Tips to extend the life of your car from Autopia Bloomington Minnesota

Auto Care in Bloomington – Convenient,

Competent and Customer-Friendly!

Call: 952-888-8885

9480 Lyndale Avenue South * Bloomington, MN 55420

Hours: Monday - Friday

7:00am - 6:00pm

10 Tips to Keeping Your Wheels Rolling

If the rough economy has your budget stuck in low gear, don’t let your car drive you into debt. You can put off buying a new car by keeping “old faithful” running smoothly – at least until the economy has turned the corner.

9480 Lyndale Av S

Bloomington, MN 55420

Services to extend the life of your car:

1. Oil and Oil Filters – Oil is the lifeblood of all

vehicles.The most important thing you can do to maintain your car or truck in top condition is change the oil as often as recommended by your car’s manufacturer, using the recommended grade for your vehicle. Always replace the filter at the same time.

2. Filters – The air filter plays a big role in your car’s

fuel mileage and engine performance. According to the U.S. Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), “replacing a clogged air filter can improve your car’s gas mileage by as much as 10 percent.” Change it once a year or as

recommended by the manufacturer, more often if you drive in especially dirty, dusty places. Fuel filters and breather filter should also be checked

periodically

3. Coolant – Today’s engines are not very forgiving

when it comes to overheating –even just one occurrence of overheating can result in costly damage. Flush the cooling system & replace the antifreeze periodically.

4. Tires Rotation, Alignment and Balancing – Rotating

tires ensures even wear and extends the life of your tires. Having proper alignment and wheel balance also effect tire wear and equally as

important, gas mileage. The tire on a wheel that’s badly out of alignment is being dragged as much as it’s rolling. Just keeping your tires properly inflated will make a huge difference on gas mileage.

5. Tune ups – Engine performance and good gas

mileage go hand in hand. A car that “runs rough”, is hard to start, stalls, knocks, diesels, or burns oil is in need of tune up. Getting a periodic tune up before the symptoms become serious is more cost effective than repairing a poorly maintained engine. It’s almost always cheaper to maintain than to fix.

6. Belts, Hoses, Windshield Wiper Blades – They all age

and deteriorate over time. The rubber (or neoprene or other synthetic materials) become hard and brittle, crack, eventually break, leak and fail to perform. You want to have them checked for wear and replaced BEFORE they leave you stranded somewhere.

7. Battery – Most batteries today are maintenance-

free so you don’t have to add water to the cells. But battery terminals should be cleaned of rust or corrosion periodically to ensure a good connection. The service technician can test to make sure the charging system (alternator and voltage regulator) are operating normally to keep the battery charged.

8. Washing/waxing – Minnesota’s wild weather is hard

on vehicles, especially in the winter. The corrosive slush and salt clinging to the undercarriage and packed in the wheel wells promotes rust and damages the finish. Washing and waxing doesn’t improve your gas mileage, but it can help extend the value of the vehicle.

9. Fluid Levels – Oil may be the lifeblood of a vehicle

but there are other fluids that are also needed to keep your wheels turning (or stopping). Keeping the transmission fluid, brake fluid and power steering fluid at recommended levels, even the windshield washer fluid, is a matter of driving safety as well as an inexpensive way to avoid major overhauls and repairs.

10. Under the Hood Inspection - The best preventive

maintenance can be as simple as just having an Autopia service technician take a look under the hood. By listening to the engine, being alert to the smell of hot or burning rubber, the smell of gas or the evidence of leaks, you can catch problems early before they become more costly, time-consuming repair jobs.

We Service Most

Makes and Models

of Foreign and

Domestic Vehicles:

Make your automotive-life as hassle-free as you can by staying ahead of trouble. With proper maintenance, your car will:

• Last longer

• Get better gas mileage

• Be safer to drive

• Hold its value at resale

• Cost less to operate

• Give you peace of mind.