Service Tips

Preventive Maintenance and Why?
Our fathers have often been the ones to preach the advantages of preventive maintenance and for good reason. Mechanics as well as car makers know that if a vehicle is properly maintained it will last longer, be more dependable, be safer and will increase your satisfaction to the vehicle. Regular maintenance helps accomplish these goals by keeping your vehicle at its optimum performance and eliminating problems which could leave you stranded.

“What’s really in it for you?”

1. Saves you money
2. A more reliable vehicle
3. A vehicle that retains more of its “New vehicle feel”
4. Less chance of a major breakdown or mechanical failure
5. A vehicle worth more at trade or sale
6. A safer, more reliable vehicle for you and your family
7. A warranty kept intact
8. Doing your part for cleaner air and the environment

Manufacturers Maintenance Schedules
The manufacturer creates detailed maintenance schedules outlining specific procedures and intervals to keep your vehicle properly cared for. The manufacturer also indicates specific services “that must be performed to maintain the factory warranty and if purchased the extended warranty”.

Why Airpark Auto Service?
“When only the very best will do”
Airpark Auto Service employs only ASE certified technicians. Many of our technicians are Master Technicians with advanced level certifications in engine performance. In fact, Airpark Auto Service is one of 17 ASE Blue Seal of Excellence Facilities in the entire state of Arizona. Additionally, we employ the latest technology in our service bays. Whether you drive a Toyota, Cadillac, BMW, Ford, Lexus or anything in between, you can count on us to have our technicians trained and equipped to perform your service needs. This insures that your vehicles repairs and maintenance are in complete compliance with the manufacturers warranty. Other advantages include our ability to access factory issued Technical Service Bulletins, the latest service procedures and diagnostic information. Best of all, you will find our service educational, informative and friendly. Personal service is what we strive for and because we treat our employees like family, you get to see the same faces all the time.

The True Cost of Driving!
Most of us have no idea of the cost involved to provide ourselves with transportation to get us from point ”A” to point “B”. We researched some information available on the web to show you of what’s really involved in the way of cost to get you where you have to go. Considering the average new vehicle cost around $20,000. Financing the average car at 8% interest over four years runs $488.26 per month. The average full coverage insurance is around $90.00 per month. Most of us average 15,000 miles per year, totaling 60,000 miles over that four year period. The average maintenance cost of $1,200 over 4 years factors to $25.00 per month, add this to your vehicle and insurance costs and that’s $603.26 per month. years. That’s $603.26 every month for 4 years, not including gas, tires, the $1,000 you put down when you bought the car or the sales tax. My first house payment was less than that. Its no wonder why we sometimes blow our personal budgets, remember this is just a average vehicle and if you have more than one vehicle than you can multiply your costs.

Inevitably the time will come to either perform repairs or maintenance to your vehicle or start the process of a new vehicle purchase all over again. Consider this, if spending a $1,000 on your vehicle will get you another 24 months and/or 30,000 miles the monthly cost amortized or spread out over that period of time is $41.66 per month. You cant rent, lease or buy a vehicle to use for $41.66 per month. Compare this to a $20,000 new car which will cost you $14,478 over 24 months and its clear that keeping your car running is a sound fiscal choice. Its easy to see why its make good sense to keep your vehicles past 4 years and how a person can take the savings and use them in other parts of their lives.

To fully maximize your vehicle dollar you need to get 150,000 to 200,000 miles out of your vehicle. At one time this was not possible because of the quality of engineering. Today’s vehicles are built and better than ever before and in our industry we measure a vehicles quality by how well it holds up after 100,000 miles. By doing the manufacturers recommended services you will help insure the reliability of vehicle. These intervals help keep all the mechanical systems in optimum condition. After the 100,000 mile mark we advise that a complete evaluation be performed to fully prepare your vehicle and its needs over the next 100,000 miles. Its simple, working together we can add years back to your automobile and thousands of dollars back to your bank account.

Computerized Engine Analysis
Today’s vehicles are equipped with an average of $3,500 dollars worth of electronics. Its certain that the vehicles of tomorrow will only increase their reliance on computers and electronics. Today’s vehicles computers operate everything from air conditioning, radios, airbags, anti-lock brake systems, traction control, ride control, cruise control, instrument panels, transmissions and emission and engine controls.

