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Monday 8am - 5pm Tuesday 8am - 5pm Wednesday 8am - 5pm Thursday 8am - 5pm Friday 8am - 5pm

Douglas Automotive NC, 420 Gold Flat Road, Nevada City, CA (2026)

10/09/2026

🔧 MEET THE TEAM: RANDY

This Friday, we’re introducing Randy, an Automotive Technician at our Nevada City location!

Randy has been with Douglas Automotive for two years and brings 12 years of automotive-industry experience to our team. He enjoys taking on larger, more technical repairs, with suspension work being one of his favorite areas.

When asked about his main responsibilities at the shop, Randy gave us a simple answer that says a lot about him:

“Be kind and fix cars.”

Randy enjoys the peaceful, family-style atmosphere at Douglas Automotive and the people he works alongside each day. He takes pride in all of his work and approaches every vehicle with the same important thought:

“I always think there could be a kid riding in the car, so I treat it like it’s my own.”

That family-first approach carries into Randy’s life outside the shop. Randy is married and has five children. He enjoys spending time with his family, hunting, riding quads, hiking, river sports, and visiting the lakes and mountains around our area.

His dream vehicle is a 1967 Ford Mustang Fastback—a pretty solid choice!

Randy’s coworkers describe him as a devoted family man who loves his family more than anything. He is hardworking, has a great attitude regardless of the task he is asked to complete, and is a pleasure to work with.

Around the shop, Randy is most commonly known by the nickname “V,” courtesy of his last name. He also regularly becomes part of the shop’s unofficial soundtrack. Our Shop Foreman, Keven, sings throughout the day and somehow manages to work Randy’s name into the lyrics whenever possible. Randy may not have asked for his own theme songs, but he gets them anyway! 😂

We’re grateful to have V’s experience, positive attitude, and dedication to doing the job correctly as part of our Nevada City team.

Help us show Randy some appreciation—and tell us in the comments: Would you rather spend the weekend driving a classic Mustang, riding quads, or relaxing at the lake? 👇

10/07/2026

🔧 BEHIND THE WRENCH: WHEN A CLUTCH COMES APART

This Jeep Wrangler came into our shop with manual-transmission shifting concerns and a horrible noise coming from the bellhousing area whenever the clutch was engaged or disengaged. The clutch master cylinder and slave cylinder were also becoming weak with age.

Since the problem was hidden inside the bellhousing, we removed the transmission to investigate. Once the transmission came out, the cause became obvious: the clutch disc itself was coming apart.

This particular clutch disc uses four springs to help absorb engine vibration and smooth the transfer of power into the transmission. Two of those four springs had completely broken loose—and fell onto the floor as we removed the transmission.

The failing clutch had also generated enough heat to create hot spots on the flywheel. Those damaged areas can cause clutch chatter, vibration, uneven engagement, and premature wear, so the flywheel also needed to be replaced.

To properly repair the system, we replaced the:

🔧 Flywheel
🔧 Clutch disc and pressure plate
🔧 Release bearing
🔧 Pilot bushing and bearing
🔧 Clutch master and slave cylinders

A strange rattle, grinding noise, or change in sound when pressing and releasing the clutch pedal can be a warning that something inside the clutch assembly is failing. Catching it early may help prevent additional damage.

Looking at the pictures, can you spot what is wrong with this clutch disc? 👇

09/25/2026

🔧 MEET THE TEAM: JEFF GORTNER

This Friday, we’re introducing Jeff Gortner, the Service Manager at our Nevada City location!

Jeff has been with Douglas Automotive for six years and brings 26 years of automotive-industry experience to the team. He holds ASE C1 Service Consultant and P2 Parts Specialist certifications.

Jeff manages the shop’s day-to-day operations, but his favorite part of the job is working directly with customers to solve their automotive needs. He is especially proud of the family atmosphere the Nevada City team has created—and of the many loyal customers who continue trusting Douglas Automotive with their vehicles.

His approach is simple:

“Every customer and every repair matters. Regardless of the size of the job, we appreciate the trust our customers place in us to keep their vehicles on the road.”

Outside the shop, Jeff enjoys fishing and camping with his wife, Rachel, and their dog, Zeke. He also enjoys traveling and attending San Francisco 49ers games. His favorite vehicle he has owned is a 1969 Corvette convertible, although his pontoon boat ranks pretty high on the list! His dream setup is a one-ton truck with a slide-in camper for exploring the lakes, rivers, and mountains he loves.

Here are a couple of things customers may not know about Jeff:

⛪ He preaches at his local congregation once a month.
🛢️ He is no longer allowed to drain the shop’s waste-oil containers after an early attempt ended with Jeff taking an oil bath—and an entire corner of the shop needing to be cleaned! 😂

His coworkers describe him as dedicated to the shop, its customers, and his fellow team members.

