Taking Care of Your Vehicle
With Preventative Service
Skipping or just postponing scheduled service intervals might not seem like a big deal, but did you know it can knock years off the useful life of your automobile? It’s true! To show you just how important preventative maintenance is, here’s a look at what can happen when you skip the most common routine maintenance items:
Schedule Maintenance
Oil Changes
when: Every 5,000 Miles or Manufacturer Recommendation
Leaving old, dirty, and otherwise spent oil in your engine can cause elevated friction and the inevitable degradation of vital components. Left unchecked, you'll notice that your mileage is decreasing and your car is straining to accelerate. The increased friction will decrease your engine's ability to cool and will eventually lead to engine failure. It's like going for a jog without water. You may get away with it for a short while, but it will become more and more difficult the longer you are without it.
Tire Rotations
when: Every 5,000 Miles
You can’t always detect tire-related issues with a quick visual glance. Often-times, tires may look in pristine condition, but without a thorough inspection on a lift, issues can go unchecked. This can lead to a greatly increased braking distance, less grip in turns, vibrations in your steering wheel that can pull to the right or left. Improper inflation can cause uneven wear or heat buildup that can lead to a blowout. An easy rule to follow is to get your tires rotated and inspected with every oil change.
Brake Inspections
when: Once per year
Brakes are mission-critical to your safety and that of your family. They rarely have issues, but when they do, it can lead to catastrophic results. If not attended to, you can experience a much-increased braking distance, grinding, or steering wheel vibration during braking – even a total loss of braking! Never wait until your entire brake pads have been spent or you’ll be dealing with expensive rotor or caliper repairs. When checked annually, you can plan for brake pad replacement and prevent any issues.
Timing Belt Changes
when: Every 60k miles or Manufacturer Recommendation
Your vehicle is a complicated marvel of electronics and machinery that works in harmony to get you safely where you’re going. Unfortunately, this marvel has a mission-critical component known as the timing belt. Without it, your engine immediately falls out of time; parts collide, and massive damage occurs. However, it’s the most expensive maintenance interval and often goes unresolved for far too long. We have seen first-hand what a broken timing belt can do to an otherwise healthy engine. That’s why we make sure to help you properly plan for the replacement and reinforce the importance of your vehicle’s longevity.
