford a free inspection.

I am positive that my car needs a new power window motor, and don’t want to pay for testing. Will you replace it?

Yes, My Garage will sometimes replace a part you’ve chosen without any testing beforehand, but only if we agree on two things:

1. You’ll sign a copy of the repair estimate, acknowledging that you’ll pay the full amount even if the repair doesn’t correct your problem.
2. If the repair doesn’t correct your problem, you won’t be mad at us!

We get it. Some drivers come to us convinced their vehicle needs a certain part, whether from their own research, an AI chatbot, or the uncle who knows cars. Because our industry hasn’t done a great job showing clients the complexity and importance of the diagnostic process, some folks don’t see the value of diagnostic charges. We’ll do our best to educate you first, but if you choose to roll the dice, we’ll sometimes still perform the repair. Just remember, you promised not to get mad!

Do you only use NAPA parts?

No, we use parts from dozens of suppliers, including OEM (factory) parts directly from your vehicle manufacturer. We are proud members of the NAPA Autopro banner program, but every independently-owned Autopro is free to purchase parts wherever we deem best; through NAPA or anywhere else. For us, this usually results in a blend of around 70% premium aftermarket parts and 30% genuine OEM. There are actually certain repairs where we’ll only use OEM parts, because the aftermarket options do not deliver the quality expected from a My Garage repair.

Can I bring my own parts for you to install?

No, My Garage in Airdrie, Alberta does not install client-supplied parts. Throughout 15 years in business, we’ve seen far too many of these jobs go sideways: hoists tied up when a part is wrong or doesn’t fit properly, a low-quality part that fails early and makes our workmanship look bad, and plenty of other headaches. When we use our expertise to select the right parts, it shapes your whole service experience, not just the quality of the repair.

When we supply the parts, we can also guarantee the whole job, and our warranty is the best in Alberta: 3 years or 100,000 kilometres.

Why do I see this part on Amazon for much less?

Because the parts we supply are different. We choose parts on quality first, availability second, and price last. Every part we sell is guaranteed not only to fit your vehicle but to function properly, and to last.

If you’re doing your own repairs, buy parts wherever you like. Just understand that many parts sold online, and even over the counter at parts stores, are not professional quality. They are built for DIYers looking to save money, and they’re a major step down from what your vehicle left the factory with. If you’re looking for cheap, we may not be the service centre for you.

I replaced my own brakes, and now my car makes a bad noise. Can you help?

No, My Garage in Airdrie, Alberta does not finish or fix repairs that someone else has started, including repairs performed by the vehicle owner. That also means we won’t perform a wheel alignment after you install your own suspension parts, or an air conditioning recharge after you repair your own A/C system.

We understand that some drivers pride themselves in being self-reliant and looking after their own vehicles, or that some people repair their own vehicles to save money. We respect that! That said, if you are one of those people, you need to understand the complexity and risks of what you’re undertaking. You’ll find an entire article in our blog explaining why we cannot help in these situations, from both a liability and a business perspective.

Do you perform Out of Province Inspections?

No, My Garage in Airdrie, Alberta does not perform Out of Province Inspections. We stopped offering them in 2018, and the reason is simple: despite our best efforts, the process almost never ends with a happy client, and a happy client is what our business revolves around. That’s because the inspection is incredibly strict, so much so that most of our staff vehicles wouldn’t pass. To illustrate, we use the example of Jay’s brand new Mitsubishi RVR. Driving home from the dealership in Calgary with only 12 kilometers on the odometer, a stone impacted his right fog light assembly and left a small crack. That vehicle would now fail an Out of Province Inspection.

Technicians feel forced to go strictly “by the book” because Transportation and Economic Corridors Alberta mystery shops participating facilities with vehicles carrying deliberately planted defects, and it fines both the Technician and the facility when one is missed. On top of that, vehicles already registered in Alberta face no regular inspections at all. We think that’s an unfair double standard: new-to-Alberta cars must be perfect, while the rest are never checked — including many that are legitimately unsafe.

Because of this, we leave the inspection to someone else. Once your vehicle is registered, we’ll start off on the right foot, earning your trust with a service experience that we’re sure will impress you.

Do you perform taxi or Uber/Lyft inspections?

No, My Garage in Airdrie, Alberta does not perform taxi, limousine, or rideshare vehicle inspections, including Calgary’s ELVIS (Enhanced Livery Vehicle Inspection Standards) inspection. While ELVIS has left our building, you can find a list of authorized ELVIS inspection facilities here.

Why should I trust My Garage?

You can trust My Garage for several reasons. For starters, we are unique in that our entire team, from the person who greets you at arrival to the Technician working on your car, is paid by the hour. With nobody chasing spiffs, sales incentives and commissions, we can truly provide unbiased advice. Additionally, ours is truly a long term business model, focused on building relationships that last for years instead of pursuing an expensive one-time transaction. On top of that, we employ caring people who do this job for the right reasons: for the satisfaction that comes from taking something broken and making it work again, from solving problems and from taking clients’ stress away. We love this trade and we hold each other to a level of integrity and accountability you won’t often find elsewhere.

My vehicle has never needed anything before. Why are you recommending so many services/repairs?

When we recommend more services than you expected, it’s sometimes because the vehicle needed that work all along but never received it. Is it true that your vehicle didn’t need the services, or that it just didn’t get them? Often, we discover it’s the latter. A well-meaning driver can unintentionally miss part of their vehicle’s needs, whether from a lack of knowledge or because previous service centres let them down. This is common for clients who rely on quick-lube oil change shops: the engine oil is meticulously maintained, but most of the vehicle’s other systems never get inspected.

Even simple services at My Garage are performed by experienced Technicians who truly know vehicles, and our company culture revolves around servicing vehicles properly and completely. That’s why we may be the first to bring these needs to your attention. We’re always happy to explain why we’ve made each recommendation, and there’s never any pressure from our staff to move forward with any of them.

Should I buy studded or non-studded winter tires?

The right choice depends on where and how you drive. Studded winter tires offer the most traction on ice, while non-studded winter tires are quieter and perform better on bare pavement, whether it is wet or dry.

Studs bite into ice in a way rubber alone can’t, which offers better grip and shorter stopping distances on icy roads and hard-packed snow. The tradeoffs are noise and pavement performance: studs create a noticeable hum at highway speeds, a scratching sound at low speeds, and on dry or wet pavement they reduce the rubber contact with the road, which can lengthen stopping distances. Tell us about your typical week of driving, and we’ll help you decide.

Didn’t find your answer?

We are always happy to chat! Please contact us anytime and a caring member of our team would love to assist you.