In the past many do-it yourselfers could make repairs to their vehicles but today’s vehicles and their ever-increasing complexity, demand that trained technicians properly diagnose problems before expensive parts are installed. The trial and error method of diagnosing has become extremely costly due to expense involved on these components. In fact, Parts manufacturers will not accept returns for electrical components and clearly post this on their invoices and their parts counters. Additionally, many computers are electrical sensitive to overloads and improper installation procedures can lead to damage caused from voltage spikes. It is very rare that we have to replace a computer and the manufacturers have reported that up to 80% of computers replaced were found without fault. In most cases computer system problems are either sensor failures or wiring faults. This illustrates the reason why a computerized engine analysis is the best way to save you money.

It is very important that the consumer chooses a shop that is not only equipped to perform these functions but has computerized information systems to properly diagnose your vehicles problem. A properly trained ASE certified technician can save hundreds if not thousands of dollars in unnecessary repairs.

Does My Car Need A Tune-Up?
The term tune-up is still used these days but actually has no meaning to the vehicles of today. Back in Henry Fords time, a cars ignition was very simple, one ignition coil for every spark plug. Tuning these coils was necessary to provide the same spark intensity to each spark plug, enabling smoother idling and better acceleration. The term “tune-up” was from adjusting the buzzing noise the coils produced to sound the same as the other coils. We keep the term tune-up around because of its association to the spark plugs but for practical purposes it has not applied since the invention of the distributor.

Today’s vehicles do not require tune-ups as described in Henry Fords time. Automobile manufacturers have set intervals for replacing Spark plugs, P.C.V. Valves, fuel filters, etc. They have also set guidelines which determine when specific engine functions such as idle speeds, ignition timing or emission control systems should be inspected and or adjusted. If your vehicle has a performance problem and the proper maintenance has been performed it is most likely that an engine analysis will have to be performed to discover the cause of the problem. This analysis will isolate and determine to proper course of action to correct your complaint. One way a consumer can protect themselves is to not ask for a tune-up when experiencing a problem of how the vehicle performs. Your best bet is to tell your service person what your experiencing, describing it in the best detail as you can. This should open a dialogue with your service person on how to best proceed with repairs.

Does my car need a fuel injection service?
Fuel injection service is a valuable service if its performed to remove carbon deposits in the combustion areas, intake valves and for removing varnishes which buildup in the fuel system. These carbon deposits can create a variety of problems relating to vehicle’s performance. Some of the symptoms related to this can be engine ping, hesitation, lack of power, cold engine stalling, rough idle and poor fuel economy. These carbon deposits act like sponges which soak up fuel and interfere with proper fuel flow dynamics. Periodically it is recommended to clean these deposits from your engine and fuel systems. Its worth pointing out that this service has been abused in our industry and your vehicle should not require this service any more than at the 30,000 mile intervals. Protect yourself also by asking your service man whether they are just cleaning the injectors or performing a de-carbon. The difference is huge, injectors do not require cleaning and you will realize no benefit from just cleaning the fuel injectors.

How often should my cooling system be serviced?
Whenever a fluid is in contact with metal, electrochemical degradation takes place which increases the acid level in any given fluid. This increased acid level, left unchanged can result in very costly repairs. As a result, it is recommended to flush your cooling system every 30,000 miles or every two years. This will help reduce the acid level and extend the life of your cooling system components. (radiator, water pump, heater core, freeze plugs, head gaskets and coolant pipes are to name a few).

Air Conditioning Service?
Living in Arizona means having Air Conditioning is not an option but a necessity. It also means that we will use this equipment virtually all of the year. Compared to other parts of the country we will use the Air Conditioning in our cars fours times as much than you would if you lived in Michigan. The refrigerant in a automobile system is very hard to contain. The reason is your A/C compressor operates at different speeds due to the engine RPM. The rest of the system is comprised of many dissimilar materials that expand and contract at different rates and along with the movement and vibration of the engine can allow a minute of refrigerant gas to escape. The oil that lubricates the components in the A/C System is circulated with the refrigerant. Once a year it is recommended that your Air Conditioning System be inspected for proper charge. You may ask yourself what would constitute a leak? In most cases when the system has dropped in charge by a significant amount in a short time. It might also be worth noting that your Air Conditioner is operated when your defroster is engaged. This allows the system to be lubricated during those few months when its to cold to operate the Air Conditioner.

