How Often Should My Car Be Serviced?

Do you remember the last time you were in an auto shop for some type of car repair?  If it’s been a while, you may be asking, “How often should my car be serviced?”  You may think you’re saving money by extending the time between service intervals, but the possible cost of car repair due to lack of maintenance is much greater.

So are you wondering how often should your car be serviced?  Here are four good reasons to think about if you don’t have your car serviced:

• Fuel efficiency can be drastically decreased
• Your car will lack performance power
• The quality of the air inside your vehicle will not be healthy
• A build-up of oil sludge will result in a noisier motor

Some types of engine damage are hidden and do not necessarily impact your ability to drive your car.  For example, if you drive with little or no oil for an extended period of time, you can severely damage the head gasket or the pistons. For just a few dollars, regular oil changes would have prevented the damage in the first place.

A word to the wise:  Don’t wait for the service warning lights to come on before scheduling car service.  Follow the maintenance schedule stated in your owner’s manual, or ask your car repair technician to keep you informed as to when your car should be serviced.

Are you wondering how often should my car be serviced?  Contact our ASE Certified Technicians at Gary’s Quality Automotive for more information about car repair and to make an appointment.  Our auto repair shop proudly serves vehicle owners in Grand Island, NE, Wood River, NE, and Doniphan, NE.

How Often Should Brakes Be Serviced?

Simply stated, brakes should be serviced any time you feel you are starting to notice stopping issues.  You may be just minutes away from an accident if your vehicle fails to stop when and where you expect it to.  Correctly working brakes are an absolute must for safe driving!  Drivers should be aware of when their brakes begin to fail or lose their effectiveness.  

Your answers to the following questions are factors that will determine the lifespan of your brakes:

• What is your style of driving? If you are an aggressive driver who is constantly stomping down hard on the brakes, such as in stop-and-go town traffic or at stoplights, your brakes will wear out more speedily than those who come to a slow stop while pressing gently on the brake pedal.
• How much does the vehicle plus passengers/cargo weigh? The stopping power of brakes is calculated on the weight of the car plus the passenger limits.  If you are continually overcapacity your vehicle, the effectiveness of your brakes is significantly diminished.
• What is the quality of the brake components? The quality of the components, such as brake pads and rotors, impacts how fast they wear out.
• What is the purpose of your vehicle? Pulling heavy loads, such as heavy trailers, driving mostly in mountainous terrain, or making frequent stop-and-go trips, your brakes will wear more speedily as they have to be applied harder and more frequently than on level roads.

Here are some problems that you should be on the lookout for relating to your brakes:

• Brake light comes on and stays on. 
• Squealing, squeaking noises. 
• Wobbling, vibration.
• Fluid leaks. 
• Spongy brake pedal.
• The car pulls to one side when braking. 
• Burning smell while driving. 
• Bouncing up and down when you make a hard stop.

Do you know how often should brakes be serviced? Contact our ASE Certified Technicians at Gary’s Quality Automotive for more information about brake repair and to make an appointment.  Our auto shop proudly serves vehicle owners in Grand Island, NE, Wood River, NE, and Doniphan, NE.

Wondering, “Why Is My Car AC Not Working?”

Most parts of the country are still experiencing warm weather.  Even though you may have had a brilliant summer, you may be looking forward to the cooler temperatures ahead.  So will your car!  It worked hard during summertime so if you haven’t yet scheduled a car AC service, it’s not too late!  Because of computerized parts in today’s vehicles, the AC system is more intricate than ever.  The days of “do-it-yourself” car maintenance are in the past.  

Wondering “Why is my car AC not working?”  There are some problems that could be the issue:

• Fresh coolant needs to be added to the radiator.
• The AC’s compressor isn’t able to create a high enough pressure in the system for the refrigerant to cool correctly.
• A clog or block in the system allows the high-pressure refrigerant to slowly decompress through the clog. 
• There is too low pressure in the system.  Without enough pressure, the compressor will work too hard to raise the pressure and it won’t be as well-organized.  
• The AC unit is exposed to the extreme heat of the engine, road debris, vibrations, dirt, quick stops, and even run-ins with curbs.  This stress may create small cracks that allow the refrigerant to leakage.  
• The cooling fans could be scorched out, a poor mount, a chipped blade, or easily a blown fuse or burnt-out relay.
• Finally, you could have an electrical issue such as a faulty signal from your ventilation system caused by a cracked wire, bad sensors tripping off your system or even a sensor in your vehicle’s motor that is causing the system to shut off accidentally.  

At least once a year, especially if you’ve been on a long summer road trip in hot temperatures, schedule a car AC service with a certified mechanic.  You will reap the benefits of not only a more comfortable drive, but increased gas mileage, and a more environmentally-friendly vehicle.

Why is my car AC not working?”  For an answer to your question, contact our ASE Certified Technicians at Gary’s Quality Automotive for more information about car AC service and to make an appointment.  Our auto repair shop proudly serves vehicle owners in Grand Island, NE, Wood River, NE and Doniphan, NE.