Service / Preventative Maintenance
How to Improve the Performance and Lifespan of Your Car, Truck or SUV
Preventative maintenance is regularly performed maintenance on your vehicle that helps reduce the chance of equipment failure and unplanned issues that can be costly to your vehicle. Preventative maintenance is an important part of vehicle ownership and often determines your vehicle’s lifespan. All our services include a 17-point inspection to ensure maximum quality and safety for our customers.
More Service Topics
Looking for specific information on servicing your vehicle? Each category below hasextensive information that may help your search for information.
Preventative MaintenanceAir ConditioningHeating SystemEngine DiagnosticsBrakesFiltersTransmissionTires
Change Your Oil
Why is it Important to Get an Oil Change?
Oil is your vehicle's lifeblood and helps keep your engine's essential components running efficiently. Your engine generates thousands of small explosions every minute to keep your vehicle moving forward. Oil helps control not only the temperature of your engine, but also how it functions. Due to the purpose oil serves in your engine and the intense heat it’s exposed to, it slowly turns from a liquid into a sludge. This is why it is imperative that the oil should be changed frequently in your vehicle.
When Should You Get an Oil Change?
To maintain vital parts of your engine, it is recommended that you have your oil changed every three months or 3,000-6,000 miles. However, we do recommend you check your vehicle’s owner’s manual to find out what is recommended for your vehicle’s specific make and model. When you get an oil change with Rydell, we'll place a sticker in the top corner of your windshield, reminding you when you should come back to get your oil changed based on mileage.
What Happens During an Oil Change?
During an oil change, your old oil gets drained, and the old oil filter will be removed and replaced with a brand new one. Then, new oil will be added to your vehicle. A courtesy 17-point inspection that includes checking the condition of your vehicle's vital fluids and testing the battery will be done as well.
Why Should You Get a Full Oil Change Instead of Just Topping it Off?
Adding new motor oil to your vehicle will get your oil levels back up to where they should be, but it doesn’t get rid of the old and dirty oil. Mixing new oil with old oil will only put more stress on the new oil, causing an inability to function correctly.
Can You Switch Brands of Oil Between Oil Changes?
Yes, you can switch brands as long as the oil meets the viscosity and specifications listed in your owner’s manual. We recommend you talk to our certified technicians to see if there is an oil that offers better performance than what has been used previously.
Can Weather Affect When You Should Get Your Oil Changed?
Weather will not affect when to get an oil change. It’s important to change your oil year-round. Your vehicle will be in our warm oil bay, so there is nothing that needs to be worried about.
Types of Oil
Full-Synthetic Oil
This oil is more refined and overall better for your engine. Full-Synthetic oil is more expensive than conventional oil but not by a lot. Synthetic oils also tend to last longer, going for long periods of time.
Synthetic Blend
Synthetic blend oil is an oil manufactured with synthetic and natural materials. This oil provides better protection and performance than conventional oil but is not as good as a full synthetic oil. Synthetic blend oil is cheaper than full synthetic but more expensive than conventional oil. This one is considered the middleman.
High Mileage Oil
High Mileage oil is recommended when your vehicle has over 75,000 miles. This oil helps prevent oil evaporation and improves overall performance.
Conventional Motor Oil
Conventional oil is pulled from the ground and then it’s refined in a factory.
Check Your Tire Pressures
The tires on your vehicle can become damaged and wear more rapidly if they aren’t properly inflated. If tires are overinflated, it will result in diminished handling ability, because less rubber from your tire is making contact with the road. If tires are underinflated, it will not only lead to unnecessary wear and tear on your tires, but also on your vehicle. By having your tires correctly inflated, you will also ensure that your vehicle is getting the best gas mileage possible. Tire experts recommend checking your tire’s air pressure a minimum of once a month to maximize tire and vehicle performance. Bring your vehicle into Rydell today to make sure you are getting the most out of your tires.
What is the Recommended Tire Pressure for Your Vehicle?
The recommended tire pressure varies per vehicle which is determined by the manufacturer. The tire pressure needed for your vehicle can be found in the manual of your vehicle or it’s usually found inside your driver’s door frame.
How Do You Check the Tire Pressure?
You should check your tire pressure regularly. You will need a tire pressure gauge to read the pressure. First, you’ll want to take off your valve stem cap and put it somewhere safe. Next, you’ll push the gauge onto the valve stem, and it will show you your tire pressure. From here, you’ll be able to decide if you should add or take out air from your tires based on the recommended tire pressure.
Can You Drive with Low Tire Pressure?
Low tire pressure can lead to serious implications. These can include unsafe driving conditions, loss of control of the vehicle, accelerated tire wear, or a blowout.
What Should You Do if Your Tire Pressure Warning Light is On?
The first recommended thing to do is to check your tire pressure. If that seems to be correct, there may be an issue with your tire sensors which will need to be looked at by a certified technician.
Schedule Regular Inspections
By having your vehicle periodically checked, it allows technicians to look for anything that may be starting to break down or wearing improperly on your vehicle. Inspections are meant to identify automotive issues that may lead to further damage to vital parts of your car, truck, or SUV.
Your vehicle comes with manufacturer-recommended scheduled maintenance tasks. These can include brake inspections, timing belt replacements, and oil changes. These maintenance recommendations are usually based on specific mileage or time intervals, such as 30,000/60,000/90,000 miles or every four to six months. We advise consulting your owner's manual to determine the recommended maintenance for your vehicle's make and model. Following the manufacturer's recommended scheduled maintenance offers numerous benefits for your vehicle's longevity and performance.
These Benefits Include the Following:
- Extended Life Span of Your Car Just by following your car's regular maintenance schedule, you can prevent many vehicle problems. Take oil changes, for instance. Oil is essential in keeping your car's engine cool. An engine works hard and thus generates excessive heat. Clean oil keeps the internal parts of your engine lubricated, cutting down on wear and tear. If you don't get your car's oil changed the engine may seize up and stop running. This means you would need to spend money to replace the engine.
- Save You Money Having your car serviced regularly saves you money in the long run. For instance, your car may develop a transmission fluid leak. If that problem is not detected immediately, the transmission will begin to slip, which can cause long-term damage. This means that instead of having to pay for just a leak repair, you may end up having to pay for a transmission rebuild, which is considerably more expensive.
- Increase Safety A car breakdown at night on a quiet road can be a dangerous situation. For example, you have a higher probability of being hit hard from behind. A breakdown may also cause you to miss an important appointment or event. If your insurance provider doesn't cover towing, you may need to pay a towing service to get your car to a service center. Failing to have your vehicle serviced regularly greatly increases your chance of a breakdown.
- Increase Vehicle Performance A well-tuned car will perform better than a car that hasn't been regularly maintained. Properly maintaining the oil, fluids, and internal mechanics of your vehicle will reduce internal wear and increase your vehicle's dependability and overall performance.
In Conclusion
It’s important to change your oil, regulate your tire pressure, and schedule regular inspections on your vehicle so we are able to detect potential problems before they arise. This will also help reduce emergency maintenance tasks, which will be less costly if the problem is found before it breaks or worsens. Regular check-ins and oil changes will also help maintain your vehicle’s lifespan. Here at Rydell, we want to make sure you and your vehicle are safe. Make an appointment with Rydell’s Service Center online or call us for a routine inspection.
Schedule Service with Rydell Today
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