Kenvil & Lake Hopatcong Auto Repair

Ever felt like your mechanic's been running a marathon before they even get to your car? Like they're spread too thin, juggling work, life, and everything in between? Yeah, we've all been there. You know what it's like. The burnout is visible in their eyes as they explain your car's issues. And you can't help but think, "Man, they need a break." But remember - they're humans just like us, grappling with life’s demands, sweating the small stuff. What if I told you there's a place that's changing the game? An auto repair shop that values its team members’ well-being as much as they value your car's. A place that doesn't just fix vehicles but also works magic on its team's life. Intrigued? Get ready to discover the behind-the-scenes story of Automotive Magic, the auto repair shop trailblazer, turning industry norms on their head. Imagine ... read more

Our June Repair of the month features a 2005 Lexus GX470 4.7L V8, with an exhaust manifold leak. The exhaust manifold is the part of the exhaust system that comes directly off of the engine block. There is a gasket between the manifold and the block that seals the gap and keeps  any exhaust gasses from escaping. In this case, the gasket needed to be replaced. When the manifold is leaking like this one, it makes a ticking sound that can sometimes be confused with an engine misfire, tick or knock. The sound is apparent upon first startup of the vehicle when the engine is cold and sometimes may go away as the engine heats up, or may stay consistent.   A leaking manifold can cause serious problems if left untreated for too long. Besides the obvious health risks of exhaust leak making its way into the cabin for you to breathe in, the exhaust valves can get burned from the heat not being expelled efficiently from the cylinder. This can also cause  damage to the piston ri ... read more

When it comes to servicing our customers we strive to do the best we can possibly do and always want to go above and beyond. Our core values,  STRIVE (Service, Trust, Respect, Integrity, Value and Excellence), play an important role in how we are able to carry out our work and provide the best service possible. Working Magic under your hood is not just a slogan for us, it's our standard operating process.         Our best practice starts at the very beginning of our relationship with our clients.. Asking important questions and really listening and hearing you, this is nothing NEW to us.  NEW  Needs, Expectations, and Wants. Understanding these small but important details set us all up for success right from the start.        What are your Needs? How do you use your vehicle? Are you using your vehicle to commute to work and run light errands? Does your job require you to be on the road traveling from client to clien ... read more

Here we have a 2002 Audi A6 Quattro with a 2.7L V6 Bi-Turbo suited with a manual transmission with 260,000 miles on the clock. This car had a coolant leak between the engine and the transmission right above the rear main seal, both turbos leaking oil and one with a cracked wastegate seat, valve covers leaking, power steering fluid leaking, exhaust rotting away, and many other issues. This poor Audi was still going with the owner topping off fluids weekly as needed until the starter decided it was time. After putting it on the lift and seeing where the coolant leak was, the customer agreed with the technician that the starter would be easier to do with the engine removed, which was the only way to be able to change the bad turbos and fix the coolant leak.    After removing the engine we gained access to the rear main seal and the coolant jacket above it which was also leaking, as well as now being able to replace the bad turbo. Having the engine removed made refreshing this ... read more

Summer's Almost Here! Getting into the car on a warm day, only to find out that the air conditioning is blowing out air that is just as hot as what you were trying to escape isn't fun. Avoid this kind of situation by scheduling an A/C evaluation. Let our ASE-certified technicians help prepare you for a cool and comfortable ride this summer.  Our technicians will do a full-service evaluation and inject the system with dye, then evaluate it with UV light which allows the technician to see if there are any leaks in the system. If the system is leaking, they can pinpoint where the leak is and repair it accordingly.  Refrigerants for your air conditioning system are expensive. If you are simply filling it out over and over again, this is a strong indication that there’s a problem. There’s a strong possibility that there’s a leak in your system. By having one of our technicians perform an evaluation, they can find the leak and address ... read more

Do you ever get annoyed when you hear advertisements about new customer incentives and first time discount offers and then wonder, “What am I chopped liver? I’ve been coming here for years!” In the world of retail, and that includes automotive repair and services, every time someone new walks through the door, or calls our number, we want to assure them that they are making the right decision by choosing us and we nurture that trust. We essentially are being interviewed. We want our best light to shine. We want them to choose us because we are the best choice for them and their needs. If they do in fact choose us, we’re not stopping with a “we got you” attitude. We have just been given the opportunity to prove ourselves. We are on our best game, and we’re crossing our t’s and dotting our  i’s. We’re carrying that precious new egg to the nest to be nurtured until that little crack appears, then the beak, and hopefully, ca ... read more

Spring training is when our favorite teams suit up and get their game on. Practice, as they say, makes perfect. We believe the same is true here at Automotive Magic. The Magic isn’t something that is gifted and then taken for granted. It’s earned, learned, nurtured, and matured. That is why we invest our time and financial resources into our team. The automotive industry is ever-changing and evolving, staying on top of the technology is critical to our success and providing the best possible care for your vehicle.  The ASE training is one avenue of source our techs use to learn and grow. The ASE certification is a level of excellence obtained through a series of classes, specific to repair and service consultants. We’ve supported our team members to take part in conferences where the seminars are intense and full of valuable information which we can use to better our services and actions for you.  This year is no different. Some of our team attended the ATI ... read more

Check out this beautiful 1967 Chevrolet Camaro we recently got in! This camaro has a 454 big block in it that has been destroked to a 427 with high compression. The owner also had a 5 speed manual transmission swapped in as well as a ton of other modifications such as modern brakes and adjustable suspension components needed to handle the massive power plant.  Cars such as this one are commonly known as “resto-mods”, in which the car is restored to look and seem original but is modified to have more modern features.    This client came in with a concern for an oil leak, specifically from the rear main crankshaft seal. The owner also noted non-functioning HVAC. Doing the rear main seal requires the transmission to be removed because this seal is located between the engine and the transmission behind the flywheel. Normally on this kind of job we would also recommend changing the fluid and bearings that are a part of the assembly. However, we found something i ... read more

When I walked into MY auto repair shop on April 1st, 2003, I was thinking, “This has got to be a joke!”. I had been working on cars for years already. Starting with my dad in the driveway, then moving on to chain shops. But I was sick of busting my butt, providing top-quality repairs faster than anyone else, only to be underappreciated by shop managers. Don’t get me wrong, my customers always appreciated me and my work, you are the reason I struck out on my own. I was burned out by people around me not caring as much as I did. The culture was, “sell everything you can, whether the customer needs it or not.” That stuff just doesn’t work! So, I built the Automotive Magic brand around a different philosophy – serving people while just happening to work on cars. Humble Auto Repair Beginnings April Fool’s Day in 2003, I had two bays, two lifts, two telephones and one me. I did it all. It was in that first year that I learned that serving peo ... read more

Here we have a 2012 Ford E-350 Super Duty with a 6.8L V10 that was having multiple cylinders misfiring. After checking for the basics, air fuel and spark all were working as they should. Checking compression showed the engine was having issues in the cylinder sealing d.epartment. Our technician Pete then performed a cylinder leak down test compressing the cylinder with air while the valves are closed. In doing this he was able to determine the cylinder was leaking past the intake and exhaust valves. This is from “burnt valves”, a condition that causes pitting at the valve “seat” where the valve seals the cylinder. Burnt valves happen for many reasons but no matter the reason, the cylinder heads needed to come off and they received a full rebuild from our favorite machine shop.   Before getting the heads back we also decarbonized the pistons and rings to make the bottom end fresh and sealed. The customer took our advice while we were there doing the timing ... read more