Proudly servicing Brandon Florida's auto repair and service needs for over 30 years on domestic and Asian vehicles. We are equipped and trained to work on today’s automobile and everything we do keeps your car under warranty. Beyond oil changes, the basic servicing of a vehicle is becoming less demanding, particularly within the first 60,000 miles of ownership. Spark plugs typically don't have to be changed for at least 100,000 miles, and most new cars don't require any chassis lubrication. With coolant systems that are entirely recirculating and with coolant manufacturers making strides in their products' chemical components, the seasonal radiator flush is becoming a thing of the past.
Yet anyone who goes to a service facility is likely to get pitched "routine" maintenance services from fuel injector cleaning to coolant flushes to air-conditioner refrigerant replacement. Just say no -- or at the very least compare what they're trying to sell with what your owner's manual recommends -- and you can avoid hundreds of dollars in unnecessary maintenance costs a year.
1. Flushing your automatic transmission system. Most manufacturers say it's not needed until at least 60,000 miles -- if then. If your transmission has a filter, check the owner's manual for when it should be replaced.
2. Hot flushes. Most cars now have closed systems that don't lose coolant over time, and modern coolant fluids -- antifreeze in our parents' jargon -- can last two years and more before losing effectiveness.
3. Warranty validity. Some dealers will tell you that you have to get the recommended service items done at their shop to keep your warranty in force. They may even tell you that you have to follow their supplemental service list. Not true. You can get service done anywhere; you can even do it yourself. Just keep records and receipts, should any questions arise over a warranty claim.