CAR CARE TIPS BLOG

Even though oil changes are a simple service, if not performed on a regular basis, your vehicle will end up suffering the symptoms of an overdue oil change. Too often, regular oil changes are often an “out of sight, out of mind” issue until drivers start to notice problems with the performance of their vehicle. Regular oil changes will help to extend your engine’s longevity and enhance its overall performance, plus the clean oil optimizes your vehicle’s performance by lubricating parts better and keeping the engine clean and healthy.

Most drivers rely on the mileage interval rather than warning signs to let them know when it’s time to schedule an oil change service. Over time, because oil breaks down and has difficulty performing its job, even though your car may not have reached the right mileage interval, it may start to exhibit one or more of these five signs of needing an oil change:

“Oops! All of a sudden my vehicle is pulling to the right yet I’m steering straight ahead! This is so annoying and I worry what this will do to my tires. I’m wondering what causes a wheel alignment to go bad.” Does this sound familiar?

We wish it wasn’t true, but wheel misalignment just comes with vehicle ownership. This will occur naturally over time, but it’s more likely caused by a specific incident. Misalignment is when your tires are not pointing in the same direction as the steering wheel. It negatively affects your steering, suspension and tires, but more importantly, it compromises safety on the road.

What causes a wheel alignment to go bad?

Like many drivers on the road, when you have car problems you probably do not know how to figure out what’s causing the problem. When you visit an auto repair shop, do you end up paying for things that really don’t need fixing in the hopes that it will take care of any problems? Obtaining the correct diagnosis of a problem is the key to receiving the best automotive repair service possible.

You can eliminate the extra costs of repairs trying to pinpoint the problem but that didn’t fix it! Consider these two easy tips for helping your automotive repair technician know where to start looking for a problem:

• Be Observant – Pay attention to how your vehicle typically performs.  Then you will know when something isn't working quite right.  Use your senses, what you see, hear, and feel, to observe what’s happening to your vehicle.  
• Put it in Writing – Write down the problem in detail, when, where and what, so that you can describe your vehicle’s symptoms in concise and descriptive terms to your mechanic.  Relying on your memory may not be wise to do.