TL Providence - Quality Automotive Repair

09/13/2019

We want to keep you up to date on the latest auto trends...."green gas." Who knew?! PS your welcome.

08/20/2019

The biggest cause of catastrophic failure can easily be avoided by simply checking your fluids and tire pressure monthly. Set a reminder on your phone or do it on the first of the month, anything to remember to check. This is especially important for older vehicles that are prone to greater oil consumption or coolant loss. The number of times either a vehicle comes in (driven or towed!) because of low fluids is staggering. The times Matt finds fluids dangerously low with no symptoms is very high.

Low oil levels wear out the engine. Low enough and the engine seizes and is ruined. Low coolant levels can be seen early on in a lack of heat or cooling but an overheated car can ruin the engine. Running tires low causes serious wear, damage to the side walls, bad handling, and safety concerns.

If you are trying to make an older car last because money is tight and replacement costly, save yourself- check your fluids!

Not sure how to do it? Ask Matt or surely YouTube, the source of all knowledge, as some pertinent video.

Happy driving!

11/09/2018

Fluids people, check your fluids!!! The simplest way to save your car from certain death! The last 2 weeks we have had multiple vehicles come in (some on tow trucks!) that thankfully, just barely, avoided total vehicular melt down. Antifreeze (and with freezing weather coming it needs to be adjusted for cold), engine oil, transmission fluid ALL being low can turn your car into toast. How sad for someone on a limited budget (and that's most of us) to have to replace their car because of less than $10 worth of fluids.

10/29/2018

So true!!!

08/25/2018

We are working on scheduling a locksmith coming to our house to make keys. He makes the special chipped keys and can program the key fabs. This will most likely happen next week 8/29 or 8/31? His prices are very reasonable so call/message us right away and we will try to set up for you too. Our Mazda for example: $60 key only, $120 key with fab. 615-374-4635

06/25/2018

Matt has been fixing cars professionally since high school (a long time ago!) He has worked at Volvo/Toyota dealership and independent shops, but since 2009 we have been working from our home. We are unique! Other than this FB page we have never advertised, God has provided steady work. We are very thankful and make it our goal to provide our customers, most of whom are our friends, with the best value we can. Value to us means guiding repairs according to the specific situation to help you make wise and informed decisions. We are reasonably priced but cheap is not our goal. Car repairs are never fun but we want you to drive away feeling you got a good value and were treated fairly.

01/20/2018

Let's talk fluids! Engine oil, coolant.....you know, that stuff that keeps your car going? Checking regularly or at least taking warning lights seriously (BTW warning lights often come on too late!) is the easiest way to save your car from very serious damage. Can not over emphasis, over heated engines warp heads or worse, lack of oil will ruin an engine, low oil will damage and cut short the life of you engine. When in doubt, call, stop by, ask, something!!!! We would much rather replace a leaking hose, or a gasket, or just top up fluids than help you decide if you should do a $2000 repair on your worn out car that the engine just seized on. With cars, preventative maintenance is the most economical approach. It is our goal to help our customers navigate the automotive world with wisdom. If your approach is to only fix what's broke we can do that....but you are missing the advantage of having a mechanic who knows you, your car, and what is most important to take care of. Put checking fluids on your calendar or phone reminder or whatever works, and when in doubt check with Matt! And add tire pressure to that check list...then they will drive and wear better and be safe!

10/14/2017

Checking oil, adding 2 qts - less than $8. Failing to check oil and ruining engine??? THOUSANDS!!!! Check your fluids folks. Low coolant can also cause catastrophic failure. Don't know how? Ask Matt if you need help to learn how.

08/09/2017

Hans and Not helping with tractor repairs. Good help is hard to find, but the shop kitties are the best. The boys are ready for a test drive.

07/12/2017

5 Tip-Offs to Mechanic Rip-Offs

5 Tip-Offs to Mechanic Rip-Offs

Common ways mechanics and repairs shops take advantage of customers, and how to avoid them.

07/12/2017

5 Tip-Offs to Mechanic Rip-Offs

The first item on most of our bills is "road test/diagnosis". This is not us padding the bill, this is Matt's strongest selling point. He tries to understand the problem, not throw parts at it hoping something works. This ultimately save you money and makes your car safer. Liked this quote from the article below..."You may be dealing with a so-called parts replacer, that is, a mechanic who’s literally rebuilding your car because he can’t diagnose the problem." Quality auto repair doesn't cost more, it saves! Thankful for almost 8 years of serving our friends and neighbors.

Common ways mechanics and repairs shops take advantage of customers, and how to avoid them.