Brake Fluid Flush
There is an increasing awareness of the dangers of water and corrosion producing contaminates. Brake fluid contaminated by moisture dangerously lowers the boiling point of the fluid to the point, even under ordinary condition, your brakes could develop enough heat to boil the fluid causing vapor to form in the brake system. The vapor is compressible, causing a low or no brake pedal condition. Moisture gets into the fluid because conventional brake fluid is hygrosconic (it has a magnetic attraction for moisture, which it absorbs from the atmosphere). In the vehicle moisture is absorbed through the brake master cylinder reservoir and permeable brake hoses. As a result the moisture along the steel lines, rubber hoses, cast iron, aluminum and brake fluid temperature that can reach 450 to 500 degrees. This causes electrochemical reaction that makes brake fluid so acidic that it can lead to the early failure of brake components. Brake fluid contamination has become a major concern to many automobile manufacturers that they have added it to their required maintenance. With the advent of ABS brake systems on virtually every car produced today it has become a very important service to have performed.

Transmission Fluid Flush
Nearly nine out of ten transmission failures occur from overheating and fluid contamination, according to the Automatic Transmission Rebuilders Association. Just like the oil in your cars engine, ATF (automatic transmission fluid) suffers from heat, friction and electrochemical degradation. Once this process starts your transmissions vital parts begin to clog with sludge and varnish deposits.

Unlike your cars engine where all the fluid can be drained out and replaced with new oil, your transmission fluid doesn’t drain all of its fluid into the oil pan. Most of the fluid stays in the torque converter, valve body, cooler lines and cooler. In fact a conventional transmission service only changes 25% to 30% of the fluid, leaving the new fluid to mix with the contaminated fluid. When having your Transmission serviced, make sure the facility performing the service has the equipment to perform a transfusion. It is a relatively new technology and not everyone has the equipment.

Power Steering Flush
Most people at one time or another have experienced a power steering problem with either a power steering pump, hoses, gearbox or rack and pinion. Failures could be anything from leaks, noise or stiffness when first starting the car. Power steering systems are designed to use a power steering fluid, some manufacturers require special fluids. Do not use ATF in your power steering system. Power steering systems develop more pressure in hard turns than a transmission under load. The fluid has been engineered for this. Power steering fluid when it breaks down turns dark in color from the heat and high pressure it is under in hard turns. ATF will break down as well but at a much faster rate. Once this breakdown of the fluid takes place, your power steering pump, rack and pinion begin to clog with sludge and varnish deposits. This Sludge and varnish can lead to noises, stiffness, leaks or complete system failures.

Airpark Auto Service has Power Steering Flush equipment that provides with the very latest technology for addressing this service issue. It safely removes the sludge and varnish deposits and cleans all the internal components , including the power steering pump, hoses, rack and pinion or gear box. This service also flushes out wear metals that are grinding away at your systems internal components. After flushing we restore the system with new fluid and conditioners that restore seals and o-rings in your power steering system. If your cars power steering system is showing signs of contaminated fluid, noise, stiffness, rough or hard turning, this service is the first thing you should try before it becomes necessary to perform major repair work.

Wheel Alignment
Wheel alignments are the specific adjustments made to your vehicles suspension to optimize ride, handling and steering characteristics. Every manufacturer specifies precise setting to achieve the maximum performance from their vehicle.

Maintaining the factory-specified suspension setting will make your car safer and easier to drive. Steering pull, unsteady or loose steering, hard steering can be symptoms of misalignment conditions. A properly aligned vehicle can save you money too!! A vehicle which is out of alignment will accelerate tire wear, poor fuel economy and wear on suspension parts.

If you impact a curb or pot hole hard, the alignment should be checked before tire wear develops. Always make sure an alignment is performed when you purchase tires. If you suddenly notice a change in steering than a diagnostics check should be performed. All in all, I do not know of a more important way to make a impact on the way a car drives and feels than in its alignment and tires.