Run: PV Style February/March 2005 Issue

Your Car Needs a "New Year" Health & Fitness Routine, Too!

by Dave Carney

Like me, many of you made health and fitness resolutions for the New Year. And, now that you have established some great new habits and are reaping the benefits, its time to expand your vision and to get your car on a health and fitness program, too. Just like you, your car will look better and will perform better when you take better care of it.

Begin with regular oil changes every 3,000 miles. Keeping the oil clean is the most important single thing you can do for your car. The cost of an oil change is the same as when I entered the business 20 years ago, so there is no reason not to do it. Today, with the marriage of fuel injection and onboard computers, a car’s engine is a 200,000-mile power plant if serviced properly.

The best “fitness program” for your car is to follow the 30,000, 60,000 and 90,000-mile services as recommended in your owner’s manual. It’s really that simple. Routine tune-ups have gone the way of the dinosaurs.

When you are ill, you go to the doctor. He runs some tests, diagnoses the problem and prescribes treatment. Likewise, when your car’s “Check Engine” light comes on, you need to take it to a repair shop. The technician will access your car’s computer with the shop’s computer, run tests to diagnose the problem, and will recommend a repair procedure.

While you may be contemplating cosmetic surgery for yourself this year, the only cosmetic procedures you need to do for your car to keep it looking like new are regular car washes and a coat of wax twice a year. The hot summer sun is actually harder on your car’s finish than California’s winter rains, but a good rule of thumb is to wax your car in January and June.

Questions? Please feel free to give me a call at Hillside Automotive, 310/373-7676. Our Automotive Center is located on Hawthorne Blvd., at Newton Street in Torrance. Our six ASE-certified technicians are at your service Monday through Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. All auto repairs are AAA-approved and guaranteed.

Happy, safe motoring!

Dave Carney