Most people intend to keep their cars in tip top condition. Some people go to the dealerships for car service. Others go to a local repair shop. Some even get their cars fixed at home by a friend. Whatever the case may be, car repair is important. Most people are unaware that the maintenance on their vehicle is equally important. Maintenance goes hand in hand with keeping your car in top condition and also helps keep the repairs down to a minimum.

Each vehicle manufacturer has specific recommended maintenance programs for each type of car they produce. Whether you drive a BMW, Audi, Mercedes, Jaguar, Honda, Nissan, Toyota or a Ford, all cars have specific maintenance programs for their cars. Look at some of the usual types of car services required:

Oil Changes; there are different types of motor oils like 5w 40, 10w 30, 5w 20, 20w 50, even synthetic oil. Never the less oil and oil filters are very important to keep the engine on your car running for 100’s of thousands of miles. When oil changes are kept on top of, the engine in your vehicle will have a better chance of lasting. Oil will sludge up and clog up holes in vital parts of your engine block, cylinder heads, lifters, oil pumps and oil journals for the crankshaft or camshafts. Some manufacturers may recommend regular oil, but a synthetic oil may be a better choice. Using the correct weight of oil as well as having the recommended specs per type of oil should always be followed to ensure the engine will function correctly as well.

Transmission flushes; whether you drive an automatic, CVT, or standard vehicle, keeping up with changing the transmission fluid is very necessary to have a long lasting transmission. Automatic transmissions need regular fluid changes and sometimes filter changes to keep the transmission functioning optimal. Each manufacturer recommends specific fluids and this is due to different specifications required per transmission. CVT transmissions are a bit more complex, but must be maintained or they can be very expensive to repair or replace. Manual transmissions are drain and fill. Each manufacturer has different life expectancies for their fluids.

Air and Cabin filters; You and your auto must be able to breath. The air filter is prudent to save gas and keep your engine from running dirt through it. The cabin filter works with your air conditioner to keep filtered air inside your auto. These filters are usually inexpensive but worth it in the long run.

Front, Rear, and Air suspensions; Each car or truck has its own type of suspension systems. During regular services ball joints, struts, shocks, bushings, and other components must be visually checked to ensure safety of your ride.

Steering systems; Whether you have a rack n pinion, steering box or electric steering, it is critical to your safety to ensure there is not any leaks or problems with your steering components and tie rods. A visual inspection can help determine whether repairs are indeed needed.

Brakes and antilock (ABS) brakes; there are warning lights on most cars that will tell you if there are problems on your brakes or antilock (ABS) brakes. A scan machine designed for your car can determine the problems when the warning lamps are on, but a visual inspection of your brake pads, master cylinder, calipers, wheel cylinders, shoes and or brake lines and hoses is definitely important to make sure your car can stop in case of a road emergency. The Antilock type of brakes are safer, but will not work properly with a faulty sensor or component.

Other safety issues which can often be overlooked and things like wiper blades, head lights, taillights, turn and marker lights, and tires.

Some more checks that are required are things like oil leaks from various gaskets and seals on the engine, transmission, axles, power steering, brakes, and coolant. Other checks include belts, hoses, water pumps, radiators, noises and rust. Other requirements may include lubrications of suspension components, hinges and latches.

All car makers can agree on the facts that maintaining the car will help it last longer. Your mechanic should be capable of looking up your maintenance schedule by either an indicator or mileage as per car requires. If you have a quality repair shop and mechanic, you should always be informed when you take it in for service or repair that you need your maintenance schedule followed.

Guy’s Automotive
http://guysautomotive.com/
Tampa (813)353-1537
New Tampa (813)975-9307
3049 W. Hillsborough Ave.
Tampa, FL 33614