Why Service at a Dealership?
When you find that your vehicle is in need of repairs or just routine maintenance, you have some options: you could either use small, corner repair shops or you can get service at your dealership.
Next to your house, your vehicle is probably your second biggest investment. Your dealership offers certain benefits that are simply hard to obtain at just any repair shop.
The mechanics are largely what helps make your dealership better-suited to meet your automotive repair needs. Vehicles become more and more advanced every year. Mechanics are often required to be regularly certified in order to keep up with changing demands. This may not be the case at a local shop.
Furthermore, if your vehicle happens to be the same make that the dealership specializes in, that means that the mechanics at the dealership will have particular experience with the idiosyncrasies of your make. This is the kind of car they work on every day so the shop at the dealership will be specially equipped to handle your vehicle.
A lot of local repair shops, sadly, don't stand the test of time. Often, the service garage at a dealership is better-supported and -financed, so ultimately, those same mechanics are going to be there next time you need help from someone you trust.
Car Maintenance Schedule
Keeping up with your car's maintenance schedule is the best way to keep it on the road as long as possible, maintain its value, and earn a higher resale price. You can consult your owner's manual, which has a detailed scheduled specific to your car, but this general schedule applies to most vehicles.
Besides going to the dealership at normal scheduled times, it's a good idea to regularly check your fluids, tire condition and air pressure, and lights. You should also pay attention to your dashboard indicator lights - if one comes on, find out what it means and have it inspected if necessary.
Different maintenance tasks need to be performed more or less often than others. Every 3,000 to 7,000 miles? generally 5,000 is a good rule of thumb, but again check the owner's manual - you should get an oil change, as well as have our other fluids topped off and inspected, your tires checked for wear and improper pressure, and your lights checked. Furthermore, every six months you should also have your windshield wipers changed.
From here on out, maintenance should be done every 5,000 miles or so, including oil changes and inspections. At 15,000, replace the air filter. 5,000 later, inspect the battery for damage or erosion and check the coolant. 25,000 miles is time to replace the air filter, and 30,000 miles requires a new air filter and power steering fluid, plus an inspection of the suspension, brakes, and coolant.
Do another battery inspection at 35,000 miles and replace it if necessary. At 40,000, your spark plugs and wires will probably need replaced, and the ignition needs inspected. Repeat these at 45 and 50,000 miles. Finally, at 60,000, have the brake pads, hoses, coolant, power steering, and timing belt replaced.
Fall Car Care Tips
As the temperatures drop, cars often respond negatively to extreme weather conditions. Winter is notoriously bad for vehicles - the freezing temperatures, icy roads, and salt make for a hazardous mixture. That's why it's important to catch up with all of your maintenance in the fall ahead of time, so that you won't have to worry about being stranded on the side of the road because of a dead battery or bad tires.
Tires: Tires are a big, big deal in the winter. Tire pressure decreases as the temperature drops, so make sure your tires are properly inflated. Additionally, you should inspect the tread wear of your tires to make sure they still grip the road effectively. Consider a set of winter tires if you're worried about ice.
Battery: Extreme temperatures cause battery capacity to drop. Consider having your car's battery life tested to see how much juice it has left in it; also, make sure the condition of your battery is okay, and that all connections are clean and tight.
Fluids: You should be keeping an eye on all fluid levels, like oil, coolant, and brake fluid. Also, invest in a washer fluid that's formulated for use in cold weather so that it doesn't freeze on your windshield.
Other maintenance: Make sure your HVAC system is in top working condition so that your vehicle's heat doesn't go out over the winter. Also, nights are much longer in the winter, and cloudy, snowy days reduce visibility, so have all your exterior lights checked and possibly replaced if need be. Another good maintenance tip is to have your vehicle tuned regularly to keep its fuel economy up. A regularly-inspected and tuned vehicle has as much as a 4% gas mileage advantage over its peers.
Make sure to take good care of your car in the months leading up to winter so that you don't have to worry about the dangers of driving in the winter. Stay safe!
WINTER CAR CARE TIPS
Winter is just around the corner, and that means that it's time to start winterizing all of your possessions. While it can be a bit time consuming, winterizing your possessions makes them last longer and costs you less time and money in the long run. Here are a few car maintenance tips for the winter to help make your car last longer.
By following these simple tips, your car will last through many more winters than it would if you choose not to winterize it each year. Take some time out of your week this fall, and treat your car the way it deserves.
Start Care Early: The first thing to do is to get started before the winter even arrives. Near the end of the fall, wash and wax your car thoroughly. The wax helps to prevent salt from eating away at the protective layer on your paint. Also, wash and treat the undercarriage of your car to protect the fluid lines from the corrosive salt.
Take Care Often: Something to keep in mind is that protecting your car against the winter isn't just a one-time thing. It's important to wash and wax your car once every month or two to minimize the damage caused by the salt on the road.