Oil changes are a regular and critical part of vehicle maintenance. Oil plays an incredibly important role in your car’s performance. The oil keeps your engine running smoothly and efficiently, by lubricating the engine to avoid friction from metal scraping on metal.
All oil has a shelf life, and must be changed on a consistent basis to continue to be effective.
How do you know when it is time for an oil change?
There are several tell-tale signs that your vehicle is in need of an oil change. Here are a few examples:
Colour and Texture When oil is new and useful, it will be a light honey brown colour. The oil will become black and viscous when it begins to deteriorate. Once there is debris and other contaminants floating in the oil, it is time for an oil change, and possibly a filter change as well.
Engine Sound If your oil is working efficiently, your car’s engine should be purring and fairly quiet. Once the oil gets old and dirty, the engine will become louder and may produce grinding and clunking noises.
Check Engine Light Most cars will have an oil gauge on the dashboard that will let you know when it is time for a checkup. If the engine light is coming on, may also indicate an issue with the oil. If any of these lights are illuminated on your dashboard, it is a good idea to take your vehicle in for servicing.
Low Level You can use the dipstick to check the oil level yourself to ensure there is an appropriate level in the tank. If levels are low, it is a good indication that the oil is too old and is getting burned up more quickly because it is no longer effective.
Last Oil Change One of the most reliable methods for knowing when to change your oil is by figuring out the last time it was changed. It is recommended to change your oil every 5,000 to 8,000 kilometres. Check your owner’s manual for maintenance schedules.
Frequency Factors How often you get your oil-change can be determined by 3 basic factors:
Maintenance Schedule in Owner’s Manual
Driving conditions
Environmental conditions
Maintenance Schedule The most important factor is following recommendations laid out in the owner’s manual. You don’t want to stray too far from the suggested schedule, as there may be conditions set in the manual that will void the warranty if not followed correctly.
Driving Conditions The conditions you drive in on a daily basis will also be a factor. If your drive in severe conditions, you should be getting your oil changed more frequently. Severe conditions include:
Stop-and-go traffic in high temperatures
Short drives in freezing temperatures
Driving at slow speeds for long distances
Driving on dirt, sand, or gravel roads
Dusty, muddy, or salty conditions
Towing something behind your car or strapping something heavy to the roof
Frequent stops and starts
Environmental Conditions The climate you live in will also play a role in determining how often your oil should be changed. Extreme cold, especially if only driving for short distances, can cause moisture to build up in the engine and lead to quicker contamination of the oil. Hot temperatures can also be detrimental, even more so in stop-and-go traffic.
For more information on oil change, contact our Auto Technicians.
A windshield chip results from a heavy impact on the windshield by a small object or rock. This will cause a small spot on the damaged area and, at times, seems insignificant damage. It won’t be easy to recognize from a distance, but several factors may worsen it.
The damaged part on the windshield will attract dirt, dust, and debris. The outside pressure, like from rain, water will force dirt into the chip. Failure to repair the exposed chip on time will worsen the situation, becoming more challenging to repair the windshield crack. The following are necessities why one should repair a windshield on time.
Chip to a crack
Crack formations are often caused by common factors like driving, unfavourable weather, and fatigue. Extreme temperatures also add up the problem. On the other hand, extreme hot or cold, either interior part or exterior, causes expansion and contraction of the glass. This will cause the chip to become bigger than average. In some situations, hailstorms may worsen or form chips on the glass.
Furthermore, some minor activities playing loud music or slamming the door may worsen the breakage. Extreme vibrations and nasty jolts may cause cracks in the glass where chips are formed. High pressure on the glass forces the chip to stretch and expand, causing rupture. The crack extends further, affecting vision hence endangering the lives of the passengers on board. Some windshield cracks may reach a situation where it cannot be repaired, forcing the owner to replace it.
Compromising vision
A crack or chip on the windshield draws total attention every time, regardless of ignorance. Majorly the one on the drivers’ side may lead to a fatal accident if ignored. Chip and crack obstruct the driver’s view carrying away attention from the moving vehicle on the road. Furthermore, it causes poor vision and sometimes reflects sunlight.
Disgusting appearance
The more dust, debris, and dirt access damaged areas forming a huge layer, the more difficult the windshield is to repair. If repair is done, the outcome may seem cloudy or form a dirt patch on the surface of the windshield. Some may have opted for an old fashioned remedy of tape on-chip. They have not realized the appearance of the car for the worse.
