Keep Your Car on the Road with Preventative Maintenance

Preventative Maintenance 

Benjamin Franklin once said, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” In other words, it is much better to prevent problems than to try to fix them later on. Though these words were spoken long before the invention of the modern automobile, this common saying holds a lot of truth when it comes to performing preventative maintenance on your car. Preventative maintenance is the most important thing you can do to keep your car on the road, and it can save you a lot of money on future repair bills. 

When it comes to preventative maintenance, you’ve probably heard conflicting information on what does and does not need to be done. There are also plenty of myths - like needing to change the oil every 3,000 miles. So how do you sort out fact from fiction? The answer is easier than you might think. Just check out your car’s owner’s manual. It will tell you everything you need to know about what the manufacturer recommends for your specific car in terms of preventative maintenance. Your manual will tell you:

• How often to change the oil
• When belts need to be replaced
• How often to change filters
• The exact maintenance that needs to be performed at various intervals, such as 50,000 miles, 100,000 miles, etc.

Reading your manual will also provide you with valuable information that will help you maximize your car’s performance and lifespan, such as what type of oil, coolant and gasoline to use. Using the right fluids ensures that your vehicle runs at its peak performance and prevents you from voiding the warranty or causing costly damage.

Basic Maintenance Every Car Needs

Though the exact recommended maintenance details vary among vehicles, there are certain things that you should be doing regardless of what you’re driving. For starters, check your fluids regularly. Your oil, power steering fluid, coolant, transmission fluid and even wiper fluid all need to be checked from time to time to make sure you aren’t running low. There are several other things you should also do to maintain your car, such as:

• Check and clean your battery terminals if needed
• Check the air pressure in your tires, and add air if necessary
• Replace air filters
• Replace your windshield wiper blades
• Change your spark plugs
• Have your tires rotated and balanced

All of these things are relatively simple, and most are fairly easy to do on your own. Or, if you would prefer trusting all of your vehicle’s preventative maintenance to a professional mechanic, these basic tasks are pretty affordable. Whether you choose to do the maintenance yourself or hire someone else to do it, keeping up with preventative maintenance can save you a lot of money by preventing major problems that require costly repairs. In addition, the first signs of issues can often be detected during routine maintenance, allowing them to be corrected before they become major.

Simply performing regular preventative maintenance is the most important step you can take the extend the life of your car. Though a lot of maintenance is simple and can be performed in your driveway or garage, you can could also choose to entrust your car to the pros. In doing so, you can be absolutely certain that all the correct maintenance is performed, and when you let a professional work on your car, you can rest assured knowing that he will detect and fix any potential problems.

When you bring your car to Tune Tech Automotive for preventative maintenance, you can rest assured knowing that your car is in good hands. Give us a call at 303-364-3391 to schedule an appointment with one of our highly-trained and ASE-certified mechanics today!

Aurora Oil Change Tips You Should Know

Get Your Car's Oil Changed For Best Performance

One thing that always seems to be on someone's to do list is changing the oil in their car. Changing your oil on a regular basis is one of the best things you can do to keep your at peak performance, as well as maximize the life of your car.

It is recommended that you change your car's oil every 3000-5000 miles or as recommended in your vehicle’s owner’s manual. Each vehicle is different, it is very important that you check your vehicle’s manual to see what the requirement for your make and model. If intervals are extended, you need to ensure the oil used is capable of extended mileage changes.

Waiting too long between oil changes can cause serious, costly damage to your engine. The oil lubricates all moving parts and not changing your oil can have serious consequences on your engine. Without regular oil changes internal engine damage can occur. It is very important to never exceed the mileage intervals that are recommended or your specific vehicle.

There are many different specific oil types available on the market today. Conventional oil is typically the oil that is used in bulk at dealerships and is the cheapest at auto stores. This type of oil is great for owners who adhere to their recommended oil change schedule and vehicle with low-mile engines.

Premium Conventional oil is another oil option for your vehicle. Premium is the standard new-car oil.

Full-synthetic oil is made for high-tech engines. Check your owner's manual- if it doesn't call for synthetic oil, using it will only be an additional expense that may not add anything to the performance or life of the engine. 

Synthetic-blend oil is premium conventional oil that has a dose of synthetic oil as well. These oils are popular with pick-up and SUV drivers because they offer better protection. It usually costs only a fraction more than premium conventional oils. 

Finally, if your vehicle has more than 75,000 miles, it would be best to use high-mileage oil. Seal conditioners are added to the oil to expand and increase the flexibility of internal engine seals.

Another important aspect of changing the oil in a car is the oil filter. Oil filters filter out all the solid contaminants that are in the oil that you don’t want circulating through the engine, which can cause engine damage. Over time the oil filter will build up all of the contaminants, so it’s important to be sure to change the filter every time the oil is changed.

