Q. Is it true that you only work on antique cars, hot rods and muscle cars?
A. While it’s true that our passion is vintage cars, we have nothing against “new” cars and work on them too. For the record, Bill (the owner of Cap-A Radiator) defines a “new car” as “anything that has the key on the steering column.”
Q. Do you sell new radiators and heaters? I don’t see anything on your website.
A. Yes, we actually have a very large inventory of both, as well as air conditioning parts, cooling fans, hoses, gas tanks and much more. This website is exclusively for information, but we do have a website for classic car parts, www.classicradiatorcatalog.com. For modern cars, you’re always welcome to call us for pricing!
Q. My car overheated. Is it safe to drive it to you?
A. If you can fill up the cooling system and it is not pouring out, you MAY be able to safely drive it here. But if it is pouring out, then absolutely not! Never drive an overheating vehicle. Call a tow truck or AAA to get it here. If you don’t know someone, you can call us and we’ll get it towed for you, but please remember that towing charges will be in addition to any work that we do.
Q. Is there a towing service that you recommend?
A. The four local towing companies we use are:
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Aldo's Towing 631-991-1573
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Bellmore Towing 516-781-0200
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Jimmy’s Towing 631-424-8079
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Timmy’s Towing 516-735-5512
Q. My A/C suddenly died and it’s hot out! What do you charge to repair it?
A. Many things can go wrong with an air conditioner. Until we diagnose it, there’s no way for us to tell what is wrong, therefore we can’t give you a price. Also, when it’s hot out, we’re very busy, so call us to find out when we can look at it. https://www.caparadiator.com/air-conditioning
Q. I keep losing anti-freeze, but I don’t see any puddles under it. Where is the anti-freeze going?
A. It’s possible that you have an internal engine leak, such as a head gasket — or you could be overfilling it. We’ll have to check it out to see what’s wrong, so call 516.293.9026 and make an appointment as soon as possible. If you do have an engine leak, it will get worse over a very short period of time, so don’t delay!
Q. Antifreeze is leaking inside my car. What happened?
A. You almost certainly have a leaking heater core. Heater core replacement is different for all models, so call us for a quote and to set up an appointment. If your car is overheating, or if you lost a lot of fluid, it may be unsafe to drive and you may want to have it towed. https://www.caparadiator.com/heaters
Q. Why is my windshield always fogging up?
A. Most likely it is a heater core leak. See the answer above.
Q. Do you do state inspections?
A. Yes we do. We also do all the work that is necessary to make your car, light truck or van pass the New York State Safety and Emissions Inspection. https://www.caparadiator.com/general-auto-repair
Q. Do you do engine repairs?
A. Yes, on most cars and light trucks, late model or classic.
Q. What about transmissions?
A. We cohabitate with Star Transmissions and they do transmission repairs. https://www.caparadiator.com/star-transmission-repairs-1
Q. When should I change my anti-freeze?
A. That depends on the year, make & model of the vehicle. Also how many miles are currently on the vehicle and when was it last flushed. Please remember that a "cooling system service" that many shops offer at a very low price are usually just a drain and partial fill. We do an actual reverse flush of the engine, radiator and heater core. Does it cost more? Yes. But it is the proper way to maintain your vehicle.
Q. Do you do body work and if not, can you recommend someone?
A. We do not do finishing bodywork that includes painting. Call us for a recommendation based on your specific needs.
Q. How often should I check and/or change my belts and hoses.
A. Belts and hoses should be looked at whenever the car is serviced such as at oil changes. In most cases depending on mileage and use, between 5 & 10 years is a general rule of thumb.
Q. Do you replace fans and water pumps?
A. We take care of the entire cooling system, as we have since we opened in 1982.
Q. I'm looking to install air conditioning into my classic car, but none of the manufacturers show anything available for my vehicle. Can you help me?
A. We've been installing air conditioning for a very long time. In fact, A/C is one of our oldest specialties (along with cooling systems). Aside from the "Sure-Fit kits" that Vintage Air sells, they also offer many individual components available "a la carte" so that a system can be customized for your vehicle. We also deal with other manufacturers so that we can provide a wide selection of parts. Plus, we're great at adaptation, so give us a call and let's see what we can do for you! https://www.caparadiator.com/vintage-air