What is the purpose of preventive maintenance?
A. The reason for preventive maintenance is just that. It "PREVENTS" possible breakdowns that would be costly to you. It gives the trained technician the opportunity to completely inspect your vehicle and make you aware of possible trouble spots. A well-maintained vehicle lives a much longer life. With the cost of today's new cars, that's a real value.
Do I need to "tune-up" my car?
A. In a way, the word "Tune-up" is misnomer for today's cars and light trucks. Older cars used to have the points, condenser, distributor cap, rotor button, and spark plugs all replaced at least once a year, or every 8-10,000 miles. Today's cars and trucks can exceed 30,000 miles or so before the spark plugs are ever changed. With electronic ignition systems, there are no more "points" or "condensers". They have been replaced with ignition modules and coil packs. These units are more reliable and offer better performance, but are more costly to repair. That is why preventive maintenance is the key to your vehicles long life.
When do I replace my belts and hoses?
A. According to the rubber manufacturer, every belt and hose should be replaced every 30,000 miles. At the least, they should be inspected thoroughly. Some signs of belt fatigue are the development of small cracks across the rib of the belt, fraying and excessive squeal. For hoses, look for softness around the neck areas, or if the hose is too expanded when the vehicle is at operating temperature. You should also inspect the "inside" of the hose. Deterioration and cracks can occur on the inside, creating an unseen problem. In order for you to have piece of mind driving, we recommend following the manufacturer's guidelines for belt and hose replacement. "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure".
Do you really have to change your engine coolant every two years?
A. It depends. Today's vehicles come with two types of engine coolant. One that
lasts for two years and one that has a lasts five years. However, both should be
changed according to their cycles. The reason is electrochemical degradation.
This occurs whenever the coolant is in contact with metal. It creates higher
levels of acids which left alone can result in damage to the radiator, heater
core failure and leaking head gaskets. It is also important that when the
coolant is changed that the proper mixture of 50% water to 50% coolant is
followed. This will give your car the correct pH balance for proper engine
protection and prevent overheating. |
When should I have my battery serviced?
A. Your battery should be inspected at every service for corrosion and cable contact. Electricity is very important to newer cars. It is the key to having your vehicle perform at it's peak. We suggest that even when the battery has a life of 60 or 72 months, you should consider replacement before it completely fails. Stretching for that last ounce of energy from your battery is not worth the risk of being stranded. Nothing beats safety!
Why should I use the parking brake?
A. Most people still refer to this as the "emergency brake". It is used for that purpose in the event that you should lose hydraulic brake capability. However, under normal circumstance the parking brake is designed to hold the vehicle in place when the vehicle is in the "park" position. It allows the weight of the vehicle to be displaced or held in check by the rear brake shoes or pads. This in turn takes the pressure off the parking gear inside the transmission. Every time you fail to use the parking brake, all of the vehicle weight will fall on that gear. This can cause premature wear and possible damage to the transmission. It's not a hard habit to get into, once you begin. We tell our customers to imagine lying down with a two ton guerilla on them and asking them to do a push up. Now that would hurt! That's what it is like for your transmission every time you DON'T use your parking brake.
Why is the cost of auto service getting so high?
A. It used to be that all you needed to repair a vehicle was a screw driver, a set of wrenches and a pair of pliers. Add some common sense, a basic knowledge of engines, and you have yourself a mechanic. That is all it took. Today it is a different story. There are no more "mechanics". They are now "technicians". The modern technician must know all aspects of car design and computer management systems. This entails training that never ends. Today's vehicles have more technology in them than the Lunar Landing Module of the Apollo spacecraft. It takes quite an effort to keep up. Shop owners like ourselves, spend well over $100,000 to purchase the best equipment to fix today's vehicles. It never ends. For every change in technology, new equipment must be obtained. All of this is reflected in the price of repairing your vehicle. |
