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If you read a popular consumer magazine or talk to many dealer technicians you might get the idea that preventive maintenance is a waste of money. But if you’re the type who values money you should know that statistically, every dollar spent on preventive maintenance will save up to eight dollars in future repairs. Also magazines do not run repair shops and have no real world way to compare vehicles with aggressive maintenance against those receiving factory suggested service. I’ve been fixing cars for a long time so I actually see the difference and it is amazing. Following are some of the benefits of aggressive preventive maintenance. This is predicated on the fact that no automotive fluid can last forever.  Carbon Depletion Service: Removes carbon and gummy deposits from injectors, valves, and combustion chambers. These deposits come from additives used in today’s gasoline to help keep it stable and burnable. These Federally mandated chemicals leach out of the fuel and form deposits on fuel system parts. Carbon depletion services can often help or cure emissions failures, engine pinging, rough idle, hard starting, hesitation, poor fuel economy or, better yet to prevent them from ever happening. Failure to perform this service often leads to cold weather stalling following a cold start.
Cooling System Flush: Removes scale and contamination from inside the radiator and engine and maintains the proper coolant pH. Coolant pH is continually dropping and the lower the pH the more acidic and corrosive the coolant becomes. Coolant should be changed at two years or twenty-four thousand miles on most vehicles. Failure to flush coolant can lead to water pump failure, radiator failure, shortened hose life, failed head gaskets and other costly failures.
Transmission Flush: As transmission fluid is used, heat causes it to thicken and some of the protective chemicals in the fluid to separate out of the fluid and coat internal parts. Flushing softens and removes this coating but even more important it removes dirt that collects inside the torque converter. Torque converters spin at high speed causing dirt suspended in the transmission fluid to be spun outward, like in a centrifuge. This dirt builds up on the inner surfaces of the torque converter until it gets so thick it begins falling off in chunks. The chunks of dirt often partially restrict fluid flow through small passages inside the transmission. Reduced fluid flow causes excessive heat leading to accelerated wear of clutches and other heat sensitive parts. Overheated parts cause premature transmission failure. Regular transmission flushes can more than double automatic transmission life making it one of the most cost-beneficial services you can perform.
Power Steering Flush: Helps prevent the failure of seals and gaskets in the power steering pump and steering rack. In the past, power steering fluid typically lasted the life of the vehicle. But today, power steering fluid deteriorates much sooner due to higher operating temperatures and pressures. Fluid deterioration can be credited with an estimated 300% increase in power steering repairs over the past twenty years. Power steering flushing prevents most expensive power steering failures.
Brake Fluid Flush: Brake fluid is hygroscopic which means it both attracts and absorbs water which is a natural occurrence in all brake systems. Contrary to popular myth there is no such thing as a sealed brake system. Because brake fluid attracts water like a magnet attracts metal, moisture can even be drawn into the fluid through the pores of rubber brake system components. Moisture in the brake system combines with available oxygen causing oxidation of brake hydraulic parts; some cheap, some staggeringly expensive!
Engine Oil Flush: No matter how meticulous you are about oil changes there are areas inside every engine where oil doesn’t circulate well. Oil sits in depressions inside the engine where it slowly becomes thick and gooey from heat. Over time this forms sludge that moves around inside the engine. When the sludge reaches the oil pan it’s sucked into the oil pump restricting the amount of oil that can circulate for lubrication. Net result,shortened engine life.
With winter coming quality preventive services like these can greatly improve reliability and component life. Winter is tough so you have to make your car tougher. If you want the longest life from your car plus a free limited lifetime warranty* come see us. We’ll show you samples of parts we’ve removed from aggressively serviced and lightly serviced cars. I guarantee you’ll be shocked.
Note: coolant, transmission fluid, power steering fluid, and brake fluid should be replaced before they change color. When a fluid changes color it’s causing damage to the system it is supposed to protect. Example: coolant changes color because of rust and rust is --- dissolved engine.
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