Car Care Tips
Our experienced team provide an extensive menu of preventative and repair services. We want our customers to receive excellent service, maintain safety and get the best value out of their vehicle. We recommend the following to assist in keeping your vehicle safe and running smoothly. We always recommend that you refer to the vehicle’s user manual to adhere to all recommendations set forth by the vehicle manufacturer. Keeping up on vehicle maintenance is the best way to prevent problems before they happen.
Car Maintenance and Care
- Change fluids on time, every time.
- Change the oil every 3,000 miles for regular, 5,000 miles for synthetic oil.
- Change antifreeze fluid every 30,000 miles.
- Change brake fluid every 30,000 miles.
- Change transmission fluid every 30,000 miles.
- Schedule maintenance checks every 15, 30, 60, and 90,000 miles.
- Replace your air filter every 12 months or 12,000 miles (whichever comes first).
- Replace your fuel filter every 2 years or 24,000 miles (whichever comes first).
Tire Maintenance and Care
- Schedule a tire rotation every 5,000 miles or every 6 months.
- Check tire pressures approximately once a week. Low tire pressures can affect fuel economy, handling and comfort. To accurately measure your tire pressure, check tires when they are cold and wait at least three hours after driving to measure pressure.
- Always ensure proper alignment.
- Check your spare tire monthly and keep it properly inflated so it’s ready to go when you need it most.
- Use the penny trick to determine if the tread on your tires is worn to low. Take a penny and put Abraham Lincoln’s head into one of the grooves of the tread. If part of his head is covered by the tread, you’re ok. If you can see all of his head, it’s time to replace the tire. When the tread is worn down to 1/16 of an inch, tires must be replaced.
Gas Mileage Tips
- Check and/or change your air filter every 6 months to improve fuel economy and keep your engine running smoothly.
- Avoid topping off when filling your car’s gas tank. Any additional gas is just going to slop around or seep out.
- Tighten up that gas cap. Gas will evaporate from your car’s gas tank if it has an escape. Loose, missing or damaged gas caps cause 147 million gallons of gas to evaporate each year.
- Go for the shade. The hot summer sun that makes the inside of your car feel like a sauna also evaporates fuel from your gas tank.
- Use the right oil. You can improve your car’s gas mileage by 1 percent to 2 percent by using the manufacturer’s recommended grade of motor oil.
