OIL & FILTER  If the engine is the heart of the automobile, then its blood would be the oil. This is the most overlooked serviceable item of all. There are several manufacturers now that say you can go 15,000+ miles on one oil/filter change. These are the same ones that offer a service contract consisting of free oil changes for the first 50,000 miles. That's okay if your car sits in the garage and rarely gets driven.

The truth about engine oil is confusing. Most oils will last about 1,500 to 7,500 miles depending on the detergent additives. These are what keep the oil clean until the next oil change. The detergents wear away with use and therefore the oil will start to break down and cause deposits to form and finally sludge develops which will restrict the tiny orifices through which oil must flow to lubricate the engine. In many cases the oil will control the variable valve timing and the timing chain tensioners for the intake and exhaust cams. This system does not function well or at all when it's affected by sludge.

Today's engines are far more precise in engineering then they were 10, 20, or 30 years ago. They need quality engine oil which comes from quality sources. This allows for longer change intervals. A basic oil and filter change can be somewhat expensive on a German vehicle. Seven or more liters of high-quality oil can add up quickly, but allowing it to go too long will end up costing you a new engine which in many cases will exceed $5000. Schedule an Appointment to have this simple service completed by someone who understands the complexities of a finely engineered machine and uses factory parts.

COOLING SYSTEM  The cooling system is a mechanical group of components that are also commonly neglected. This system uses an antifreeze mixture that maintains the engine's operating temperature. Engine coolant is comprised of either ethylene glycol or propylene glycol. Both keep the engine from freezing and overheating. Most import manufacturers use ethylene glycol based coolant because of its ability to work well with the metal alloys in their engines. Most domestic manufactures use propylene glycol which is an organic mixture that does not work well with aluminum alloys and tends to break down faster. Though it is sold as long life coolant, propylene glycol usually doesn't last past 5 years. The reason coolant must be replaced is due to its ph level changing over time. It will actually turn into an acid and cause deterioration of the aluminum alloy components along with the plastics that are extensively used in late model vehicles. When the coolant is replaced it is critical that clean pure distilled water is used to make the 50/50 mixture. Using tap water or anything else will speed up the deterioration process. Most ethylene glycol coolants last about 2 years. If your coolant is over 2 years old, Schedule an Appointment to have it tested and replaced if needed using your vehicle's genuine replacement coolant.

TRANSMISSION  Automatic transmissions are precision engineered hydraulic wonders that consist of many clutches, gears, and electric solenoids. The clutch material does wear over mileage causing the fluid to get dark in color and change its performance. This is why the fluid and filter must be changed at the proper interval which is usually around 50,000 miles depending on how you drive. The longer worn fluid is left in there, the faster the rest of the components will wear.

An important note to make is for the owners of �Lifetime fill� transmissions and differentials. This means that the fluids are filled for the life time of the car. The lifetime of any light duty car or truck is 100,000 miles or 10 years. If you plan on keeping your vehicle longer than this time period, you need to Schedule an Appointment  and service the automatic transmission.

Manual transmissions are much less complicated and less costly to maintain but still need services. These need to have fluid changes about every 50,000 to 100,000 miles depending on how the vehicle is driven.