Frequently Asked Questions in Oswego, IL

Why should I change my oil and do preventative maintenance?

Changing your oil is the cheapest form of preventative maintenance you can do for your vehicle’s engine. A lot of manufacturers have extended your oil change intervals to an exorbitant number sometimes taking you over 10,000 miles between services. This is being done because of Cafe standards set on manufacturers to be “EPA” friendly. This damages your engine and drastically reduces the life of internal components resulting in failure. 3-4,000 miles on synthetic blend oils, and 5-6,000 on full synthetic oils, will ultimately extend the life of your engine and keep you driving longer with fewer repairs.

Do dealerships do better work than independent repair shops?

Absolutely not. Dealerships take no more pride in their work than a small independent shop. Usually, it’s the opposite because dealerships treat you like a number and small shops treat you like family. While the dealership has experience with their particular brand, they do not have a vast knowledge of other brands. That’s why independent shops sometimes are much more likely to have answers to your car’s needs. Small independent shops typically are way less expensive and do the same quality repair and even better quality sometimes. Their parts are usually backed by a warranty better than what you’d get from the manufacturer. The aftermarket parts that we get from quality stores like NAPA or O’Reillys Carquest and others, usually meets or exceeds OEM standards. So using the dealer over an independent repair shop and getting better service is a myth and won’t get you anything other than a higher price.

Why should I rotate my tires?

Tire rotation helps keep your tires wearing smoothly and helps prevent uneven tire wear or cupping due to lack of rotation. Remember in 99% of vehicles your front end is much heavier than the rear. Front tires don’t just rotate forward and backward they also turn. So not rotating them regularly, roughly every 8,000 miles will cause premature tire wear and reduce the life of your tires.

Should I have my alignment checked?

In Theory, your alignment won’t change, however, moving parts and joints that make up your steering and suspension components will wear out over time causing your alignment to change thus causing unwanted tire wear. So having your alignment checked as part of yearly maintenance, should be done to guarantee your vehicle’s ability to operate correctly.

Should I let my car warm up in cold weather?

The simple answer is yes. There has been a lot of debate about this and whether it’s necessary. Some will argue it does damage to your engine by idling for long periods of time. This is not true, especially when it comes to remote start as most will time out after 10-15 minutes. Your engine’s computer system has the ability to adjust for idle or driving. Cold weather can be especially hard on your engine and transmission. While cars are made to get in and drive away, some warm-up time in extreme cold is good for your car and will not damage it. Plus, who wants to get into a freezing car?