This page is meant to provide valuable information, updates and advice to our customers.  Please check back here frequently as we will update it regularly.  It will reflect current issues or updates regarding general repair & maintenance issues as well as links to other sources of information.

October 20, 2006

Tip:  Change oil/service vehicle every 3,000 miles.

Many manufacturers now recommend longer intervals, however several factors make more frequent service advisable.

1. Rarely does the hood get lifted [to check fluid levels, hoses, belts, etc.] other than when the oil gets changed. Low oil levels promote premature wear of the materials they are designed to protect.  

2. Most cars need undercarriage inspection, primarily tire condition/pressures, more than every 7,500 miles. These inspections should be done by A.S.E. certified technicians to ensure proper inspection and diagnosis of any other undercarriage problems.

3. Most car owners stay on top of the oil change service when their cars are new. But typically as the car gets older the intervals lengthen out. Not good! Most late model cars, if serviced every 3,000 miles, and with proper maintenance at 30k, 60k, 90k miles, will give good performance well up to 200,000 miles. The real way to get true value out of your depreciating asset is to drive it for as many miles as you can.

4. Three month intervals are typical. However, if you drive less (for example, if you drive 4,000 miles per year) a service twice a year is sufficient. Again, tire inspection/pressure is critical.

I suspect you are interested in vehicles or maybe you just like my prose. In any event, these are some of my observations from 34 years of car maintenance. Thanks for reading.

My future tip will be on tire maintenance.

See ya!

Mike

October 18, 2006

Warranty claims can often be handled with little or no effort on the part of the vehicle owner.  However, there are times that seemingly routine warranty claims are denied, making it critical for vehicle owners to know their rights.

According to Steve Relyea in a recent ASA newsletter article, the mere presence of after-market parts on a vehicle is not sufficient cause to reject a warranty claim.  According to documents provided by the Consumer Electronics Manufacturers Association (CEMA) and the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA), under federal anti-trust laws use of after-market parts or accessories does not affect vehicle warranty.  Unless the manufacturer's representative (dealer) can prove that an aftermarket part caused a particular problem that would otherwise be warrantied, they cannot refuse to honor that warranty.

If you find yourself in this situation and need further information, please check the following websites and/or documents:  www.sema.org/warranty/ for "Steps to Take if Your Vehicle Warranty Claim is Denied" or www.ce.org for "Know Your Rights".

Source:  "Take the Wheel", ASA of Arizona:  The Roadrunner, October 2006