Figuring out what the best oil for your car is, as well as trying to change and dispose of your own oil can be a hassle for car owners. Due to today’s rules and restrictions regarding the disposal of oil, it’s recommended to have a mechanic change your oil. After the mechanics at Tune Tech Automotive change your oil, they actually store it, and use it to heat their shop. The mechanics at Tune Tech Automotive in Aurora take all of the work out of auto repair and oil changes for you. Give us a call at 303-364-3391 to schedule your oil change in Aurora today!

Vehicle Suspension Information

What Does A Suspension System Do?

The suspension is a major system found in your vehicle. It plays a vital role in stopping, steering and stability. All of the components of the suspension system absorbs all the impact and helps you maintain control when you hit bumps, obstacles or potholes, ensuring the safety and comfort of passengers. It supports the weight of the vehicle and contents, helps maintain consistent tire contact with the road, and transfers the weight of the vehicle as you round corners and turn.

The whole idea of a suspension system is to allow the vehicle body to travel over irregular surfaces undisturbed. Surely today’s vehicle suspensions enable a much more comfortable ride compared to that of the original automobiles. This is due mostly to the enhanced technology and maintenance knowledge we have today.

Suspension System Components

There are many parts to a suspension system, the important ones to the function of your vehicle being joints and pivot points. These allow a vehicle’s wheels to move up and over obstacles and to turn as you steer. As you cross over a bump or dip into a pothole, the suspension system moves in many places to accommodate these changes, resulting in a much smoother ride.

Suspension components wear out over time with prolonged use. Simply put, when they become worn out, the suspension elements don’t fit together as well as they should. This results in poor handling of the vehicle and the driver may even hear some odd noises coming from the suspension underneath the car. All of the components of your suspension system work together, so one part affects the function and quality of all the others. Having a loose joint , for example, can cause other suspension parts to wear out faster than they normally would.

Maintain Your Vehicle's Suspension

One of the suspension’s main functions is to maximize friction between the tires and the road surface. This contact between the road and tires is what affects a car’s ability to steer, brake and accelerate. A result of worn out suspension parts is uneven wear on the tires. The contact surface of new tires can actually be totally worn off in a couple of months due to poor suspension maintenance or unnoticed/neglected damage.

A trusted mechanic will be your best asset to ensure the function and safety of your suspension system. They will easily identify signs of damage or wear. Repairs can restore the correct handling to your vehicle and ensure your safety, as well.

It’s important to address small problems as quickly as possible, to avoid what could become a major and costly repair later. Remember, each component of the suspension’s structure makes up a much bigger and important system that is vital to your vehicle’s handling and safety. Keeping up with routine maintenance on your vehicle’s suspension system will help keep it driving as it should.

Scheduled Automotive Maintenance

Avoid Costly Repairs With Regular Car Maintenance

Everyone dreads the thought of a major car repair, but the bright side is that many major vehicle issues can be avoided by following the vehicle maintenance schedule recommended by your car’s manufacturer. Each vehicle has varying service intervals, but there are common guidelines to follow about what service to perform, and how often. Keeping up with these intervals will ensure that your vehicle keeps running smoothly and safely. The normal service intervals are three months, six months and one year. At these intervals there are several different routinely recommended services that are outlined below.

Auto Maintenance at 3 month Intervals

Every three months it’s a good idea to have your coolant level and mixture checked. Coolant helps regulate the temperature of your engine in all seasons. Keeping the right mixture and level of coolant can help you avoid potentially costly radiator repairs. Also at three months, the oil and brake fluid should be checked to ensure proper lubrication for moving parts. Other things commonly inspected at three months include power steering fluid and lug bolts. Topping off your washer fluid is also recommended.

Brake Inspections at 6 Months

In addition to the inspections above, every six months you should have a brake inspection done on your vehicle, as well as tire depth. The brake inspection will ensure your brakes have enough life in them for maximum stopping power and safety. A tire depth check is a simple check to see how much tread remains on your tires. Other commonly performed procedures around 6 months are cleaning the battery to ensure function and replacing your windshield wipers.

Check Major Running Systems Once a Year

Once a year you should bring your vehicle to a trusted mechanic who can perform some preventative maintenance. Common one year maintenance items include replacing the spark plugs, flushing the radiator, and replacing brake pads. Spark plugs are a fairly inexpensive way to keep the motor of your vehicle running smoothly, and like many other parts in a vehicle, they wear out over time. A radiator flush is just as it sounds- flushing out the radiator to avoid the build up of corrosion over time. Just like spark plugs, brake pads wear out over time. Your mechanic can easily check the wear on your brake pads and replace them if necessary.

Following the scheduled maintenance intervals recommended by your vehicle’s manufacturer can save you time, money, and ensure your safety. Be sure to keep up with recommended maintenance, and your vehicle will be in great shape for years to come!