Tips from Your Trusted Auto Repair Shop for Preventing Car Problems | Southlake, TX

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A major car problem can cause a lot of chaos in your life, especially if you’re not in a position where you can simply pay to have your vehicle fixed. The good news is, there are things you can do as a driver to prevent major problems so you can save money on expensive auto repairs. However, you do have to make an effort to take better care of your car and keep a close eye on things. If you don’t want to spend a fortune at an auto repair shop, here are some tips to help prevent that.

ROUTINE MAINTENANCE

By far the best thing you can do if you want your vehicle to last a long time is take it in for maintenance on a regular basis. The truth is, a lot of the problems people have with their cars are a result of not having maintenance done often enough. For example, things are going to wear down a lot quicker if you don’t change your oil regularly to make sure everything is lubricated.

The tough part about keeping up with routine maintenance is the fact that everything has to be done at different intervals. While you might need to change your oil once every 5,000 miles, repair experts recommend having your tires rotated about once every 7,500 miles or 6 months. You can go even longer in between brake jobs. The best way to solve this problem is to work with a mechanic to create a maintenance schedule that works for both of you. Armed with a quick list of when you need to have each type of maintenance done, you can keep your vehicle in much better shape.

It’s important to remember that quality matters when it comes to routine maintenance. By making sure you’re having good fluids and filters put in your car during maintenance, you don’t have to worry as much about problems in the future. Make sure your auto repair shop is using good oil, brake fluid, oil filters, air filters and more.

SMALL REPAIRS

Another key to keeping your vehicle in good shape is to have minor repairs done when they’re called for. A lot of people neglect minor car repairs because they think they can continue driving with the problem they have. While that’s true in a lot of cases, you can also make problems a lot worse and end up having to spend a fortune if you neglect auto repairs.

One of the worst things you can do is neglect repairs that cause problems with your engine. While driving with bad tires or brakes isn’t the best idea for your safety, it generally won’t cause any serious problems with your vehicle. If you’ve got a major exhaust leak or your engine is making a loud knocking sound, however, you’re going to need expensive auto repairs if you keep driving it.

The important thing to remember when it comes to minor auto repairs is the fact that most problems don’t cost that much to fix. The really expensive jobs like engine swaps and transmission rebuilds are usually caused by not having some sort of smaller repair done at some point, which you can easily avoid by simply visiting a trained mechanic regularly.

DRIVING HABITS

You might not think about it very often, but the way you drive plays a big role in how much you have to spend at a Southlake, TX, mechanic. If you drive a manual, you know how important it is to take the time to learn how to drive properly to protect parts of your car. Even in an automatic, however, there are a lot of little things you can do that impact your vehicle.

One of the biggest mistakes people make is driving their vehicle too fast or too slow all the time. If you constantly overwork your vehicle, you’re going to end up with increased engine wear. If you drive your vehicle slow all the time, it can also lead to excess wear and problems when you eventually have to take it up to highway speeds.

Your vehicle likes a smooth ride at fairly high speeds. If you’re on the highway, try to resist the urge to take your car 10 or 20 miles above the speed limit to keep it in good shape. You should also avoid stop-and-go traffic if you don’t want to put any excess wear on your brakes and different parts of your engine.

MILEAGE

Perhaps the most important thing to understand when it comes to taking care of your vehicle and preventing expensive auto repairs is that there’s only so much you can do. Vehicles aren’t designed to last forever, and there will come a time when you need to replace yours no matter how well you take care of it.

If you want your vehicle to last hundreds of thousands of miles, there’s a good chance you’ll have to pay for a new transmission and other expensive auto repairs. The simple truth is that not every part of your engine can handle the stress that all that driving puts on them. You can find out more about how long various parts of your vehicle should last by talking with an expert or looking at a car repair manual.

THE SIMPLE FIX

Nobody wants to spend a bunch of money keeping their car in good shape, but it’s better than the alternative of having to fix major problems. A few trips to the mechanic a year can save you a lot of money on auto repair costs.

If you’re looking for a Southlake, TX, shop that makes it easy to take excellent care of your import vehicle, Import Car Center is the simple solution. All you have to do is visit us for regular inspections, maintenance and repairs. To find out more or schedule an appointment, give Import Car Center a call at (817) 481-5665.