One simple thing you can do is to kick some bad habits you might be employing. Here are a few things from your local Salt Lake City BMW Repair to make your car run better for longer:

Not Using the Parking Brake: This one can be easy to space. But by simply pulling your parking brake when you park will add years to your transmission’s life. Even if you’re on a flat surface, activating the parking brake will relieve tension on your tires and brakes. It’s like running around with your shoes on but your laces untied. You may be able to get around alright, but the likelihood of an accident occurring is that much higher.

Riding Brakes Down a Hill: Many apply their brakes down steep hills because it makes them feel safer. But the practice causes your brake pads to heat up and wear out much faster. To counteract this, when cruising down a hill switch between stepping on the brakes and letting off of them to relieve your brake pads.

Starting your Car the Wrong Way: This one’s simple to do, but difficult to remember. Before you turn off your vehicle, turn off your wipers, lights, GPS, and climate control. By shutting these things down, your car won’t be using as much energy when it starts up. This will preserve the engine.

Waiting until the “E” to Fill Up: At the end of a long day, stopping at the pump is the last thing you want to do. But when you let your car run down to empty, you risk having sediment sucked into your engine, which will pollute the fuel injectors and cause major damage.

You can avoid costly repairs and keep your car running by kicking these bad habits. By having a preventive maintenance plan in place at your local Salt Lake City BMW Repair, you will prolong the life of your vehicle and save money in the long run. A Salt Lake City BMW Repair like Alex’s Autohaus would be happy to help you with anything your vehicle may need. Stop by or call (801) 566-6115 today!

Now today’s vehicles don’t require major services as frequently, but to avoid having major problems arise, you must have your car’s fluids and filters serviced every 30,000 miles.
It is a good idea to have your oil changed at a reputable BMW Repair Salt Lake City facility that will check the status of these items every 3,000 miles when you get an oil change and then having an all-out, bumper to bumper inspection done once, or even better, twice per year. We have advanced from the days of distributors, timing adjustments and idle screw adjustments on carburetors. A tune-up today generally consists of replacing spark plugs, plug wires, the fuel filter, the interior and engine air filters, performing a complete fuel system cleaning, as well as flushing any dirty fluids. Now this is a generic list, some cars won’t need all of these services, but on the other side, some may require more. So how do you know if you need a tune-up? There are four major indications that you are due, or overdue, for a tune-up.

First is mileage. Consult your owner’s manual to see when your specific manufacturer recommends servicing for a tune-up.

Next would be if you have noticed increased fuel consumption. The best way to keep an eye on this is to monitor your gas mileage at every fill up. To accomplish this most accurately, fill up your tank to the top every time and use your trip odometer. If you reset the trip odometer after every fill up and you fill the tank, then when you look at how much fuel (in gallons) the tank took and divide that by how many miles are on the trip meter, you will come across your exact miles per gallon on that tank.

If you notice a knocking or pinging sound upon acceleration, that is a definite sign the vehicle needs BMW Repair Salt Lake City service. Occasionally this can be caused by an octane of gas that is too low, but if you are putting in the recommended octane listed in your owner’s manual, then a tune-up inspection would be required.

Lastly would be hard starting, meaning the vehicle will crank and try to start, but it may take a few tries before it does. No starts are the leading cause of emergency roadside calls, all stemming from a lack of maintenance.

Although cars don’t require service as often, many interpret this as them not needing service at all. Drivers tend to neglect preventative maintenance because there aren’t any noticeable signs of a problem right now and want to wait until there is an issue. But as the maintenance keeps getting pushed aside, problems and damage are surfacing slowly and growing in severity, leading to a much higher repair bill when a noticeable problem occurs. The engineers that design the cars today don’t create the recommended service intervals on a whim. Much research goes into deciding the optimum mileage increments to have components or fluids replaced. Following these BMW Repair Salt Lake City guidelines will ensure the longest life out of your vehicle and the lowest cost per mile of driving.

At any given morning, that could be you stuck on the side of the road waiting for a tow truck. That’s why it’s important to find a reliable Salt Lake City Auto Repair shop to take your car to have preventative maintenance done on your vehicle. Let’s be honest with ourselves—there’s no getting around the usual wear-and-tear of a vehicle, no matter how carful of a driver you are. That’s why it’s essential to find a Mechanic Salt Lake City you can trust to handle your vehicle. A good technician won’t just repair your vehicle—they’ll get to know it inside and out to ensure the best care for your car to keep it on the road as long as possible.

When choosing a reliable Auto Repair Salt Lake City shop, keep in mind that there are multitudes of options out there for your car. Many shops will try to lure you in with flashy signs and impressive deals to get at your wallet. But as a general rule of thumb in the auto repair industry, if something sounds too good to be true, then it most likely is. It’s just another reason to be sure of the mechanic working on your vehicle.
The last thing to keep in mind when searching for your reputable Auto Repair Salt Lake City facility is to make sure the techs working on your vehicle are ASE-Certified. This means the technicians working on your car are highly educated in the field of auto repair and ready to take on any issues you may be having. To remain certified, these techs must be re-tested every five years!

