Auto Repair Services: All 14 Under One Roof

Derham’s Alignment & Auto Repair has been Wilmington’s trusted independent shop for 20 years. We handle everything from routine maintenance to complex diagnostics and repair — no dealership markup, no unnecessary upselling, and every job backed by our 12-month / 12,000-mile guarantee on parts and labor.

We serve drivers throughout Wilmington, Leland, Carolina Beach, Wrightsville Beach, Hampstead, Ogden, Porters Neck, Mayfaire, Kings Grant, Murrayville, Bayshore, Inland Greens, Castle Hayne, Monkey Junction, and all of New Hanover and surrounding counties. Below is a complete list of our services — click any service for full details and what to expect during your visit.

Precision Wheel Alignment

Our core specialty. We use a state-of-the-art alignment rack to adjust camber, caster, and toe angles to manufacturer specifications on cars, trucks, and SUVs. Proper alignment eliminates pulling, extends tire life, and improves fuel economy. If your vehicle drifts, your steering wheel is off-center, or your tires are wearing unevenly, an alignment corrects it.

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Tire Mounting & Balancing

New tire installation, wheel balancing, tire rotation, and tire pressure checks. We mount and balance tires from any retailer, and we carry Michelin, BFGoodrich, Uniroyal and Falken. We include a free tire rotation with every oil change. Proper balancing eliminates highway vibration, and regular rotation meaningfully extends tire life.

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Brake Repair & Replacement

Brake pad and rotor replacement, caliper service, brake fluid flush, brake line inspection, and complete brake system diagnostics. We use OEM-quality ceramic pads that balance stopping power, rotor preservation, and noise reduction. Salt air corrodes brake hardware faster here than inland, so we clean and service the caliper hardware on every brake job rather than reusing it as-is.

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Suspension Work

Ball joints, tie rod ends, control arm bushings, sway bar links, shocks, struts, strut mounts, and complete suspension overhauls. In our experience coastal conditions corrode suspension components considerably faster than inland. We diagnose the root cause of noise, pulling, bouncing, and uneven tire wear — and we align the vehicle after every suspension repair, because new parts won’t hold their geometry otherwise.

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Engine Repair

Spark plugs, ignition coils, timing belts and chains, head gaskets, water pumps, oil leaks, fuel system repair, and complete engine diagnostics. From minor maintenance to major repair, we diagnose accurately with professional tools and fix the actual problem — not just the symptom.

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Check Engine Light Diagnostics

Professional-grade diagnostic scanning that reads manufacturer-specific codes — not just generic OBD-II. We analyze live sensor data, perform pinpoint tests, and identify the root cause before recommending a repair. No parts-store guessing. Where an emissions inspection is required, an illuminated check engine light is also an automatic NC inspection failure — worth fixing before your sticker is due.

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Transmission Repair & Service

Transmission fluid service, solenoid replacement, valve body repair, sensor diagnosis, and complete transmission diagnostics using TCM-level scan tools. We catch shift problems at the solenoid and sensor level, where a modest repair often prevents a full rebuild. Automatic and manual transmissions.

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Oil Change & Fluid Inspection

Oil and filter replacement with conventional, synthetic blend, or full synthetic oil matched to your vehicle. Every oil change includes a free tire rotation and a multi-point inspection covering brakes, suspension, fluids, belts, battery, and air filter. This is where we catch the small repair before it becomes the expensive one.

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Batteries, Alternators & Starters

Battery testing and replacement, alternator testing and replacement, starter motor service, and complete charging system diagnostics. Wilmington’s salt air and summer heat shorten battery life — we typically see well under the five years the label suggests. We test the full system — battery, alternator, and starter — together before replacing anything.

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Air Conditioning Service

AC performance testing, refrigerant recharge, leak detection, compressor diagnosis, condenser and evaporator service, and complete climate control repair. In Wilmington’s heat and humidity, a functioning AC system isn’t a luxury — it’s a necessity from April through October.

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NC State Inspections

Licensed North Carolina inspection station. Every registered vehicle needs an annual safety inspection, and many vehicles in New Hanover County also require an OBD emissions inspection — exemptions depend on model year, mileage and fuel type. Inspections take 20-30 minutes. If your vehicle doesn’t pass, we diagnose and repair the failure items and re-inspect — all in one shop.

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ADAS Calibration

Advanced Driver Assistance System calibration for forward-facing cameras, radar sensors, and lane departure systems. Many manufacturers specify calibration after windshield replacement, suspension work, alignment, or collision repair that affects sensor positioning. We have the equipment to calibrate these systems in-house — not all shops do.

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Clutch Repair & Replacement

Clutch disc, pressure plate, throwout bearing, flywheel resurfacing or replacement, and hydraulic clutch system service. We inspect the rear main seal during every clutch job since the transmission is already removed — catching a leak at this stage saves pulling the transmission twice.

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Pre-Purchase Vehicle Inspection

Thinking about buying a used car? Bring it to us first. Our independent pre-purchase inspection covers the engine, transmission, brakes, suspension, steering, tires, electrical systems, cooling, all fluids, the undercarriage, a full OBD-II diagnostic scan (including history codes the seller may have cleared), and a road test. You get a written report with our honest assessment — no sales pressure, no conflict of interest. We don’t sell cars. We just tell you the truth about their condition.

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Schedule Your Service

Call us at 910-399-4442 or schedule online. We’re open Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM, and located at 6609 Market Street, Wilmington NC 28405. Every repair is backed by our 12-month / 12,000-mile guarantee on parts and labor — no fine print, no gimmicks.