Knowing when it's time to get an oil change can help you avoid costly engine repairs and keep your car running smoothly. Keep an eye out for these signs that it's time for a fresh batch of oil:   Low oil level: Check your dipstick regularly to make sure you've got enough oil. If it's low, it's time to head to the shop.   Dirty oil: If your oil looks dark and sludgy or has debris in it, it's time for a change. Dirty oil can't do its job of lubricating and cleaning the engine.   Engine noise: If your car is sounding extra noisy, your engine may be crying out for fresh oil. Give it what it wants!   Warning light: This is one of the most obvious signs, and is easy to look out for. Most cars have a warning light that tells you when it's time for an oil change. But don’t ignore it! It’s important to get in and get your oil changed ASAP.   Mileage: Most cars need an oil change every ... read more

  If you want your ride to last and perform at its best, you gotta get regular oil changes. It’s an important part of your routine maintenance to make sure your vehicle runs well and runs for as long as possible. Here's why:   Lubrication: Your car's engine has lots of moving parts that need lubrication to work properly. Fresh oil keeps them from rubbing together with too much friction and causing damage.   Cooling: Engines can get super hot, but the oil helps keep them from overheating. It absorbs heat and transfers it away from the combustion chamber.   Cleansing: Oil picks up dirt and debris as it flows through the engine, keeping it clean and preventing buildup that can cause problems later. Efficiency: Fresh oil means less friction, which means your engine runs more efficiently and uses less gas.   Longevity: Regular oil changes can keep your engine running smoothly for longer, preventing damage and saving you money on expensive rep ... read more

Sometimes the best R&R you can get is in the comfort of your own home. If you’re traveling from the kitchen to the living room instead of from the east coast to the west, you can still make sure your vehicle is ready to support you when you have to come back to the real world.   If you're staying home for Spring Break, it's still a great time to get your vehicle serviced. Our pickup and delivery service makes it easy to get your vehicle in for routine maintenance or repairs while you're enjoying your staycation at home. We'll pick up your vehicle from your home or office, perform the necessary service or repairs, and deliver it back to you when we're done. This way, you can focus on relaxing and enjoying your time off while we take care of your vehicle.   We also recommend scheduling your college student's vehicle for service while they’re home for Spring Break. This can help ensure that their vehicle is safe and reliable for the jo ... read more

Hello March!   Spring Break is almost here, and we know that many of you are planning trips or staycations. Whether you're hitting the road or staying home, it's important to ensure that your vehicle is in top shape before you embark on your Spring Break adventures. This week, we’ll give some tips to our vacationers–when you’re hitting the road for a trip, we want to make sure that your vehicle is ready to handle the journey.    At our auto shop, we offer a wide range of services to help you prepare your vehicle for Spring Break. If you're planning to hit the road, we recommend scheduling a pre-trip service and inspection to ensure that your vehicle is safe and reliable for your journey. Our expert technicians will perform a thorough inspection of your vehicle, checking everything from your brakes and tires to your fluid levels and battery. We'll identify any issues that need to be addressed and provide you with a comprehensive repo ... read more

Winter is here, which means you're likely to see snow and ice on the roads. If you're not comfortable driving in snowy conditions, we've got some tips to prepare you for cold weather and slippery roads. Tip #1: Properly clean the snow and ice off your car before driving Before you hop in your car to drive, you will need to get rid of snow and ice on your car. You should especially get your windshield, car lights, and other areas that can impede your line of sight. While you may turn on your defrosters, it may take a long time and excess gas. Grab your ice scraper and/or snow brush.to speed up the process  Tip #2: Drive slow When driving in unfavorable weather conditions, it is important for you to take it easy on pedals. Driving too fast can cause you to spin out of control. If you know you have somewhere to be, please leave extra time to leave early and slow down! Tip #3: Maintain a safe following distance with the car ahead You should follow this rule to ... read more

With the weather in Midwestern winters, sometimes it’s worse before it gets better. With the chilly temps and the snow we’ve gotten in these past few weeks, it can be good to take precautions to make sure your vehicle makes it through the last bits of winter and is ready for the spring!    Start System       Have your battery/starting/charging system checked. Your battery provides electrical power to start the engine, stabilizes voltage for the charging system, and supplies additional current to the charging system. It’s always good to catch a weak battery before you get on the highway, rather than having it fail while you’re on your trip.   Emergency Kit       If our tips missed something in your vehicle, or something unforeseen happens and you find yourself in a sticky situation, having a kit with all the necessities will hold you over until help arrives. In this kit, you’ll at least want to ... read more

With the largest dump of snow we’ve seen in a while, these February winter storms might have your car a little worse for wear! If something feels a little off on your ventures out into this winter wonderland, double-check that these harsh icy, slushy, and salty conditions haven’t affected any of these vehicle elements:   Tires The only thing between you and the road is your tires. It’s crucial to ensure that your tread is wearing evenly, there’s plenty of the tread remaining, that no road hazards have damaged your tires, and they are filled to the proper pressure. And don’t forget the spare! You never know when a flat tire could create a detour in your route.   Fluids     Fluids are the lifeblood of your vehicle. Your car has many different fluids ranging from engine oil, engine coolant, brake fluid, power steering fluid, transmission fluid, differential fluid, and of course, your fuel system…just to name a few! It&rsq ... read more

Having your vehicle properly aligned can save you thousands of dollars in the life of the vehicle. Tires, Suspension Components, Steering Components, and more can be stressed and prematurely fair when the vehicle's alignment is out of spec. When it's out of spec the vehicle has to work extra hard to keep it going in the direction that the driver is trying to get it to go.   So how often should you get an alignment? The easy answer is whenever your car is not going straight down the road. That certainly has some validity to it, but the way many roads are made today that can be tricky to just blame the alignment when the road is pitched for a water run off which will naturally cause your vehicle to veer.    It's important that anytime you have steering or suspension work performed that you have an alignment performed to ensure that everything is re-aligned. Also anytime you get your tires replaced get an alignment. Tires are a big investment, let's not ... read more

As we come to the end of the worst of winter, and things start to thaw out, we come into pothole season–so it’s the perfect time to start thinking about Vehicle Alignments. The alignment of your vehicle is an important aspect of maintenance, so we’re going to make sure to go over what an alignment is, why it’s important, and how often to get it done. Normal wear and tear will cause your vehicle to get out of alignment, so this is an important aspect of the upkeep of your vehicle. Although, it can also get banged out of whack by hitting potholes, bumping curbs, or even minor fender benders.    An alignment is a process where a technician sets your vehicle onto a lift, installs targets onto your wheels, and takes measurements such as toe, camber, caster, thrust angle, etc. Once they get the before measurements of your vehicle’s current alignment angles, the technician can then determine what adjustments will need to be made. They will then make ... read more

With cars being a part of our daily life, one of the worst things that can happen is a weird and unfamiliar noise. We all hate when that happens, but it can help us prevent further damage. Here are some sounds you should be on the lookout for: Rattling sound at low speeds While driving at a low speed you might hear a rattling noise, that sounds like there is something inside your wheel or under the hood. At high speeds, it magically disappears and comes right back when you slow down. The cause of this can be a loose lug nut that was forgotten in one of your vehicle's hub caps. A wheel without a few nuts doesn't sound very safe, so we advise you to safely go to the nearest repair shop. Dull metallic clicking sound If you are experiencing a dull clicking sound coming from your engine bay, it’s likely that a piece has come undone. This can be caused by a loose screw or bolt in the engine that has been forgotten by previous maintenance work. The damage that this can infli ... read more