Battery: Avoid getting stranded in the parking lot when it’s below freezing by recharging or replacing weak batteries. A battery load test performed by an ASE-Certified Salt Lake City mechanic can help you determine a battery’s strength.

Tires: Check for proper inflation and the condition of the tires. Cold temperatures can cause tire pressure to decrease. Don’t know if you need to replace your tires? Look for “wear bars” that periodically run across the hollow of each tread. If the tread has been worn down to the same height as the wear bar, it’s time for new tires!

Engine Oil: Your vehicle may require a different oil weight for cold weather operation. Check oil levels and change them at the interval recommended in your owner’s manual.

Lights: When snow is blowing during the day or night, it’s important all of your lights are working so other drivers are aware of your distance and driving direction and can avoid driving too close to you. Check for interior and exterior burned-out bulbs, malfunctioning switches, misdirected beams and clean lenses.

Windshield Wipers, Fluids and Defroster: Make sure your windshield wipers are effectively wiping your front and back windows. Remember to also stock up on no-freeze washer fluid because you don’t want to wait until you and the local stores are out or low on supply!

Heating and Cooling System: Test your heater and defroster so you know your vehicle can properly warm up inside and defrost any ice that develops on your windows. Check radiator hoses for leaks, bulges and cracks. Add antifreeze mixture if low and replenish if the liquid is discolored. Have your coolant checked with a hydrometer to be sure there is adequate cold weather protection, typically a 50/50 mix of coolant and water.

Prepare a Winter Emergency Driving Kit: Include an ice scraper with snow brush, flashlight with extra batteries, cell phone with a car charger, extra set of warm clothes including gloves and boots, first aid kit, tire chains, blanket, jumper cables, non-clumping kitty litter for traction, flares or reflective triangles, a gallon jug of water, non-perishable food items, window washer solvent and shovel.

If you make sure to check the items listed above with your professional Auto Repair Salt Lake City shop, you will have some peace of mind for the rest of the winter. Remember, your safety is priceless!

3 Main Ways of Being Ripped-Off:

1) They sell you something you don’t need. This is the worst rip-off. This occurs regularly in shady repair shops. How to Protect Yourself: Before you agree to the repairs, be sure you understand what’s being done. A good shop will take the time to teach you everything you need to know to make an informed decision. Have the shop show you each needed item before and after repair. If you feel uncomfortable about anything, remember: you can take your car anywhere for your repairs. Always ask as many questions as you can so that you are sure of your decision. Afterwards, verify that the repairs were done, and ask the shop to give you back your old parts.

2) They don’t know what they are doing. Many unskilled techs are in the field due to a general shortage of technicians nationwide. You are paying for their incompetence in wasted diagnosis time, mistakes, and in parts that weren’t needed. How to Protect Yourself: Select an auto repair shop in Salt Lake City that is accredited by AAA, ASE, ASA, BBB, etc. Technicians can be specially certified for different car systems, so whenever possible, make sure your tech is ASE certified in the specialty he’s working in. Just because a tech is certified in one specialty, doesn’t mean they are in all areas.

3) They promote a price which isn’t realistic. We all see commercials advertising cheap four-wheel brake jobs for $99, and a lot of us are tricked by those commercials into getting a $200-$300 service. Scheduled maintenance, tune-ups, and many other services can have a misleading price tag. How to Protect Yourself: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is! Have an honest mechanic in Salt Lake City give you a correct estimate or get ready to open your wallet much wider than you thought!

 ASE’s purpose is to increase the quality of vehicle repair and service through the testing and certification of repair and service experts.  

 To become ASE certified a technician must pass at least one exam and provide proof of two years of qualified work experience. Certification, however, is not for life. To stay certified, those with ASE credentials must retake the test every five years. The tests are not easy to pass.

 In fact, approximately one out of three people taking the test fails. Vehicle owners definitely benefit from ASE certification. It is a priceless yardstick by which to measure the knowledge and skills of individual technicians, and a mark of the dedication to excellence of the repair facility employing ASE Certified professionals.

 ASE certified technicians commonly wear blue and white ASE insignia and carry credentials stating their precise areas of expertise (brakes, engine repair, etc.), and employers often visibly display their technicians’ credentials in their shop.

 Your vehicle is most likely the second largest financial investment, after purchasing a home. To protect your automotive investment and to be sure that you get the most out of your ride, all vehicle owners should look for trusted auto repair in Salt Lake City that show the ASE logo.

You will incur higher costs down the road if you choose to delay your vehicle’s preventative maintenance because damage is still being done to the components within your vehicle.

Filters are items that keep your car running strong and efficient.  Air, fuel, and transmission filters are the major ones on any given vehicle.  These are not time consuming or expensive items to have replaced, yet still people will overlook staying on top of it.  Not replacing these first two at the scheduled times will cause reduced fuel mileage, as well as making the engine work harder.  Not replacing the transmission filter will cause reduced fluid flow leading to increased heat, as well as potentially allowing harmful deposits into the transmission.  Either way you are losing money by delaying performing these tasks.

