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If it is a newer vehicle with less than 80,000 miles, I would recommend regular servicing of the transmission every 25,000 miles, including changing the fluid and internal filter. It is important that you maintain the transmission early on in the life of the vehicle, or you could set yourself up for real trouble if you change the transmission fluid later on (discussed below).

Regular servicing of the transmission can provide longer life expectancy, smoother shifting, and increased performance. I have provided free maintenance schedules on my Website to assist you with regularly scheduled maintenance items like this.

Some fast lube places service transmissions by “flushing” the transmission using a special machine that acts like a blood transfusion machine. It pumps out the transmission fluid, filters it, then recirculates it back into the transmission several times until the fluid is clean. I have mixed emotions about this procedure. Yes, I will agree that with this machine it is possible to remove more of the old dirty fluid from inside the transmission than the conventional method of removing the transmission pan, draining the fluid and replacing the internal filter, but I feel very strongly that the internal filter should also be changed. Metal and plastic debris become lodged in the filter, and I have seen the filter itself break down and become compacted to the point that it restricts fluid flow.

If the fluid has become contaminated with water or some other foreign fluid, then I would recommend the flush method, but for regular maintenance I prefer the tried-and-true way of draining the old fluid and replacing the filter. If you have any doubt as to what method would be right for your vehicle, seek the advice of a qualified transmission shop. I really feel the reason these fast lube places have adopted this flush method is because it lessons the chance of “mechanic error” while removing the transmission pan and filter, not necessarily because it is the best way to perform transmission maintenance.

Higher Mileage Cars

If your vehicle has high mileage (> 80,000 miles) and regular transmission servicing has been preformed as recommended, seek the advice of a qualified transmission shop if you experience a problem such as:

* Slipping
* Hard or erratic shifting
* Slow to shift when engine is cold (first thing in the morning)

If your vehicle has high mileage (> 80,000 miles) and the transmission has not been maintained, I would not recommend replacing the fluid and filter. The fluid that has been in the transmission all this time has become dirty and gritty. This gritty fluid is actually providing needed friction for the worn internal parts of the transmission. Changing the fluid and replacing the filter would remove this friction that the internal transmission parts have become dependent on. If you have not been regularly maintaining the transmission throughout the life of the car, you might actually be doing more harm than good if you replace the transmission fluid at this point. For example, putting new clean slick transmission fluid in an older high mileage vehicle could cause the transmission to slip.

If you are not experiencing a problem, have over 80,000 miles on your car, and have not kept up regular maintenance on the transmission, my advice would be to leave the transmission fluid and filter alone. If you are experiencing a transmission problem like those listed above, seek the advice of a qualified transmission shop before allowing your regular mechanic to service the transmission. (source)

Your Power steering system – check and change fluid for prolonged system life. A good scheduled maintenance will save you money over time and also keep your vehicle on the road for many more years without major costs.

As always if in doubt check with your owners manual or personal mechanic
.

In these times of financial hardship for many of Us we must make our money stretch as far as it can. We have to decide what has priority over what. When it comes to our transportation, our cars We often are at a loss deciding what We need and what can wait. We look for the “cheapest” price. That is only our natural instinct to survive.

Our cars are often overlooked when it comes to the important things in our day to day life BUT You do not realize how important they are till Yours is broken, not running.  We fail to realize how important our means of transportation to work, the store, the doctors office, our escape from sitting home really is till we do not have it.

A  proper scheduled and correctly maintained Car will save You more than the cost seems to effect You today. Waiting often leads to bigger and more costly problems down the road. Talking with Your personal mechanic who You have established a trusting working relationship with will help guide you and make Your decision making easier.

the old saying ” Pay me now or pay me more later” holds very true when it comes to Vehicle maintenance.

The size of the shop, the national recognizable name of the business, the certificates and years experience of the mechanic or the super duper good guy promotions and sales mean nothing if there is no trust.

OK, You want a mechanic with a few years experience and a fairly clean shop says a lot about the owner BUT  in the Automotive world You MUST find a Mechanic who You feel comfortable with. Years of experience can also mean a Mechanic who is “Burned out” not in the top of his game anymore. I know I was in the Auto repair filed for 23 years and seen it many times. The pride and joy You once had in working on a Car is gone.

Dealerships, once the flagships of the Automotive world, the place where as a mechanic You reached the top are  now often staffed by mechanics who were last months “lot boys”. I have seen some shady work come out of dealerships I have worked for at premium labor rates. I know this because I spent many years working at Dealerships.

A smaller operation often equates to a lower overhead which means less of a hourly labor rate and a overall lower cost to You. It does not have to mean a inferiour service. A small Auto shop is often staffed by a Machanic or two who feel they can provide a better service to their loyal customers if they run the show. This makes for a mechanic who is putting HIS reputation on the line and is more apt to put “Customer satisfaction” ahead  of the bottom line because He realizes until the customer comes back a second time He may have not done the best He can. This means You get personal service and a feeling of trust. At easy Automotive We realize a Customer is more than a “Bottom line” , a unsatisfied customer costs more than the few dollars We made that dayand that  a satisfied Customer means a healthy business for all.