07/01/2017

This Could Be Your Last Weekend to Listen to NPR's "Car Talk"

What will we do on Saturday morning?? Sad day!

Some regional NPR stations have begun removing "The Best of Car Talk" from their schedules ahead of the show's end of production in September.

04/24/2017

TL Providence is pleased to offer quality automotive repair and maintenance to Trousdale, Sumner, Wilson, Macon and surrounding counties.

As a family owned and operated shop, we strive to provide quality work, personalized customer service, affordable rates, and hometown courtesy that will afford our customers satisfaction and a peace of mind.

Matt Steva, owner/operator, brings 40 plus years experience as a Master Auto Technician and offers a full line of service for both imports and domestics.

12/16/2016

Matt is just all about Christmas cheer this year! We've never seen him get so excited about a holiday, well actually we've never seen him get so excited period.

08/28/2016

Asked folks on Facebook to post a review on this page. It has been so sweet to read peoples comments. What a wonderful encouragement to Matt. The comments did not end up in the review area (but on my personal page where potential customers won't see them) so I am going to paste them here. Thanks to all who took the time to respond!

Elaine Perrault Matt, you have been my mechanic for many years. I wouldn't go anywhere else. You are honest and know just what needs to be done. Your always there in a pinch and have always done a good job. May God bless you for all your hard work and faithfulness to my family.

Joshua Abbotoy Matt is honest, charges fair prices, and does things right the first time.
There's not much more you could ask for.

Penny Freeland I would recommend Matt Steva to anyone who needs auto repairs. He is honest, dependable and knowledgeable.

07/25/2015

Wow! over 6 years ago we made a decision that radically changed our lives. Matt was laid off from his job. He had recently installed a hoist in our garage and was doing some repair jobs for friends and family on his days off. With this lay off we had to decide, do we take a leap of faith and open our own business in the middle of no where or look for other employment? We saw The Lord's Providence in the details- the shop was ready and costumers were lined up and TL Providence opened. We are so thankful for God's amazing provision. We operate 100% on referrals, friends tell friends. We love it that way! We have a customer base that trusts us to guide their repairs to meet their best interest. We desire to serve our customers through Matt's skills and ability. Thanks to everyone who has driven over our thundering bridge, been greeted by our barking dogs, and left with cat prints on your windows. You are our bread and butter.

07/09/2015

I so wish I had a picture of what we just did! Matt needed to diagnose a noise that happened only when the car turned hard to the right. Couldn't really isolate it so....he lifted the hood, climbed up, kneeled over the engine compartment, stethoscope in hand, as I drove in circles around my sisters driveway. "Faster, turn harder!" Matt shouted out. We try to go above and beyond in our service to the customer, this may have been over the top. Car surfing just for you.

11/03/2014

Tom Magliozzi, Popular Co-Host Of NPR's 'Car Talk,' Dies At 77

For as long as I can remember, Saturday mornings at the Steva home have been shared with Click and Clack and their ever entertaining "Car Talk'. The chuckling brothers and their Dear Abby approach to cars and car repair live on in reruns. If you bring your car for repairs on Sat wait until 10am because before that we will be "wasting another perfectly good hour". Thanks for the laughs and don't drive like my brother!

Tom Magliozzi bantered weekly with his brother, Ray, on the public radio show. They joked, laughed and sometimes even gave good advice to listeners with car troubles. Tom Magliozzi was 77 years old.

07/01/2014

When to stop and when to press on......very important decision that can cost or save you lots of $$$$. Examples taken from our recent experience, names omitted because one of them might be me :( Tire going flat....drive on hoping to make it to help, replacement tire (side wall damaged) ~$150. Car overheating, press on to get home, engine blown $2000+ (this has happened to many customers. Could have been avoided in some cases by stopping and adding water!) Driving on when car feels weird, turns out there was something pressing on the brake pedal, flames may have been coming off the rotors. Turned out OK but could have been very costly and dangerous. Timing belt going out on some cars can ruin the engine. Preventative maintenance or a quick call to Matt to see if it's wise to drive on could save you lots. The best way for us to help you have a safe, dependable, car is to change from crisis management to preventative maintenance. If that's out of your budget, be sure to call and ask, should I drive this or not? Catching problem when they start can avoid costly repairs.

01/08/2011

Feel free to post any car-related questions you have and we'll do our best to help you out.

01/08/2011

Kramer test drives car on Seinfeld

If you're thinking of purchasing a car, we'd be happy to inspect it for you before you make a decision. Unfortunately, we're not as brave as Kramer when it comes to test driving.

Kramer takes a dealership car for a test drive and runs it on E