Make Your Mechanic’s Life Easier: Stop Doing These Things to Your Car

A good mechanic doesn’t like giving a customer an expensive repair bill they know was easily avoidable. While traditional tune-ups for modern cars aren’t necessary, there are some maintenance issues mechanics wish everyone would keep in mind to avoid costly repairs. 

Here are five of them: 

#1 To Delay Tune-Ups For Modern Cars, Don’t Delay Routine Maintenance

Modern vehicles are designed to exact tolerances, which means routine maintenance is important. Car manufacturers don’t create oil and fluid change recommendations to make money for your mechanic. They’re critical to keeping your vehicle functioning properly. 

For example, engine coolant does more than prevent your engine from overheating. The additives in the coolant also prevent internal corrosion, but those additives wear down over time. Skipping routine coolant changes may lead to corrosion that reduces the life of your water pump, heater core, or radiator. 

Also, when you miss a recommended oil or transmission change, you’re risking a future engine or transmission failure. These are very costly repairs that are easily prevented by following the recommended change schedules. 

At Louie & John’s Complete Auto Service in Ann Arbor,  we want what’s best for our customers. Following factory-recommended maintenance, schedules are in the best interest of our customers, which makes our lives easier. For a limited time, our oil change service is on sale for $15.97 when you purchase online. And we make it convenient with pick-up and drop-off services for your vehicle! 

#2 Don’t Ignore Engine Warning Lights or Strange Noises

When customers ignore engine warning lights or unusual noises, they risk costly repairs. Both are signs that something isn’t working properly and needs to be addressed. Early on it could be a simple inexpensive fix, but if ignored the problem builds and can result in costly repairs. 

#3 Stop Driving on Tires with Low Tread

New tires are not cheap, so we understand why vehicle owners try to avoid replacing them. But running your tires down to a low tread can cause major problems and increase risks for a crash. Low tire tread increases stopping distances and your chances of hydroplaning on wet roads. 

If you slide into a curb with worn tires it can cause a bent wheel or tie rods. Your mechanic prefers you to avoid these costly repairs, but more importantly, wants you to drive on safe tires. 

#4 Don’t Drive on Less Than a Half Tank of Gas For an Extended Time

Cars draw fuel from the bottom of the tank, which is where sediments settle. When a car is driven often near the empty mark this sediment causes fuel filters and injectors to clog. The worst-case scenario is when particles from sediment get into the engine. 

Your mechanic knows these problems can be avoided if you don’t drive continuously with low fuel levels. Especially when the cost of fuel is down, filling up your tank saves money in the long run. And it’s good sense not to run your car on low fuel during winter in our area.

#5 Stop Filling Up Late-Model Vehicles with the Cheapest Gas

As a follow-up to running on a near-empty tank, half of the vehicles today run better on higher-quality gasoline. These vehicles use direct gas injection technology. This basically means gas is injected directly into the cylinder. 

Higher-quality gasoline contains detergents and additives that are designed to keep these types of engines clean. The result is improved performance and extending the engine’s life. As mechanics, we want our customers to enjoy the best performance from their vehicles and be able to avoid repairs. 

Spending a little extra at the gas pump is worth it in the long run for modern vehicles. 

Come to Louie and John’s For Tune-Ups For Your Modern Cars

At Louie & John’s Complete Auto Service we want to make it as easy as possible for you to follow the proper maintenance schedules. We currently include a convenient pick-up and drop-off service with our oil changes. And we return your vehicle completely sanitized for your safety. 

We provide the fastest oil changes in town. Oil change service is $37.50 when you schedule online!