You’re ready to leave for work, you unlock your car, and you see a small, strange puddle under your vehicle. What now? Nothing should ever be leaking out of your four-wheeler, and yet there is that puddle starring right at you.
Regular checkups could prevent most of those inconvenient situations, but sometimes it’s out of your control.
Your car will often notify you if something is wrong via the check engine light or some other dashboard indicator, but in some cases, it’s necessary for you to figure it out on your own. If you drive a newer car, it’s possible that its in-vehicle maintenance reminder system will let you know when it’s time for an engine oil change, fluid level checks or other maintenance services. The car does that by taking into account various vehicle operating conditions.
Older cars, however, base the service intervals on mileage. Maintenance schedules usually come as one of the two types: the first is for vehicles that are driven in “normal” conditions, and the other is for cars driven in “severe” conditions.
So, what might one consider as a “severe” condition? The definitions may vary, but it usually means that the car is used for primarily short trips, on extremely hot or cold climates and for carrying heavy loads. In that case, the car undergoes a more rigorous maintenance schedule. Sometimes people tend to overdo it with changing the oil. You might want to consider changing the oil every 3000 miles, but not more often than that. The best choice is to visit your local garage and ask for advice.
However, choosing the right car shop for your vehicle can be complicated. That’s why you should start by asking around and checking the reviews. On mickeysautorepair.com for instance, you might find reviews, advice from the mechanic and list of services offered all on the first page, so that’s a good start.
Shop around before there is an emergency. You’re more likely to make a hasty decision when you’re in a rush to fix the problem as soon as possible. Don’t wait for your car to start leaking or you start hearing weird noises, smelling weird smells and feeling strange vibrations.
You want the most affordable price, surely, but don’t let the price be the deciding factor. Do the research, compare the prices and the reviews and take your time to consider all the factors before making a decision.
Try looking for a car shop that has ASE certified technicians. They have gone through training and testing and are the experts in their chosen fields. You can feel relaxed when your vehicle is in their hands.
Some repair shops are more specialized than others, meaning that they work with only certain models. That’s why you need to make sure that the shop you chose is certified to make repairs on your type of vehicle.
In case your car is still under warranty, your decision-making process will be significantly shorter since you might need to take your car to the repair shop that is affiliated with the dealership.
