1998the year we opened the doorsSame corner, same standard
6Red Seal technicians on the floorThree bays, one foreman
40points checked on every carFree with any service
24/40months / thousand km warrantyParts and labour, in writing
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Services
Everything your car needs.
Eight things we do every day, for every make. Each one starts with a measurement, not a guess — and ends with a road test and an invoice that lists every part and every hour.
No.ServiceFrom · time
01
Maintenance & oil service
Oil, filters and fluids on your manufacturer’s schedule, the 40-point inspection with photos, and a written record of everything we did.
Every car that comes in gets the same forty checks — free with any service — and a written report with photos. Drag the scanner across the car, or press a zone, to see what we look at.
0102030405060708
←Move the inspection scanner along the car→
40 / 40 points checked
01
Lights & visibility
4 points · headlights to washer fluid
Headlights, brake lights and signals, wiper blades, washer fluid, and the windshield for chips that spread in a Hamilton winter.
02
Cooling
4 points · radiator, hoses, coolant
Coolant level and strength, the radiator, hoses and cap — the parts that keep a summer jam on the QEW from becoming an overheated engine.
03
Battery & charging
5 points · load test, alternator, terminals
A load test of the battery, the alternator’s output, the starter’s draw and clean, tight terminals. A weak battery is the first thing a cold morning finds.
04
Front brakes & steering
6 points · pads, rotors, tie rods
Pad thickness and rotor wear measured, brake hoses, tie rods, ball joints and the steering rack — numbers on your report, not adjectives.
05
Engine & oil
6 points · oil, leaks, belt, filters
Oil level and condition, leaks at the gaskets and seals, the drive belt, air filter and engine mounts — and any code the computer has stored.
06
Cabin & climate
5 points · filter, A/C, warning lights
The cabin air filter, heater and A/C output at the vents, the horn, seat belts and every warning light on the dash.
07
Rear brakes, suspension & tires
6 points · tread, shocks, parking brake
Tread depth and pressure on all four tires, shocks and springs, the rear pads or shoes and the parking brake. Every number goes on the report.
08
Exhaust & underbody
4 points · leaks, lines, rust
Exhaust leaks and hangers, fuel and brake lines, and rust on the frame and floor — road salt does its work where you can’t see it.
01Lights & visibility
02Cooling
03Battery & charging
04Front brakes & steering
05Engine & oil
06Cabin & climate
07Rear brakes, suspension & tires
08Exhaust & underbody
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How a visit works
Inspected. Approved. Fixed.
Step 01
Tell us what it’s doing
Book online or call. Describe the noise, the light or the service that’s due, and pick a drop-off time that suits you.
Step 02
We inspect and measure
A technician puts the car on the lift, runs the 40-point inspection and finds the cause — with photos of anything worn.
Step 03
You approve the price
A written estimate arrives by text: what’s urgent, what can wait, and the exact price. Nothing is done until you say yes.
Step 04
Drive away sure
The work is torqued to spec and road-tested. Your invoice lists every part and every hour, and the old parts are yours to see.
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The Ridgeline standard
A car is a complete system. We check every part the job touches — and we call you before we touch anything else.
01
Measured, not guessed.
Pads, rotors, tread and fluids are measured, and the numbers go on your report.
02
Priced before we start.
A written estimate before any work. If anything changes, we call before we carry on.
03
Your old parts, shown.
Everything we replace is kept for you to see — or recycled, if you’d rather.
04
24 months / 40,000 km.
Parts and labour on every repair, in writing on the invoice.
Check-engine diagnosticsScan, test and the written cause — credited to the repair$129
Brake padsPer axle, measured, bedded and road-testedfrom $219
Pads and rotorsPer axle, quality partsfrom $429
Four-wheel alignmentPrintout before and after$119
Seasonal tire swapOn rims, balanced, torqued by hand$69
A/C performance checkPressures, vent temperature and a leak test$89
Battery replacementTested, installed, old one recycledfrom $189
Safety inspectionFor a sale or a transfer, with the certificate$149
Courtesy shuttleWithin 8 km of the shopFree
Prices in Canadian dollars, before HST, for most cars and light trucks. Larger engines and special parts can cost more — you will see it on the estimate, never as a surprise on the invoice.
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The shop
Your car, in good hands.
01
Dave Kowalczyk
Owner · Red Seal technician since 1994
Opened Ridgeline in 1998 with one lift and a rented compressor. He still reads every estimate before it goes out, and still answers the phone on Saturdays.
02
Marco Reyes
Shop foreman · diagnostics
If a warning light has three other shops stumped, it ends up in Marco’s bay — and he will explain the fix in plain words, with the price, before anyone starts.
03
Ken Mori
Technician · brakes & suspension
Measures every rotor twice and keeps the alignment rack honest. Ask him how much tread you have left; he will show you on the gauge.
Three bays, three lifts, one standard
Up on the lift for the 40-point check
Every tool back on the wall by six
Underneath, where the real story is
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Reviews
What Hamilton says.
4.9
from 640 Google reviews
5 stars91%
4 stars7%
3 stars1%
2 stars0%
1 star1%
2016 Mazda3 · front brakes
“They measured my pads, showed me the numbers and said the rotors were fine. Another shop wanted to replace everything. Ridgeline saved me $380.”
2019 Ford Escape · check-engine light
“Two shops cleared the code and sent me home. Marco found a cracked vacuum hose in an hour, and the light has stayed off since.”
2012 Toyota Tacoma · rust and exhaust
“Honest about what was worth fixing on an old truck and what wasn’t. Photos of everything, by text, before a single bolt came off.”
2020 Honda CR-V · Service B
“Dropped it at 7:30, had the estimate by 10 and the car back by 3. The invoice lists every part. I’ve stopped going to the dealer.”
Six customer spots in front of the office, more along the side lot.
Early drop-off
A key slot by the office door, open all night. Leave a note on the envelope.
Getting home
A free shuttle within 8 km, or the Barton bus from the corner.
While you wait
Coffee, Wi-Fi and a desk for oil changes and inspections.
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Before you book.
Something else? Call (905) 555-0142 — the person who answers works on the cars.
Q01Will servicing here affect my factory warranty?
No. You can have your car maintained at any qualified shop. We use parts and fluids that meet the manufacturer’s specification and record every service with the date and kilometres.
Q02Can I wait while the car is being worked on?
For oil changes, tire swaps and inspections, yes — there’s coffee, Wi-Fi and a desk. For longer jobs we give you a pickup time and a free ride within 8 km.
Q03Do you charge to look at a check-engine light?
Diagnostics are $129. That covers the scan and the testing that finds the actual cause, and if you go ahead with the repair, the $129 comes off the bill.
Q04What if you find something else?
We text you a photo and a price, and tell you honestly whether it’s urgent or can wait. Nothing beyond what you approved is ever done.
Q05Do you work on every make?
Cars, minivans, SUVs and light trucks — domestic, Asian and European, gas and hybrid. For the odd specialist job we tell you up front and send you to someone who does it well.
Q06What does the warranty cover?
Parts and labour on our repairs for 24 months or 40,000 km, whichever comes first, in writing on every invoice.
Q07Can I bring my own parts?
We’d rather not — we can’t warranty a part we didn’t source. If you have something special, ask, and we’ll give you a straight answer.
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Book a visit
Book your car in.
Tell us what the car is doing and when suits you. We’ll call back to confirm a time — and we’ll call again before any work you haven’t approved.
The whole car↗