I personally have Known Eric from “Easy Automotive” for going on 22 years now and if nothing else I can say He has always been People orientated and had customer satisfaction as His prime concern.

So the next time You need Your Car repaired or just want to stop by and get a feel for Easy Automotive feel free to visit Eric.  Keep in mind that “ease of mind is often worth more than a big name or a big game”

Enjoy and have a great day,

Allen

Gas Savings Tips

1. Use Synthetic Oil. Synthetic lubricants may cost more initially, but you can safely go longer between oil changes than with petroleum-based engine oil. That should make up the difference in price. Meanwhile they reduce friction better and improve gas mileage.

2. Check Tire Pressure. Having your tires under-inflated by five or six pounds can reduce your gas mileage by as much as three miles per gallon. Check the pressure regularly, and watch for the appearance of low pressure.

3. Check The Gas Cap. A bad seal or missing cap can allow up to two to three gallons of gas monthly to evaporate. This pollutes the air in addition to costing you money. If the rubber seal around your cap seems worn or damaged, buy a new cap. A five to ten dollar part may save you sixty dollars or more per year.

4. Empty Your Car. The department of Energy says you can improve your gas mileage by as much as 1% for every 100 pounds in weight reduction. So don’t leave heavy objects in the car if you don;t need them there.

5. Remove Racks. If you no longer use the bicycle rack, remove it. If the season is over, take that ski rack off too. The weight they add and the wind resistance they create reduce your mileage.

6. Accelerate Slowly. It has been shown that fast acceleration definitely uses more gasoline. Be gentle on that pedal when getting the car up to highway speed.

7. Coast More. Get used to planning ahead for stops and turns when driving. Not only do you get better mileage by coasting more, but speeding up to stops and then stopping quickly wears down the brakes faster, costing you even more money.

8. Don’t Idle Too Much. The average car needs to run for less than a minute to get the engine lubricated, and possibly only fifteen seconds. So don;t start the car and then let it sit there running. Start out slowly if it hasn’t been more than a few seconds, but you can stop idling too much and save yourself some gas.

9. Know How To Use Cruise. The cruise control on cars is great for long, relatively flat stretches. When it is hilly, though, you will generally get better mileage on your own. Cruise control will tend to accelerate to the top of the hill if the speed is a bit to slow, while you can see the downhill stretch coming and let off on the gas pedal. Cruise control, also tends to accelerate too fast when you start up the next hill.

10. Use Heaters and Air Conditioners Wisely. Both of these put an extra load on the engine, so wait a bit longer than normal to turn them on, or find ways to avoid their use when you can. Doing so will improve your mileage.

11. Plan Trips Better. Fewer miles means less gas used, so try to route your shopping trips and other outings in the mist efficient ways. Saving just a few miles several times weekly can add up to 500 miles less annually, which at 20 miles per gallon means 25 gallons less gas used.

12. Close Windows – As long as it is comfortable in the car, it is better to have the windows closed. This will improve gas mileage.

13. Get A Tune Up. If you have noticed a reduction in mileage, you may just need a tune-up to get the car back to normal. You may save the $75 cost in just a few months because of the gas savings from better mileage.

14. Use A Cash Back Credit Card. If you use a credit card that pays you cash back to purchase gasoline, you effectively cut the cost.

15. Go To Cheap Stations. It usually isn’t worth the trouble and extra gas to drive far for gas that is only slightly cheaper. On the other hand, you may regularly drive by numerous gas stations, so note which one is the cheapest and start filling up there.

16. Add An Engine Coating. Products like Slick50 coat the engine and reduce friction, as well as improving compression. The net result is a longer engine life and better gas mileage.

17. Don’t Use Premium Fuel. They aren’t necessary or beneficial in most newer cars, so you are just spending more for no good reason.

18. Slow Down. It’s estimated that driving 75 mph instead of 65 mph is the equivalent of paying 30 cents more per gallon of gasoline.

Trying to save money can sometimes cost You more later. The guy down the street who will fix it “for a six pack”, doing it yourself without the proper tools or knowledge can turn even a small attempt at automotive repairs into a costly experience.

<strong>The secret:</strong> Finding a mechanic You can build a working relationship with based on trust. However this means a two way street. As a customer You have the right to find the best quality work for the fairest price. As a Service provider Your mechanic has then right to expect fair payment for Your requests. If both parties can part company with the feeling of having received value for their time , this builds a relationship that in the Automotive  world can not only save you money but also stress and agony.

A fair price for a fair job will always cost You less in the long run. Not only are You happy with the results but Your mechanic looks forward to doing his best for You every time You come to him.