Car Care Tips

Here, at GM Specialist, we want our customers to be in the know about how to properly care for their car or truck. We want you to understand why and how your tires wear; how to get the best gas mileage; and overall how to get the most out of your tires. Hopefully, with these helpful tips you will be able to improve gas mileage and reduce tire wear when driving in and around Yuba City, CA and Marysville, CA . We understand how important your vehicle is and why your car needs to be serviced by a Yuba City, California auto repair shop. So give us a call at (530) 755-9700 today to schedule your next maintenance appointment.

Car Maintenance and Care

Below is a general guide for vehicle maintenance. Always refer to your specific vehicle's maintenance schedule and change your fluids on time, every time, and with the proper fluid type.

• Change your oil every 3,000 miles for regular, 5,000 miles for synthetic oil.
• Change antifreeze fluid every 2 years or 30,000 miles (whichever comes first).
• Change brake fluid every 30,000 miles.
• Change transmission fluid every 30,000 miles.
• Schedule a maintenance check every 15, 30, 60, and 90,000 miles.
• Replace your air filter every 12 months or 12,000 miles (whichever comes first).
• Replace your fuel filter every 2 years or 24,000 miles (whichever comes first).
• Major engine tune up every 100,000 miles.
• Replace the engine coolant hoses every 10 years or 100,000 miles (whichever comes first).

Tire Maintenance and Care

• Rotate your tires every 5,000 miles or every 6 months.
• Check your tire pressures approximately once a week. Low tire pressures can affect fuel economy, handling and comfort. To accurately measure your tire pressure, check tires when they are cold. Wait at least three hours after driving.
• Always make sure that your wheels are properly aligned.
• Check your spare tire each month and keep it properly inflated so it¹s ready to go when you need it most.
• Use the penny trick to determine if the tread on your tires is worn to low. Take a penny and put Abraham Lincoln's head into one of the grooves of the tread. If part of his head is covered by the tread, you're ok. If you can see all of his head, it's time to replace the tire. When the tread is worn down to 1/16 of an inch, tires must be replaced.

Gas Mileage Tips

• 1. Go the speed limit. Use cruise control: While each vehicle reaches its optimal fuel economy at a different speed (or range of speeds), gas mileage usually decreases rapidly at speeds above 50 mph. You can assume that each 5 mph you drive over 50 mph is like paying an additional $0.25 per gallon for gas. Observing the speed limit is also safer. Additionally, using cruise control on the highway helps you maintain a constant speed and, in most cases, will save gas.
• 2. Drive Sensibly: Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration and braking) wastes gas. It can lower your gas mileage by 33 percent at highway speeds and by 5 percent around town. Sensible driving is also safer for you and others, so you may save more than gas money.
• 3. Avoid idling and rush-hour traffic: Idling can use a quarter to a half gallon of fuel per hour,depending on engine size and air conditioner (AC) use. Turn off your engine when your vehicle is parked. It only takes a few seconds worth of fuel to restart your vehicle. Turning your engine on and off excessively, however, may increase starter wear.
• 4. Keep your engine properly tuned: Fixing a car that is noticeably out of tune or has failed an emissions test can improve its gas mileage by an average of 4 percent, though results vary based on the kind of repair and how well it is done. Fixing a serious maintenance problem, such as a faulty oxygen sensor, can improve your mileage by as much as 40 percent. Find an independent service center near you that sells quality ACDelco parts and can check to see if your engine is properly tuned.
• 5. Remove junk from the trunk: Added weight in your vehicle affects fuel economy, so take unnecessary items out of your trunk. An extra 100 pounds in your vehicle could reduce your MPG by up to 2 percent. The reduction is based on the percentage of extra weight relative to the vehicle's weight and affects smaller vehicles more than larger ones.
• 6. Commute to work: Stagger your work hours to avoid peak rush hours. Drive your most fuel-efficient vehicle. Consider telecommuting (working from home) if your employer permits it. Take advantage of carpools and ride-share programs. You can cut your weekly fuel costs in half and save wear on your car if you take turns driving with other commuters. Many urban areas allow vehicles with multiple passengers to use High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes which are typically less congested, further improving your fuel economy. Consider using public transit if it is available and convenient for you. The American Public Transit Transportation Association has links to information about public transportation in your state.
• 7. Combine trips: Combining errands into one trip saves you time and money. Several short trips taken from a cold start can use twice as much fuel as a longer multipurpose trip covering the same distance when the engine is warm. Trip planning ensures that traveling is done when the engine is warmed up and efficient, and it can reduce the distance you travel.
• 8. Use the recommended grade of motor oil: You can improve your gas mileage by 1-2 percent by using the manufacturer's recommended grade of motor oil. For example, using 10W-30 motor oil in an engine designed to use 5W-30 can lower your gas mileage by 1-2 percent. Using 5W-30 in an engine designed for 5W-20 can lower your gas mileage by 1-1.5 percent. Also, look for motor oil that says "Energy Conserving" on the API performance symbol to be sure it contains friction-reducing additives.
• 9. Keep tires properly inflated: You can improve your gas mileage by around 3.3 percent by keeping your tires inflated to the proper pressure.*Under-inflated tires can lower gas mileage by 0.3 percent for every 1 psi drop in pressure of all 4 tires. Properly inflated tires are safer and last longer. The proper tire pressure for your vehicle is usually found on a sticker in the driver's side door jamb or the glove box and in your owner's manual. Do not use the maximum pressure printed on the tire's sidewall.
• 10. Avoid rooftop carriers: A roof rack or carrier provides additional cargo space and may allow you to meet your needs with a smaller car. However, a loaded roof rack can decrease your fuel economy by 5 percent. Reduce aerodynamic drag and improve your fuel economy by placing items inside the trunk whenever possible. Avoid carrying unneeded items, especially heavy ones. An extra 100 lbs in the trunk reduces a typical car's fuel economy by 1-2 percent.

And most important of all……

• Always check for potential problems before they happen.