Q. How do I know when my car needs a tune up?
A. In today’s cars the manufactures have outlined specific mileage intervals depending on your driving conditions. Unless you experience a problem you can perform these services as specified. We have the information at our fingertips to let you know when your vehicle may be ready.
Q. When should I have my timing belt changed?
A. Your vehicles manufactures have set service intervals that range from 60,000 to 100,000 miles, some as early as 30,000 miles. In some cases there are customers that do not reach the mileage but the vehicle is over 10 years old in which case we would recommend to replace all the belts if not yet done.
Q. Do I need to have my engine oil changed every 3,000 miles?
A. Although oils, filters and engines have become much better than they were years ago we still recommend replacing your engine oil at or about 3,000 miles. In our experience those that follow the “counter” in the car have very dirty oil by the time servicing is required. Dirty oil is no good for your engine and could result in costing you much more than the price of an additional oil change or two per year.
Q. When do I need to replace my belts and hoses?
A. Belts have changed over the years and do not show as many signs of fatigue such as cracking and glazing. Today we also measure the depth of the grooves in the belt to determine if it needs to be replaced. In our experience by approximately 60,000 miles the belt is worn out. As far as hoses we continually inspect them at every store visit and will suggest them to you if we see any signs of wear. About 10 years or if you vehicle has a radiator replaced is usually a good time.