Fluids are designed to protect many components within the engine, transmission, steering and brake systems.  Keeping clean, fresh fluids within these systems will prolong the life of every component within that particular system.  Fluid flushes are inexpensive and not time consuming. Wouldn’t it be better to spend an hour or two getting fluids flushed instead of having a full day or two where you are without a vehicle?  Not to mention the repair bill at the end of the procedures.

Oil changes are only $35-$60 and should be done every 3,000 miles on every single vehicle.  The other flushes have varying intervals depending on the car, so consult your owner’s manual or ask your trusted repair facility to find out how often they should be done.  These other fluid flushes range from about $100-$200 for any fluid, unless you drive an import or relatively new vehicle requiring a special fluid, which may bump that up no more than another hundred.  Not bad considering a water pump, power steering pump, or other minor component can cost about $500-$800 to replace, and an engine or transmission replacement which can cost $4000-$8000.

To put it in perspective, the National Car Care Council, through a recent survey of cars at malls, schools, and businesses around the country, found this information:

• 54% of vehicles had low tire tread
• 38% had low or dirty engine oil
• 28% had inadequate cooling/anti-freezing protection
• 19% had cracking belts
• 16% had dirty air filters
• 10% had low or dirty brake fluid

Stay on top of your maintenance and not only will your wallet stay fuller, but you and your family will stay safer.  Be sure to see a reliable mechanic in Salt Lake City that is ASE certified

 A high-pitched, piercing metallic screech is usually a sign that brake maintenance is required. Brake pads have wear indicators that alert the driver to problems.

 A high-pitched, metallic tapping sound is often related to engine speed. This could be caused by fuel with a lower octane rating than recommended, so check your vehicle’s manual for octane rating. Engine ignition timing may be the problem if it doesn’t stop.

 A shrill, sharp squeal is caused by either loose or worn power steering, fan, or air conditioning belts.

 A clicking sound can be related to a loose fan blade or wheel cover.

 A low-pitched rhythmic rumble could be the result of a few things: A defective exhaust pipe, converter or muffler, a worn universal joint or some other drive-line component.

 If any of these sounds are familiar to you or if you have any concerns about the condition of your vehicle, be sure to bring it in to a trusted auto repair shop in Salt Lake City that employs ASE certified technicians.

It has been shown that, on average, every two years brake fluid becomes contaminated. This is important because with it being a hydraulic fluid, its job is to transmit force and apply the brakes. Once it becomes contaminated with moisture, the fluid becomes compressible and you’ll be forced to press harder on the brakes for the same amount of stopping power. The more contaminated the fluid becomes, the longer it will take for you to be able to stop your vehicle, which can be dangerous in a panic stop scenario.

In modern vehicles with Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS), there is even more reason to flush the brake fluid regularly. The sophisticated and expensive ABS control equipment can be damaged by dirty brake fluid. To avoid reduced brake efficiency and component damage, have your trusted auto repair facility in Salt Lake City do a system check on your brakes to see what the condition of your brake fluid is. While they’re performing a brake system check, it is also a good idea to have some other overlooked items inspected while they are doing that. First have a full inspection of all the brake components performed to see not only how the pads and fluid are doing, but also the lines and hoses. Next, if you have rear drum brakes, these will come out of adjustment so you should make sure to have that corrected too. And lastly, make sure that the emergency brake is adjusted properly too.

Now that the system has been taken care of, make sure to continue flushing the brake fluid every two years. In addition, make sure to have the other adjustments made at every brake job. This will ensure that the brake system will be there for you when you need it most and it will work at its peak efficiency.

The Car Care Council estimates that $60 billion in vehicle maintenance or repair is not performed every year. This indicates that consumers should be doing more in order to protect their automotive investment. Rich White, Executive Director of the Car Care Council, stated “Whether it’s an oil change, replacing brakes or new belts and hoses, that periodic repair bill is a drop in the bucket compared to monthly payments on a car. The bottom line is that a properly maintained vehicle is safe, more dependable, more fuel efficient, less polluting and more valuable.” Taking your vehicle to a reliable auto repair shop in Salt Lake City is the first step towards extending the life of your vehicle and getting the most out of your money. Figures from Runzheimer International, a management-consulting firm that measures travel and living costs, confirms the Car Care Council’s claims. Recent figures from a Runzheimer study shows that you can save over $2450 per year by trading your vehicle every eight years, as opposed to every four. That includes repairs, maintenance, license, registration, taxes, and insurance.

Here is a list of tasks that can keep you on the road and save you money in the long run.

–Wash the car once every other week and/or as often as it snows.

–Repair all issues as soon as they occur; never let anything go unattended

–Don’t wait for things to break before you address them! Preventative maintenance is much less expensive than repairing and replacing parts.

–Check all your own fluids under the hood whenever you get gasoline!

–Keep gas tank over ½ full at all times!

–Change filters and fluids frequently.

–Pay it off as soon as you can!

So, are you shopping for a new car? Would you like to make car payments for the rest of your life? Stop and think about how much money you could save by holding out a few more years and sticking with your current vehicle.