We want to partner with you in your vehicle ownership by keep it safe, reliable and cost efficient. These are the top ten tips for upholding the integrity of your car:

PARKING BRAKE

When parking on a hill keep your brake pedal depressed and put the transmission in neutral. Set the parking brake firm, and slowly let off the brake pedal to let the car rest on the parking brake. Then put the transmission in park. This will prevent your transmission from getting stuck in “park” and getting damaged.

CHANGING GEARS

When transitioning from forward to reverse, or reverse to forward, bring your car to a complete stop first, before moving the shift lever.

RAISING RPM

Never raise the RPM of the engine before putting the car into gear.

WINDOW ROLLING

If you are rolling your window up or down do not close your door during that operation.

WARM-UP

When starting your car after it has sat for 4 hours or more, if you can, let it warm up in park or neutral for 20 seconds to allow the oil to circulate.

STARTING THE CAR

When you start your car, don’t have any of your high draw electrical accessories turned on (headlights, fog lights, seat heaters, A/C), this robs your starter motor of available amperage, which over taxes your battery and starter motor.

YOUR KEYCHAIN

Don’t keep too many keys or accessories on your key ring. Too much weight hanging from your ignition switch can damage the cylinder inside the switch.

NOISES + SMOKE

If you hear any noises or see any smoke from your engine compartment, that’s a red flag and you should pull over and turn the engine off as soon as you can safely do so. These symptoms can be a sign of a serious issue, so catching it early can help minimize the damage and costs. Call us or another mechanic and describe or let us hear the noise before continuing.

TIRE PRESSURE

Keep your tires inflated to the proper pressure. It prolongs the life of your tires by keeping the wear even; helps with your gas mileage; and makes the car handle better. Whenever you come in for service we’ll check the tire pressure, but be sure to check your spare tire occasionally, especially before going on a long trip.

OIL CHANGES

Using conventional oil:

Cars 1995 and older: Every 3,000 mi. Cars 1996 and newer: Every 4,500-5,000 mi. If your car is high mileage & burns little oil: Every 3,000 miles.

 Using synthetic oil:

About every 7,000 miles.