Safety at risk
During a tragic rollover or collision, the windshield shields the roof from curving in or collapsing. It further protects the passengers from getting thrown out of the vehicle during an accident. A weak windshield puts the passengers at higher risk as well. If it shuts out during an accident, it can cause more hazardous injuries. The windshield is cheap to repair rather than replace. Getting a new windshield costs more than half the cost of repair. When left neglected, small nick will expand further due to external stressors worsening with time until a state where it will be unfixable. Another reason is the time taken during the repair. You can get speedy glass repair in less than an hour, a windshield replacement takes can take few hours or days. Windshield repair will save you a lot in terms of money and time.
Lower market value or the car
Like any other asset, physical appearance is an important indicator when determining quality. The poor condition and unfriendly physical appearance may not attract more buyers during resale. The value of your car will reduce if your windshield is damaged. The windshield is considered an essential structure of your vehicle, and therefore it is essential to maintain it in good condition.
Small seeming more minor nick can compromise passenger’s safety, lower the vehicle’s worth, and cost you a lot of money on restoration. You need to ensure that there’s no single damage to your car, even if it seems minor.
There is no denying that rust protection is crucial for any car owner that wants to protect their hard-earned investment.
What is Rust, and What Can It Do?
For most car owners, rust is the last thing they want to encounter since it makes their cars unsightly. However, if not dealt with, rust can cause far more damage than ruin the look of your car. Rust occurs when iron combines with air and water in a process known as oxidization. Usually, road dirt and grime on the exterior can speed up this process since they eat away the paint job.
Also, as we say goodbye to winter, de-icing chemicals like road salt are used to eliminate snow and ice on the road. Unfortunately, this can promote rusting, especially when combined with high humidity. Salt gets into the joints and panels of the car’s body panels, causing corrosion on the metal.
Rust can become a problem when it comes into contact with any metal structure in your vehicle, including trunks, brakes, exhaust system mounts, and more. For this reason, rust-proofing your car is very critical.
Types of Rust Proofing
Quality rust protection can protect the structural integrity of a car’s metal components. Rust protection specialists use different methods of rust proofing to protect vehicles from rust. Here are some of the most common methods used.
Electronic Method
This is the latest rust-proofing technology where a small device known as an electronic module is installed in your car. The device then sends a weak electric current through to avert the corroding effects of the rust.
Undercoating
A tar-based substance is sprayed on a vehicle’s underbody in this method. The tar-based substance acts as a barrier against salt, moisture, and other substances. However, it requires professional installation to prevent cracking as this can allow moisture in.
Dripless Oil Spray
This is a wax-like and less watery substance applied to the car’s body to help prevent rust. For an effective application, you will need to drill holes in the car’s parts so that the oil can get into all the areas you intend.
This is something that not all car owners will appreciate. Another downside of this rust-proofing method is that it may not get into all areas due to its high viscosity. The dripping hardens after drying.
Drip-Oil Spray
Experts highly recommend this rust-protection method since it reaches more car parts than the dripless oil spray. After application, the drip oil will continue to drip until dry, which can last up to 48 hours. However, like the dripless oil spray, this method requires you to drill holes in specific parts of your car to make it effective.
To protect your investment, it’s always a good idea to get your vehicle checked for rust.
Contact us to know more about which rust proofing options are right for you.
One vehicle part that rarely grabs most people’s attention is the windshield. All that most people know is that windshields are made from glass. And also, virtually everyone can tell whether a windshield is tinted.
However, the truth is that there is so much to a windshield – it is more than just a simple vantage point for you as you drive your car. The materials used to make a windshield are specific and designed with strict industry-standard safety measures.
Windshields keep a car’s occupants inside in the unfortunate event of an impact, increase the roof’s strength when a car rolls, and facilitate airbag deployment during an accident. This makes windshields one of the most important safety features in a car. Windshields are very important and should always be kept intact.
The Basics of Windshield Glass
The federal government has set standards for any shop that deals in windshields. They ensure that your car’s windshield is not made from just about any glass. This means that your windshield is not simply made from regular glass.
For glass used to make windshields, heat and chemicals are applied to the glass during its production—the process results in a type of glass that is known as tempered glass. Polyvinyl Butyral (PVB) is also added to enhance the ability of the glass to absorb energy during a collision. PVB also provides resistance from damaging objects when you are in a collision.
