Auto Repair News – Dublin, Ca. | Mantainence

It’s important to keep up on the maintainence  for your car. Not only will it help your car to last longer, but you’ll get better gas mileage, less breakdowns, less expense over the long haul and that rewarding feeling that you are taking care of the important things in your life.

Of course, the most important bit of care-taking is the oil change. Most shops these days recommend doing an oil change every 5000 miles…I agree. If you choose to use synthetic oil, you can bump that up to 7500 miles. Much more than that, and the filter starts to clog.

Next up would be to check your tire pressures at every fill up. If you have a car with a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), then it will do this for you. Just make sure to fill up the tires that get low. This will get you increased gas mileage, better tire wear and a more stable vehicle during emergency maneuvers. You don’t need a fancy gauge, a pencil type will do, although one with a dial gauge is better.

Your air filter should be checked at least every other oil change. If you drive in a dusty environment, check it at every oil change. If the filter gets clogged, it will affect your power and gas mileage.

The fluid inside your automatic transmission should be replaced along with the filter (if it has one) every 30,000 miles. This will keep the build up of wear particles down to a minimum. The more build up inside the transmission, the faster it will cause problems. Automatic transmissions are not inexpensive to repair when something goes wrong, it could easily run up to $2500 or more to rebuild. Consider a fluid change cheap insurance.

Make sure all other fluids are kept topped off or changed on a regular basis. Replace your wiper blades before the start of the rainy season. Have the brake fluid flushed out every couple of years to prevent deterioration. Power steering fluid should be changed when it gets dirty. The concentration of the anti-freeze/coolant should be checked every year, certainly before you head off to the mountains to go skiing.

Another overlooked item is the cabin filter. This filters the air entering into the passenger compartment. If you have a dog as your co-pilot, or if you suffer from allergies, replace this once a year to keep it clean…your nose will thank you for it.

Doing these simple things will keep ol’ Betsy humming along quite nicely. We can even help you to remember when to do these things. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to call…we’re here to help.