Preventative Maintenance
By admin
Your car has a lot of responsibilities. It takes you to work, takes the kids to school, and it can’t be late for soccer practice or doctor’s appointments. Most importantly, it has to do all these things, and many more, while keeping you and your family safe. At A1 Automotive, we’re committed to maintaining the safety and reliability of your car. In fact, our mechanics are trained to perform factory-recommended maintenance services for most vehicles.
Preventative maintenance keeps your car, truck or SUV running great and saves you money: by taking care of your vehicle regularly, you can avoid costly breakdowns. Don’t wait until the warning light comes on to do maintenance tasks.
Whether your car brand new or years (or decades) old, we’ll work with you to keep it on the road. Lost your owner’s manual? Never had one in the first place? Give us a call and we’ll look up the maintenance recommendations for you.
Free Maintenance Log
Keeping good maintenance records for your vehicle will help you know when it’s time to schedule regular service, and may help us diagnose problems. Download and print this free maintenance log PDF and start tracking work on your vehicle today.
Aside from staying on schedule with regular maintenance, keeping good records of work done on your vehicle will come in handy when it’s time to trade-in or sell. Having up-to-date records will give potential buyers confidence that they’re getting a good deal.
General guidelines for scheduling preventative maintenance
Change oil and filter and check fluid levels every 3,000 miles, or every three months
Regular oil changes are one of the most important maintenance steps for any car. Convention oil breaks down over time, and if left long enough can turn into sludge that will lead to engine damage. While synthetic oil lasts longer than conventional motor oil, particulate matter (a.k.a. dirt) becomes suspended in it. The suspended dirt will eventually begin to damage the engine, so even if you use synthetic oil, be sure to change it according to manufacturer recommendations.
While your car is in for an oil change, have the various fluid levels checked as well. An ounce of liquid prevention can save hundreds of dollars in repairs.
Rotate tires every 6,000 miles
Tire rotation promotes even wear on all four tires, and proper rotation can extend the service life of your tires.
Align and balance wheels yearly
Proper alignment and wheel balance promotes even wear on all your tires. More importantly, it keeps your steering true — that is, your car won’t “pull” left or right.
Check and service brakes annually or every 20,000 miles
Brakes are one of the most important systems on any car, and inspection every year or every 20,000 miles (whichever comes first) is a must for any vehicle. Some brake failures are easy to detect — like squealing, grinding, or a shaky steering wheel. Don’t wait until these problems develop to get your brakes checked! Even if there are no noticeable issues, some brake components wear out so gradually that you may not notice that a problem is developing. Annual inspection and service will help keep you safely on the road.