Tempered glass is also used in windshields for its safety. You see, when tempered glass breaks, it disintegrates into thick, small shapes rather than the jagged shapes produced by the regular glass. And that’s not all there is for tempered glass; it also makes the installation of your windshield easy. Tempered glass is usually bonded to a polyvinyl interlayer which is flexible, clear, and exceptionally strong.
The Protection that Windshields Offer
Thanks to modern-day windshields, people now drive inside vehicles knowing that they are safe. At the turn of the century, drivers sometimes needed goggles or protective glasses on the road.
The main role of a windshield is to protect the occupants of a vehicle. When you are driving, countless flying debris keep hitting your car. Whether or not you are an exceptional driver, there is nothing that you can do about such flying objects because they are all over the roads.
It is important to note that your windshield should be strong enough to withstand both small and not-so-small impacts from materials on the road. Mostly, you will encounter dirt, bugs, flying rubbish, gravel, and small rocks.
Your windshield should remain intact in case you hit another vehicle from behind or find yourself in a fender bender.
Windshields and Airbag Deployment
The windshield of your vehicle has a lot to do with airbag deployment. The speed and strength of a deployed airbag allow it to first bounce off it before heading for the vehicle’s passenger. Your windshield should not detach in the event of an accident. If it detaches, the airbags might not deploy properly, leading to preventable injuries.
Windshield and Roof Support
Windshields are structured to offer support to the roof of your car. In fact, modern vehicles depend on the windshield to prevent the roof from collapsing if the car rolls over from the impact. When your car is involved in a head-on collision, the windshield contributes almost half the structural integrity to withstand the crash. A car could be crushed completely during a head-on collision without the windshield.
Bottom Line
Now that you know the importance of your windshield, you want to keep it in great condition. And that means ensuring that it is intact at all times. It is advisable that you contact your auto glass shop if a visible crack or chip shows up on your windshield. Even a small issue can reduce your car’s windshield ability to protect you during an accident.
Depending on the type of car you are driving, you may need to change your oil between 3000 to 8000 miles. This is to ensure that your car’s engine will always be properly lubricated. Remember, failure to change oil could cause serious damage to your car’s engine or affect the fuel efficiency of your car.
Anyone can change the oil of their cars as long as they have the necessary equipment to do so, but it would be advisable that you get a professional to do it for you instead. Here are five reasons you should hire a professional to get your oil change.
Reasons to Get your Oil Change Professionally
Reason #1: Personal Safety
When it comes to changing your car’s oil, you will certainly need to lift up your car with a jack. Although jacks nowadays are very safe to use, there is still that slight possibility of an accident, especially if you have put the jack in the incorrect spot.
To avoid that kind of problem, it would be best to leave this kind of thing to the professionals since they have undergone all the necessary training to avoid such injuries and accidents.
Reason #2: Best Product Selection
One thing about changing the oil of your car, you will need to buy the oil itself. With hundreds of different brands and types, it would be best to leave it to the professional to ensure that your car’s engine runs smoothly without any problems.
Most auto shops will be able to select which is best for your car and what additional fluids it may require to keep the engine in tip-top shape.
Reasons #3: Save Time
First and foremost, changing your car’s oil by yourself will definitely take some time, especially if you are still new to the process. There are even times when you will lack the necessary tools and products for the oil change, which will further cause delays in the process.
Professional auto mechanics will be able to change your car’s engine oil easily within a few minutes or so.
Reason #4: Avoid Messes
Another thing about changing your car’s engine oil is the mess that it could cause to you and your place. Changing the oil yourself could leave you with stained clothes and hands, and your floor will be pretty messy after the whole process.
At least, if you get your oil changed in an auto shop, then you won’t have to worry about any messes to you and your place.
Reason #5: Find Out Whether Other Issues
One of the best things about hiring a professional to do your car’s oil-change is that they will be able to pinpoint some other issues that your car might have. These issues can range from very small ones to crucial ones that may result in an accident if not fixed.
Other fluids that your car may need, such as steering and brake fluid, are also checked during the oil change. These fluids are essential and might get you into a traffic accident if not refilled.
Final Thoughts
It is undeniable that changing your car’s oil by yourself can save you quite a bit of cash, but it won’t be worth it at all. There is the possibility of you getting into an accident if you somehow got it wrong. The whole process takes quite a bit of time if done by an amateur. The messes and stains it might leave on your clothes and driveway.
So, if you want to get your oil change, your best bet would be to get a professional to do it for you.
