Preventative Maintenance
Preventative Care for your Car or Light Truck
We know that your vehicle is one of your largest investments.
We believe you can MAXIMIZE YOUR VEHICLE’S LIFE AND PERFORMANCE. Whether it’s time for a 30,000 / 60,000 or 90,000 mile service, we can handle any and all preventive maintenance and automotive repairs required.
Foreign, domestic or European – All OUR SERVICES MEET OR EXCEED MANUFACTURER’S REQUIREMENTS. Call and schedule your preventative service today. Let us help you avoid excessive repairs to your vehicle by doing the necessary and timely maintenance checks.
Preventive Maintenance Check List:
● Always consult your owner’s manual for schedule of oil filter changes (approx. every 3K to 5K miles)
● Check all fluid levels – Including brake, power steering, transmission / transaxle, windshield washer and antifreeze.
● Check tire inflation once / month – Under-inflated tires rob you of fuel efficiency
● Keep engine properly tuned – Fouled spark plugs can reduce fuel efficiency by up to 30%
● Lubricate the chassis frequently – This extends the life of the suspension system’s moving parts
● Check battery cables and posts for corrosion – Clean as needed
● Check battery fluid level – Fill as needed (unless maintenance-free )
● Regularly inspect engine belts
● Check air filtration system frequently – At every other oil change. This ensures peak vehicle performance
Preventive maintenance may seem like an unnecessary car expense, but it often involves matters that you’ll have to take care of sooner or later, and paying for them sooner will often be a less expensive undertaking. Most important is the fact that preventive maintenance will help keep you and others safe. And if you don’t keep up with your car’s preventive maintenance, you may find yourself stuck or in need of repair when you can least afford it.
Fluids
Check all of your fluids regularly. You may need some assistance from a parent or mechanic to show you where to check if you are unfamiliar with the process. You should check your oil, antifreeze, steering fluid and brake fluid regularly. It’s also a good idea to check your wiper fluid. It is of the utmost importance that your car not run out of oil, as this can destroy your engine. Your oil can get very dirty and should be changed about every 3-5,000 miles or three months. Antifreeze should not be allowed to get too low or your car engine will overheat, which can do severe damage. Antifreeze should be changed about once every two years.
Wheels
Check your tire pressure often–at least once a week is a good idea. Buy a simple tire gauge, then just stick it into your valve stem to get a reading. The amount of pressure that your tires should be inflated to can be found on the inside door jamb on the driver’s side of your car. Low inflation is dangerous because it can cause loss of control and blowouts. It also causes poor gas mileage. You should also check the tire tread for uneven wear and to see if there is enough tread on the tires. Stick a penny in the tire tread, and if you can see all of Lincoln’s head, it’s time to get a new tire.
It’s also important to have your brake pads changed regularly. Brake pads can last anywhere from 20,000 and 60,000 miles. You should also listen to see if you hear any screeching or grinding. These signs will let you know if there is a problem, but it makes sense to check often and get pads changed early rather than late.
Air Filter and Battery
Two other important areas to check are your air filter and your battery. Have our Technicians test your battery if it is over 3 years old. A battery will usually last about five years or more. Take a look to see if there is any corrosion around the battery or battery cables. If you think your battery is getting up there in age, just go ahead and replace it. Spending a little bit of money early is better than being stranded somewhere.
Your air filter is what keeps the air that runs through your engine clean. The filter can get very dirty, and replacing it will make your car run better. A dirty air filter can rob you of gas mileage.
There are a lot of pieces to a car, and everything should be kept in good order. Bring your car in to our service center and we will perform a vehicle inspection to ensure you are aware of any potential problems with your car or light truck. Always, pay attention to any dashboard trouble lights that come on and have them checked out right away.