Yucaipa vehicle owners can pay less now, or more later
Regular maintenance and inspections keep older cars running longer and safely
YUCAIPA -New car, truck, and SUV sales have dropped sharply because of the downturn in the economy - some manufacturers nearing the 50 percent mark. Which means that people are hanging on to their older vehicles much longer.
But older vehicles have to be treated with care - namely to keep them in good running condition and safe on the road.
That means regular maintenance such as tune-ups and inspections. But how often? And what basic maintenance needs to be done to keep a vehicle in peak operating condition?
At Exclusive Auto in Yucaipa, owner Mike Proud says that a common problem with owners of older vehicles, is that they put off regular maintenance and minor repairs. But that is only going to hurt them in the long run, he said.
For example, little things like keeping fluid levels up can cost hundreds, even thousands of dollars in repairs if neglected.
"If the power steering reservoir goes empty it can burn up the pump and that can end up costing as much as $500," Proud said.
And ignoring the transmission? It can potentially drain your bank account.
If the fluid isn't change at regular intervals - anywhere from 30,000 - 50,000 - 75,000 to 100,000 miles, depending on the manufacturer, it can cost huge sums of money. A regular transmission service can cost from about $100 to $250. But if neglected, look to pay from about $2,500 to $4,500 to rebuild the transmission, Proud said.
Proud said that Exclusive Auto follows manufacturers recommendations for maintenance. But manufactures can vary on maintenance schedules and recommended service.
He says that a bumper-to-bumper inspection should be done every three months, and a regular oil change every 3,000 miles. But for synthetic oils the mileage can be extended to 5,000 to 8,000 miles, depending on how the car is driven.
"An inspection includes things like the tires, all belts, brakes, and all fluids," Proud said. "People completely negate inspecting their fluid levels. The worse are brakes and coolant."
An inspection will detect minor problems and prevent them from becoming major problems, he said. "If people follow factory recommended maintenance they should be fine," Proud said.
And for those that schedule regular maintenance, their vehicles are still running strong.
"We have two customers with cars over 300,000 miles and lots of customers with cars over 150,000 miles that are really running good because they take care of them," Proud said.
The bottom line comes down to this, Proud said: "You can pay me less now for regular maintenance, or you can pay me later for repairs that will cost you much more in the long run."
Maintenance basics:
- Regular bumper-to-bumper inspections to flush out small problems before they become big and expensive problems.
- Follow manufacturers maintenance recommendations.
- Check ALL the fluids, not just the oil; including power steering, coolant, transmission, and brakes.
- Regular oil changes from 3,000 to 8,000 miles depending upon how the vehicle is driven, and the type of oil used - regular or synthetic.
- Have vehicles inspected, maintained, and repaired by trained, reputable technicians.
For more information, call Mike Proud at (909) 794-1916.
Exclusive Auto
31710 Yucaipa Blvd.
Yucaipa, CA. 92399
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