Help us show Jeff some appreciation—and tell us in the comments: Would you choose the Corvette, the pontoon boat, or the truck and camper? 👇

09/22/2026

🔍 BEHIND THE WRENCH: ASSUMPTIONS CAN BE COSTLY

This 1997 Toyota Tacoma came to our shop for a leaking rear main engine seal. Because replacing the rear main seal requires removing the transmission, we were able to inspect areas that normally cannot be seen while everything is assembled.

Once the transmission was removed, we discovered a second, separate leak at the transmission’s front input-shaft seal.

Another shop had previously added fluorescent dye to the manual transmission while trying to locate a leak. The input-shaft seal had begun leaking inside the bellhousing, but the fluid had not yet traveled far enough to drip from the transmission or reach the ground. The leak only became visible once we removed the transmission for the rear main seal repair and inspected it under UV light.

This is the second vehicle we’ve seen with this same situation in just a few weeks. A transmission input-shaft seal leak can travel through the bellhousing and drip from the same general area as a rear main engine seal, making the two leaks appear very similar from underneath the vehicle.

In this case, the rear main seal was leaking and was being repaired under warranty—but an inspection revealed an additional problem that could have easily gone unnoticed.

Assumptions can be costly. Fluid type, dye tracing, and a close inspection of the entire area are important because where a leak reaches the ground is not always where it started.

09/18/2026

🔧 MEET THE TEAM: CHRIS FISHER

This Friday, we’re introducing Chris Fisher, an Automotive Technician at our Nevada City location!

Chris has been with Douglas Automotive for one year and brings 20 years of automotive experience to our team. He currently holds five ASE certifications: A1 Engine Repair, A3 Manual Drivetrain and Axles, A4 Suspension and Steering, A5 Brakes, and A8 Engine Performance.

Chris helps repair and service our customers’ vehicles, but his favorite part of the job is diagnostics—tracking down problems and determining what a vehicle actually needs. He takes pride in being thorough with every repair and appreciates working somewhere that recognizes each team member as an individual.

Outside the shop, Chris enjoys building computers, light gaming, and building a turbo engine. His favorite vehicle is his 1995 Mitsubishi Mighty Max, while his dream car is a 1998 Nissan Skyline GT-R.

Here are a few things you might not know about Chris:

🪂 He has gone skydiving.
🐈 He has a 25-pound rescue cat named Bing B**g.
🤫 His coworkers describe him as “quiet.”
☝️ He earned the nickname “Finger” at the first shop he worked at after breaking his fingertip.

We’re glad to have Chris’s experience, diagnostic ability, and thorough approach as part of the Douglas Automotive family.

Help us show Chris some appreciation—and let us know in the comments: Would you choose the Mighty Max or the Skyline GT-R? 👇

09/15/2026

❄️ BEHIND THE WRENCH: FINDING A HIDDEN A/C LEAK

This vehicle came into our shop with an air-conditioning system that was losing refrigerant. After filling and operating the system, we knew a leak was present—but there was no visible fluorescent dye anywhere outside the system to show us where it was escaping.

That’s when we brought out what we jokingly call our “A/C Geiger counter.”

The proper name is an electronic refrigerant leak detector, or A/C sniffer. As it detects refrigerant, the moving bar graph climbs and the beeping becomes faster—much like the Geiger counters you see in movies.

As we moved the sniffer around the vehicle, the reading became strongest near the HVAC housing inside the cabin. This indicated that the leak was most likely coming from the evaporator core, which is hidden inside the HVAC box behind the dashboard. Because of its location, leaking dye may not be visible without taking the system apart.

After receiving the customer’s approval, we removed the HVAC box and replaced the evaporator core. Once the old core was out, we shined a UV light on it—and there was our confirmation. The evaporator glowed bright green from the fluorescent dye, proving that it had been leaking. ✅

Sometimes the source of a problem can’t be seen from the outside. Having the right equipment and following the evidence allows us to confirm the failure before completing a major repair.

Have you ever had an A/C system that needed to be recharged more than once? It may have a hidden leak that needs to be located.

09/11/2026

🔧 MEET THE TEAM: KEVEN PALMER

This week, we’re introducing Keven Palmer, the Shop Foreman at our Nevada City location—and the proud owner of last week’s featured employee, Rufus!

Keven has been with Douglas Automotive for three years and brings 33 years of automotive experience to our team. He is an ASE Certified Master Technician and is also diesel certified.

