Car Care Tips
Car Care at Car Doc
Whether it’s your pride and joy or simply the way you get from here to there, we’re passionate about pampering your car. After all, we know that regular car maintenance helps to prolong its life – and that’s a good thing.
Simply pull into your nearest Mr. Lube location and let us take a look under the hood. You don’t have to do a thing, other than sit back, relax and enjoy your complementary newspaper and coffee.
Come back as often as you like. And every time you visit, we’ll perform a courtesy check to make sure that your car is in top working order. We’ll change your oil at your convenience, not ours. We can also perform other routine car maintenance -- from fluid changes to air filters, wiper blades and battery replacements, and everything in between. Not only that, we’ll perform minor services free of charge.
Here’s our secret. There’s a common misperception that you have to get your vehicle service by a dealer in order to protect your warranty. This is simply not the case. Mr. Lube follows manufacturer specifications for each vehicle to ensure your car is well maintained to warranty approved standards.
Extend the Life of Your Vehicle
It’s a simple fact. The nicer you are to your car, the nicer it will be to you. Sure it won’t last forever, but a little TLC can make a big difference. Here are a few car care tips to keep in mind:
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Get in the habit of regular engine oil and filter replacements: They are the biggest factor when it comes to your vehicle’s life.
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Replace your timing belt in accordance with your vehicle manufacturer's recommendations: This is generally about every 100,000 km. When in doubt, check your owner's manual.
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Properly align and balance your tires: Having your wheels properly aligned and balanced makes tires last longer. It is a good idea to rotate tires every 10,000 km to preserve them. If you frequently drive at high speeds or negotiate tight turns in parking areas, this should be done even sooner.
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Schedule preventive maintenance: Remember that preventive maintenance should be a part of your yearly scheduled car maintenance. Vehicles, like people, need to refresh sometimes.
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Take your car onto the highway at least once a month: If you regularly drive in stop-and-go traffic, you should take your car on routes where you can legally drive (yes, legally) at highway speed for at least 20 minutes, at least once a month. This will heat up the engine and burn off condensation that can attack both the oil and the internal parts of the engine.
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Wash and wax your car regularly: Keeping your vehicle looking good shouldn’t be underestimated when it comes to your car maintenance checklist. It helps prevent damaging rust from occurring by repairing paint chips and dents as soon as they appear. Keeping your vehicle washed and waxed regularly and having undercoating applied based on driving conditions will also help keep your vehicle looking great.
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Run your vehicle's air conditioner for about 5 minutes each month, even during winter: This will keep the system well lubricated and help to prevent failure. During the summer, remember to run your vehicle’s heater for about 5-10 minutes, at least a couple of times, to prevent the air distribution system from sticking or seizing up.
Looking after your car doesn’t just extend its life – it also feeds your pocket. If your car is well maintained and shows signs of routine maintenance and a history of regular services, not only will your car last longer, your trade-in or resale value will go up as well.
Fuel Economy
With fuel costs going through the roof and the environment on all our minds, the opportunity to reduce our gas consumption and improve our gas mileage presents a win-win situation. While none of the measures we recommend will afford you a playboy lifestyle, when practiced regularly and viewed over time, the savings will really start to add up.
Driving Advice
By practicing the following efficient driving techniques, consumers can gain as much as a 10% improvement on their vehicle's fuel economy.
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Keep to the speed limit: Did you know that driving at 120 km per hour rather than 100 km per hour increases fuel consumption by 20%? In addition, more than 50% of the energy required to move a vehicle forwards is spent pushing air out of the way, known as aerodynamic drag. The faster you drive the more aerodynamic drag increases and the more your fuel economy decreases. To further reduce this effect, try to avoid driving on the freeway with your windows rolled down as this will increase the aerodynamic drag already occurring.
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Use cruise control and overdrive gears: These are two good ways to improve your vehicle's fuel efficiency. Overdrive reduces both fuel consumption and engine wear because the engine’s speed decreases; whereas cruise control helps drivers maintain a constant speed rather than a variable one, thereby improving gas mileage. Alternatively, if you use a manual transmission try driving at slower rates in high gears. Driving fast in low gears may consume up to 45% more fuel.
Maintaining Your Vehicle
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Ensure you have proper tire pressure: One of the easiest things you can do to improve your vehicle's fuel economy is to make sure your tires are properly inflated. If you are unsure of the proper tire pressure for your vehicle, consult the owner's manual. Also, if you use winter tires, remove them during good weather seasons. These deep-tread tires reduce fuel economy.
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Change your vehicle's oil on a regular basis: This will help improve fuel economy by increasing the life of the engine in your vehicle. Clean oil reduces wear caused by friction between moving parts and also removes dirt and grime from the engine. A clean air filter will also help to improve fuel economy by providing an increased level of protection.
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A properly tuned engine will lower fuel costs: Consult the maintenance schedule in your owner's manual for when to take it in for a tune-up and you will allow your vehicle to save fuel and run better.
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Buy gas from a high-volume gas station: Since its tanks are refilled more often there is less chance of the fuel having impurities, such as water or rust. In addition, don't waste money on premium fuel if your vehicle doesn't need it.
