Bowest Motors: Frequently Asked Questions

With so many moving parts on your vehicle, it’s common to have questions. As a trusted source for auto maintenance and repair in Calgary for over 60 years, you can feel secure in leaving your vehicle in our hands.

• The Basics

  Our Open Hours are Monday - Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. We are closed on Weekends and Statutory Holidays. We are located at 8305 Bowness Rd. NW, Calgary, AB.

  We tend to book approximately 3-5 days in advance, but lead times vary by season. Summertime is busy, and January / February tends to be slower.

• Do you work on new cars?

  Even though your dealership might have said they’re the only ones who can perform any repairs or maintenance on your car, we’d be glad to make any tune-ups as well! Our team of highly skilled staff is well trained and experienced to work on new cars. Per the Automotive Industry Association of Canada's notice to consumers, we are fully qualified to service your vehicle.

• When do I have to use a dealership?

  You will have to take your new car to the dealership when you have an Owner’s Recall Notice or a legitimate warranty claim. If something is broken and it’s covered by warranty, the Manufacturer’s dealership is the only one who can replace it.

• Can I drop off my vehicle before you open?

  Yes! If you’d like to drop off your vehicle before 8:00 am, please park in an empty stall on our lot (or) on 40th Ave beside the shop – please do not leave your vehicle in front of the bay doors. Make sure you remove all valuables and lock them up. You can leave your key in the sign-in/key box on the front bay door wall and provide as much information as possible on the form provided; you must sign the authorization for us to do an initial inspection of your vehicle. (If you have booked your appointment online and already confirmed the estimate we sent to you, you do not need to complete the paper form at the key drop - simply leave your keys in the drop box and we’ll know what to do). Please leave a phone number so we can contact you, confirm that we have received your vehicle, and understand what you want us to do with it. If you have not received a call about your vehicle, please give us a call around 9:30-10:00 am.

• What services do you complete at Bowest Motors?

  Here at Bowest, we provide a variety of services for auto maintenance and repair in Calgary. Of course, many of our appointments start with an inspection. We recommend having an inspection completed at least once a year or more if you are noticing something isn’t quite right. When it comes to brakes specifically, we complete brake checks to ensure your car is as safe as possible.

  We complete conventional and synthetic oil changes, as well as, specialty oil changes as needed. We recommend you check your owner’s manual to determine when you need your next oil change – that said, we can figure that out and help too.

  We offer many services to ensure your tires and wheel alignment are in top shape. These include tire rotations, seasonal tire changes, tire mounting and balancing, and any necessary repairs. We recommend you rotate your tires every 8,000 km – roughly around the amount of time between oil changes. For more information on when to complete each service, please visit our wheel and tires service page. 

  Finally, the brain of your car: diagnostics. More often than not, we complete these services when your Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) – or check engine light- comes on. If your MIL is not turned on, but your car isn’t acting right, and you can’t figure out why we recommend you bring it in for a general diagnostics test.