As Shop Foreman, Keven oversees repairs and quality control throughout the shop. His favorite part of the job is diagnostics: tracking down difficult problems, determining what is actually wrong, and helping make sure each repair is completed correctly.

Keven says his favorite part about working at Douglas Automotive is that it feels like one big family. His approach to every repair is simple:

“I treat every car I work on like it’s my own.”

Outside of work, Keven enjoys drag racing and camping with Rufus. His favorite vehicle he has owned was a 1969 Chevy Nova, and his dream car is a 1966 or 1967 Nova. He also raced BMX for 30 years!

When we asked how his coworkers would describe him, Keven’s answer was simply: “Old.” 😂 He’s also known for changing the lyrics to songs playing on the radio while everyone works.

Help us thank Keven for the experience, leadership, quality control, and laughter he brings to the Nevada City shop every day!

Are you a Chevy Nova fan—or would something else be your dream car? Tell us in the comments! 👇

09/08/2026

BEHIND THE WRENCH: SMALL TEETH, BIG REPAIRS

This 1994 Toyota Pickup SR5 came into the shop with numerous chewed wires and several other issues that needed attention.

After inspecting the damage, we found that rodents had damaged multiple sections of the vehicle’s wiring. Our technicians had to replace several electrical connectors and carefully repair many individual wires to restore the affected systems.

We’ve seen considerably more rodent damage this year than in previous years. Vehicles that sit outside for extended periods—especially in rural areas—can provide rodents with a warm, protected place to build a nest.

Rodent-damaged wiring can lead to warning lights, electrical malfunctions, no-start conditions, and other difficult-to-diagnose problems. These repairs can also become time-consuming and expensive.

If your vehicle regularly sits outside, consider installing an under-hood rodent-deterrent device. Several direct to battery-powered options use flashing lights and high-frequency sounds while drawing very little power. Although no deterrent is guaranteed, it may help discourage rodents from making themselves at home under your hood.

Have you ever discovered a rodent nest or chewed wiring in your vehicle? Tell us about it in the comments! 👇

09/04/2026

🐾 MEET THE TEAM: RUFUS

It’s time to introduce one of the most important members of our Nevada City team: Rufus, our official shop dog and Employee of the Month for four months running! He was missing from our Team Picture.

Rufus comes to work every day with Keven, our Shop Foreman. His official responsibilities include:

🐶 Making customers smile
🍖 Ensuring leftover scraps are properly disposed of
🪑 Taking up as much space as possible under Jeff’s desk
📈 Boosting team morale throughout the shop

When Rufus isn’t hard at work, he enjoys chewing sticks, sleeping, chasing vermin around his house, and generally being a goofy dog. He hasn’t met a dog he doesn’t like, and he divides his workday between his special spot near the shop and hanging out with Jeff in the office.

Rufus would also like us to disclose that he accepts bribes—a fact our vendors and delivery drivers have already figured out!

Help us congratulate Rufus on another well-earned Employee of the Month award.

Drop a 🐾 in the comments for our hardest-working shop supervisor—and share a picture of your four-legged companion with us!

09/01/2026

🔍 BEHIND THE WRENCH: WHY A PRE-PURCHASE INSPECTION MATTERS

A customer recently brought us a 2022 Honda CR-V Touring that she was considering purchasing from a car lot. The vehicle was very clean, looked great, and the rest of it appeared to be in excellent condition.

During our pre-purchase inspection, however, we noticed a small amount of oil near the inspection plate where the engine and transmission meet. It wasn’t immediately clear whether this was an active leak or simply oil left behind from a previous repair.

We added fluorescent dye to the oil and asked the customer to drive the vehicle before returning the following day. When she came back, we reinspected it and confirmed that the leak was active.

Unfortunately, the area was too tight for our borescope to provide a complete view, so additional disassembly and inspection would have been needed to pinpoint the exact source. Depending on what was ultimately found, the repair could have ranged from approximately $700 to $3,000.

Because the customer was still within the dealer’s return window, she was able to make an informed decision before the CR-V became her daily driver.

This is exactly why a pre-purchase inspection is so valuable. A vehicle can look beautiful, drive well, and still have a developing problem hidden underneath. Even when a vehicle checks out perfectly, knowing its current mechanical condition provides valuable peace of mind.

If you’re considering purchasing a used vehicle, let us take a closer look before you make it yours. A little information upfront can help prevent an expensive surprise later.

Douglas Automotive NC

10/09/2026

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09/25/2026

09/22/2026

09/18/2026

09/15/2026

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Monday	8am - 5pm
Tuesday	8am - 5pm
Wednesday	8am - 5pm
Thursday	8am - 5pm
Friday	8am - 5pm