Purchasing a Vehicle
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Look for a vehicle with high gas mileage: When shopping for a vehicle, the key decision often rests on whether you want it to be new or used. Whichever you choose, the average mileage of a vehicle will prove to be one of the greatest effects on your pocket. A car or truck that has high gas mileage will save thousands of dollars in fuel bills and reduce emissions over the lifetime of a vehicle compared to a vehicle with low gas mileage.
Saving both money and the environment has never been so easy. Many of these measures make it simple to reduce your vehicle's fuel consumption and improve your gas mileage. Take some time to explore which ones work best for you and you’ll soon find that you’re saving money, reducing wear on your vehicle and helping to reduce environmental emissions all at the same time.
Engine Oil
Oil keeps your engine lubricated and reduces heat. Your oil filter helps prevent engine damage by removing contaminants that build up in the oil. Carbon, dirt and debris become suspended in the oil and cause it to lose effectiveness, which leads to increased engine wear and decreased fuel economy. Regular oil and filter changes keep your engine clean and lubricated.
Transmission fluid (Automatic/ Manual)
Your transmission transfers energy from the engine to the wheels to get your vehicle moving. Transmission fluid lubricates, cools, and cleans the inside of the transmission while maintaining the necessary pressure inside the transmission, required for it to function properly. Whether your transmission is automatic or manual the transmission fluid will eventually break down. If it isn’t replaced components inside can overheat which will cause transmission failure.
Engine (Radiator) coolant
Engine coolant, or anti-freeze as it’s commonly known, ensures your engine doesn’t freeze or overheat. Coolant works by removing heat from the engine block, protecting the engine and lubricating the water pump seals. Over time coolant loses its ability to protect vital engine parts.
Differential fluid
The differential works with the transmission to deliver power from the engine to the axle to rotate the wheels. Like engine oil, heat causes wear on differential fluid, which can lead to excessive wear on the gears and bearings.
Transfer case fluid (4-wheel and all-wheel only)
The transfer case is the heart of a vehicle’s 4-wheel or all-wheel drive system. It provides power to both the front and rear differential assemblies, which turn your wheels. It also allows you to switch between gears, such as 4High and 4Low. Like engine oil, the fluid that lubricates the transfer case will begin to break down over time and lead to excessive wear on bearings and gears.
Air Filter
Your air filter plays a key role in preventing contaminants like grit, dust, and dirt from entering your engine. Air is drawn through the filter and into the cylinders where air and fuel combine to power your vehicle. A dirty air filter can lead to poor fuel economy. Mr. Lube will check your filter with every oil change and recommend replacement when needed.
Cabin Air Filter
Cabin air filters help to protect your health by improving the quality of the air you breathe in your vehicle. With increases in traffic congestion and longer commuting distances we spend more time in our vehicles than ever. These filters trap a broad range of microscopic particles, harmful gases, and unpleasant odors. Regularly replacing your cabin air filter can offer relief for asthma, allergies and hay fever sufferers. They also help to protect the performance of your air conditioning system.
Fuel Filter
When you press down on your gas pedal your fuel system controls the amount of power you get from your engine by moderating the flow of fuel and air. Unfortunately, fuel isn’t perfectly clean. This is why it passes through a fuel filter that picks up any dirt that might interfere with the engine’s performance. Over time, dirt and particles build up in the filter. The fuel filter needs to be replaced or it will reduce the flow of fuel to your engine, affecting your vehicle’s performance and fuel economy.
Emission (PCV) Valve and Filter
The emission (Positive Crankcase Ventilation) valve and filter work together to route toxic fumes created by the engine back into the combustion chambers. These fumes are then re-burned to improve fuel efficiency and reduce air pollution. The valve ensures that your engine breathes properly and continues to receive the correct amount of airflow, while the filter helps to remove harmful oil vapor. Failure to replace the emission valve and filter can lead to problems like rough idling, stalling, high oil consumption, loss of power and excessive wear on internal parts. This will reduce the oil and air filter’s life.
Other Preventive Maintenance Services
Battery
The battery in your vehicle performs many functions. The most obvious is to provide electrical energy to crank the starter and get the engine running. It must also provide energy to the lights, heater, radio, air conditioning and other electronics. Your battery has the ability to last several years because your vehicle’s alternator works to replenish it with electric current. However, over time the battery will lose its ability to store and hold an electrical charge, making it difficult to start your vehicle. Mr. Lube can check your battery and help identify a change in the condition and state of the charge so that you never have to worry about being stranded with a dead battery. We have state of the art testing equipment and we’ll even provide you with a print-out of the current health of your battery. We also offer battery replacement for when the time comes around.
Serpentine Belt
A serpentine belt is a single, continuous belt used to power multiple devices in your engine. These include the alternator, power steering pump, water pump, A/C compressor and air pump. If your serpentine belt breaks it will cause numerous components in your vehicle to stop working and lead to costly repairs. Your Mr. Lube technician will check your belt every time you get your oil changed and alert you if they see signs of wear.
Fuel System Cleaning
The makeup of gasoline varnish tends to accumulate inside the fuel lines, rails and injectors. Over time this varnish will begin to cause problems in the fuel system. By cleaning your fuel system on an annual basis you’ll help to restore vehicle performance by cleaning the fuel injectors, intake valves and combustion chambers of deposits. This service improves sluggish starts, rough idling, fuel consumption, and reduces exhaust emissions.