It depends on how you drive. If
your car always (or nearly always) gets warmed up, and you
don't drive it very hard and keep the revs down, the
manufacturer's recommendation is probably fine. If, however,
you drive it hard, drive it at high revs, or alternatively,
if you only drive it to and from the supermarket so that it
doesn't get up to temperature, then you may wish to change
oil much more often, perhaps at 3000 mile intervals (given
that most manufacturers are now specifying 7500 mile
intervals.) If you don't drive your car much at all (say
7500 miles a year), then you probably want to change oil
every six months anyway. If you are storing a car during the
winter, then change oil before storing it and change oil
when you bring it out of storage.
Most cars require regularly
scheduled tune-ups yearly and require major maintenance at
60,000 miles.
It’s advisable on some cars, but
not on others. Factors which may indicate whether tire
rotation is necessary are independent suspension, radial
tires as well as other factors. To be sure, ask your auto
professional.
Most likely, a pinging sound coming
from your engine indicates timing problems. Sometimes
pinging is caused by poor quality or low octane fuel.
Pinging can cause damage. We strongly advise that to have
your car checked out by a professional to determine what
whether it’s causing damage.
Have the car checked out. If you do
not have a car checked out by a professional you are making
a big mistake. The cost is very minor and we always give a
buyer more ammunition for bringing the price down. Money
spent on checking out a used car is well spent.
ABSOLUTELY NOT! Your new car
warranty can and be applied to any independent automotive
shop. We often hear dealership horror stories where
customers have to keep going back to the dealer time after
time to complete a simple repair. Why waste time and money!
At One Stop Auto, we have qualified, trained
technicians that listen to you and most importantly, GET THE
JOB RIGHT THE FIRST TIME!
Most hose manufacturers recommend
replacing hoses every four years. With V-belts, every three
years or 36,000 miles. The incidence of failure rises
sharply after the forth year for hoses and third year for
belts. A typical serpentine belt lifespan is about five
years or 50,000 miles. Serpentine belts are thinner and more
flexible than V-belts. They run cooler and last longer, but
they cost about twice as much to replace.
A complete brake job should restore
a vehicle’s brake system and braking performance to
good-as-new condition. Anything less would be an incomplete
brake job. Brake components that should be replaced will
obviously depend upon the age, milage and wear. There is no
pat answer to which items need replacing and which ones
don’t. It’s a judgment call. A complete brake job should
begin with a thorough inspection of the entire brake system;
lining condition, rotors and drums, calipers and wheel
cylinders, brake hardware, hoses, lines and master cylinder.
Overheating is caused by anything
that leads to a loss of coolant, prevents the cooling system
from getting rid of heat, or causes excess heat in the
engine itself:
-
Coolant leaks (water pump,
radiator, heater core, hoses, freeze plugs, head gasket,
engine internal).
-
Weak radiator cap (does not
hold rated pressure and allows coolant to boilover).
Pressure test the cape to check it out.
-
Cooling system clogged
(deposits built up in radiator or in engine due to
maintenance neglect or use of hard water). Use a
cleaner, then reverse flush system to clean it out. A
badly clogged radiator may need to be rodded out or
replaced.
-
Thermostat stuck shut
(replace).
-
Inoperative electric cooling
fan (check fan motor, relay and temperature switch for
correct operation).
-
Bad fan clutch (replace if
slipping, leaking or loose).
-
Missing fan shroud (reduces
cooling efficiency of fan).
-
Slipping fan belt (tighten or
replace).
-
Too low or too high a
concentration of antifreeze (should be 50/50 for best
cooling).
-
Bad water pump impeller eroded
or loose - replace pump).
-
Collapsed radiator hose (check
lower hose).
-
Debris in radiator (remove bugs
and dirt).
-
Late ignition timing (reset to
specs.)
-
Restricted exhaust system
(check intake vacuum readings and inspect converter,
muffler and pipes).
-
Radiator and/or fan undersized
for application (increase cooling power by installing
larger and/or auxiliary cooling fan).
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