Auto repairs in London Ontario by a mechanic with 30 years experience

The top ten things you can do to make your car last and keep it safer .

1) Frequent oil changes and filters . This is going to keep sludge from building in your engine and keep clean gold oil flowing to all the necessary places to keep the engine lubricated . Tip : The better the oil the better the job it does .
Side note : A qualified person may spot a service required at the same time the oil is getting changed to keep the vehicle up and to keep it safer .
2) The vehicle should have a good oil spraying at least once a year . I like to suggest a nice fall day when you get it done and then a drive on a dusty road to pack in the oil so it does not easily get washed off in the rain , snow and slush.
Tip : keeping an aerosol can of oil spray in your vehicle to give to the mechanic or asking him to supply one is a good idea so that oil spray touch ups can be done when the vehicle is in the air for service .
Side note : The brake lines and some other components up under the hood and on the firewall are often missed by oil guard places so make sure they get those and make sure they drill rocker panels and doors to soak oil in as it needs to run to get where the moisture will run . Runny drip type is better I think because it flows .
3) The braking system at the wheels should be inspected regularly ( 2x a year ) and made sure it has properly lubricated sliding and moving mechanisms . This keeps brakes efficient and wearing well . The thickness of the pads and shoes in some cases is to be measured and kept above minimum standards .
Tip : Use your emergency brakes more often to keep them functional but if its been a while since you have then have a mechanic test them to make sure they fully release because you don’t want to drive with them 1/2 stuck on .
Side note : Some vehicles have rear disc brakes and the emergency shoes are inside an area that you can’t see the shoe itself and they fall apart as well as the pivots seize up so invest in a mechanic to go the extra mike and pull apart for service as well to keep them functioning . This same shoe can come apart and lock up a wheel while in motion so that is another reason to keep them up .
4) Have good tires . You need tread to keep you from losing control especially in the rain .
Tip : Old tires are risky too because they can weaken and blow out due to age .
Side note : look for little cracks in rubber to judge age . The weather checking they call it is a dead giveaway .
5) Have your steering and suspension checked . There is a lot of strain on little steering components like tie rod ends and ball joints . They will show signs of looseness before they come apart . Get them replaced before you lose your steering .
6) Have good wipers and upgraded headlight bulbs . It pays to see where you are going .
Tip : Keep your windshield clean .
Side note : You can get your headlamp lenses polished to keep them clearer . This sure helps seeing at night . How about a headlight aim too . I see lights pointed straight down or in the trees . I like a good headlight aim .
7) Keep your light bulbs up on the ones you don’t hardly even think about like 3rd brake light and side markers because you never know when someone will see that light at night at the last minute and it will save an accident .
8) Don’t ignore the lights on your dash or gauges . Keep them functional as well and pull over if the oil pressure gets low or the temp gets too warm . You don’t want to lose an engine over something small . The check engine light can sometimes be an emission device but the fact that it is on means that if a second or third problem occurs then you won’t know and that might have been the one that could ruin something or cost you more in the long run . The fact is that the new emission test does not allow that lamp to be on so you might as well fix it and get the benefit of a better more reliable vehicle too .
9) Flush your fluids like power steering , transmission , differentials , brake and antifreeze . The Lack of fluid changing and flushing leads to more expensive component replacement sooner than what would have been necessary .
10) Find a shop you can trust . The cheapest shop may not be the best shop for your real needs if you want your car safe and reliable and the most fancy shop like a dealership may not really have the programs in place to take this kind of care of you so choose someone and we hope its Ricky Ratchets and stay with them . The shop you choose will see that relationship you are building and value it to guide you the best they can thus you have a safer and more reliable vehicle .