Much like yourself or your beloved pet, even your car needs a checkup. While there is no thermometer or scale during the appointment, your car’s doctor — or mechanic as he is more commonly called — will make sure that your car is in top shape before he sends it home with you.
Every car manufacturer is specific about when its car should be brought into the dealership or to a mechanic for its scheduled maintenance, says Jeremy Wolfson who owns Benchmark Auto Service in Minnesota. So it’s difficult to suggest a general time for all car owners. However, he says, it will most likely be based on mileage. So, if you don’t remember what the dealer originally told you about maintenance or can’t find the information in your owner’s manual, call your local mechanic and have him look it up.
When you do bring you car in for this scheduled maintenance, it’s helpful to know what your mechanic will be looking for and the recommendations that he will probably make. There will always be a visual inspection of the perimeter of the car, says Wolfson. And then he’ll inspect underneath the car and hood to look for anything that seems alarming.
Additionally, your mechanic will pay particular attention to these specific areas of your vehicle:
Exhaust system: This system carries away the harmful fumes that the air and burning fuel gives off as you drive. During the inspection, your mechanic will make sure that no holes are in the system’s parts and that the oxygen sensor and muffler are working correctly to ensure that you and your family are not breathing in exhaust fumes while you drive.
Brake lines: Your brakes are the biggest safety feature on your car, so it’s imperative that they are always in proper condition. Your mechanic will check to make sure that your brake pads aren’t worn down and that the lines are sturdy so there is no chance that they will break mid-commute.
Fluid levels: A large part of what keeps your car running smoothly is the fluid in each system that enhances its performance. While you should regularly have these fluids checked, during this maintenance, your brake fluids, motor oil and coolant levels will be measured so that you are driving away from the auto repair shop with everything perfectly filled.
Transmission: Depending on what type of car you have (automatic or manual), during this tune up your transmission may be carefully examined to ensure that your car is switching gears properly. If any gears are repeatedly becoming stuck, that could wreak havoc on your engine.
After everything has been inspected, then the mechanic will offer suggestions for how to keep your car running smoothly. And, depending on how many miles you have currently logged, your mechanic may also recommend that you have your timing belt changed. The timing belt in your car is a rubber belt that when torn or slips off its path can severely damage your engine. If you wait for the timing belt to break instead of getting it replaced beforehand, then your repair bill will be much larger than you can imagine, he warns.
