“New year, new me!” It’s a statement we’ve all inevitably heard from scores people looking to make a minor or major life change in the coming 365 days. The dawning of a new year presents a chance at personal growth and development for everyone – and your car, as well as how you take care of it, should be no exception to the opportunity. As such, we’ve put together a list of five automotive new year’s resolutions to help inspire you and kickstart your automotive care habits!
1: “I will not skip oil changes.”
Number one on our list is perhaps one of the most important, yet unfortunately frequently ignored, steps in caring for your vehicle: regular oil changes. Motor oil is the life-blood and lubricant of your engine’s moving parts, and the hard work it does in regard to keeping your engine healthy means that a refresh with new oil is going to be due on a regular basis.
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to how often you should change your oil, since different types of oil, as well as different makes and models of vehicles mean that oil change intervals can vary widely. Fortunately, it’s not terribly hard to find an answer specific to your vehicle. Simply go online and search for the make and model of your vehicle, and then the recommended service intervals for it.
Most vehicles require an oil change between 3,000 and 5,000 miles, but you should certainly check to be sure. Don’t have the resources to find out yourself? Don’t worry! The mechanics at Simply Clean Automotive know how and where to find the right oil for your vehicle! That’s just part of providing the best oil change Bremerton has to offer!
2: “I will not drive with busted lights.”
Especially this time of year, when it gets darker earlier and stays darker longer, it’s paramount that you ensure that all of the lights on the exterior of your vehicle are in functional condition. Having a signal or headlight out not only puts you and your passengers at physical risk, but you also run the possibility of getting a ticket – and no one wants that!
Stop by Simply Clean Automotive for any appointment and ask our technicians to perform a multi-point safety inspection of your vehicle – this will include the assurance that your lights are functioning properly – or, if not, a reliable place to have them repaired!
3: “I will have safe tires.”
In the last section, we mentioned the importance of vehicle maintenance in the winter months. This concept applies perhaps even more so to the condition and age of your vehicle’s tires. Tires with little to no tread can effect everything from cornering and stopping to maintaining traction on wet or icy surfaces.
It’s not just the level of tread that can effect a tire’s performance, either. If your tires are beyond the recommended lifespan, even with good tread, they can still succumb to things like dry-cracking, which can leave you susceptible to a blowout on the road!
4: “I will get fluids checked.”
While oil changes are perhaps the most important fluid check to have done on your vehicle, that doesn’t mean there aren’t other important fluids to check, too! Transmission fluid, coolant, and brake fluid, and others are all important to their various systems, and leaving them unchecked for a long time can result in thousands of dollars in damage in the long run!
The Bremerton mechanics team at Simply Clean Automotive has the tools, knowledge, and experience to perform a full fluids inspection whenever you’re ready – so be sure to schedule this important service on your calendar! If you need help with timing this appointment with your vehicle’s service schedule, check your owner’s manual for more information!
5: “I will maintain my brakes.”
Of course, there’s a lot of importance to be placed upon the systems that help propel your vehicle forward – but equally important is the system that stops your vehicle on command: your brakes. Old or worn out brakes can pose a huge danger to you and others on the road, so making sure to keep them operating in peak condition is of the utmost importance.
The Bremerton mechanics at Simply Clean Automotive are definitely familiar with brake-work, and we’re confident that our team can get you safely back on the road both efficiently, and at a great price! Call 360-519-3762 or click here to get started on a repair quote!
