A common misconception with high quality vehicles is that you have to pay for premium fuel to drive around in them, and that premium fuel will somehow help them perform better. While it is necessary to use premium fuel in some vehicles, experts at Consumer Reports have proven that premium fuel isn’t a good investment unless it’s absolutely necessary. That means that you can save yourself money by going with the regular fuel and invest in your vehicle in more effective ways.
Fuel Economy and Power Remain the Same
Premium fuel is believed to improve the fuel economy of vehicles or to make them perform more effectively. These assumptions aren’t true though. Cars running with premium fuel perform about the same as cars running on regular fuel. That means you won’t see many benefits at all from paying the extra money.
Reliability Doesn’t Change
Even though premium fuel doesn’t make a car more efficient or more powerful, many people believe that it will make the vehicle more reliable or that the engine is going to stay in better shape because of the fuel. Unfortunately long-term testing doesn’t prove that. Vehicles show about the same level of reliability, no matter what type of fuel is used in them.
Some Cars Require Premium Fuel
There are some cars out on the road that need premium fuel to run properly. There are the only vehicles that you need to buy premium fuel for. If premium is recommended for your vehicle, just skip it and go with regular, otherwise you are wasting your money that could be spent on something else instead for more benefits.
Making More Effective Investments
Instead of buying that expensive fuel, change the oil in your vehicle more often. Go with high quality synthetic oil. Pay to have the vehicle serviced more often. Pay to have it washed clean after driving around on salty roads. All these simple investments will make a bigger difference than driving around with high cost fuel, and they are all things that you can do without spending too much money.
Keep this in mind, invest in other ways to improve your vehicle instead, and you should be able cut your costs and make the most of your vehicle at the same time. To keep your vehicle in the best shape, speak with us here at the Auto Clinic of Franklin.
Everyone loves getting a new vehicle, even if it is a new-used vehicle. However, not many people know that servicing the Franklin vehicle is important. You might not think about the many things that come with owning a vehicle or taking care of a vehicle when the time comes, but just keep in mind that maintenance and service on it are very important. Consider some of these aspects when you get your Franklin vehicle and need to keep it in the best shape possible, since these tips can help.
Servicing Your Franklin Vehicle
It is important to keep up on maintenance and service tasks for your Franklin vehicle, but what are these?
Changing Your Oil
The oil should be changed throughout the years that you own a vehicle. This not only keeps the vehicle in good working order, but the engine. You want to keep driving down the road without any issues, but if the oil has been in the car the past five years, it is not going to run as it should. Having an oil change each year can keep it in the best performance.
Checking Your Brakes
The brakes on the vehicle should always be checked each year. You want to make sure that they’re in the best shape. Often times, it is important to have them switched out. You don’t want to try to stop at a light only to find out that the brakes are not working as good as they should and you slip through it. Make sure to have these serviced when the time comes.
Up to Date Inspections
Having a thorough inspection done of the entire Franklin vehicle is important. Not only is this going to let you know of any issues, but they can also be addressed. With this service visit, you can then find out if you need a lot of work done that might not have been noticeable while driving or if you are still in good shape to go. Only a licensed mechanic is able to provide this check when it comes to it.
New Tires
Tires are good to change out every one to two years. When the tires on a vehicle are bald, this can lead to a lot of accidents. You will not have the grip you need to stop, which can cause a lot of problems. You might also screech a lot when turning corners. By replacing your tires, you’re keeping the vehicle up to date with service checks.
When the time comes to get the maintenance and service for your Franklin vehicle, speak with us here at the Auto Clinic of Franklin. You can schedule your appointment right online for convenience and allow us to go through and fix any issues, while also taking care of the regular maintenance tasks. Your vehicle can continue to run like a champ when the time comes.
Vehicles by design are meant to be driven regularly. If you are planning on storing away your vehicle for months at a time, you’ll have to take some additional steps to ensure that they remain in good condition over time. Here are some quick tips to help keep your stored Franklin car in excellent shape.
Change the Oil
You don’t want to store your vehicle with worn oil because it has acids and other harmful compounds that can do damage if they are left sitting in place for too long. Do yourself a favor and change both the oil and the filter before you store the vehicle. It’s a simple procedure that will help keep your engine in better shape. Make sure to drive at least a few miles with the new oil in your Franklin car to get it running through your engine.
Oil the Plug Cylinders
Remove each of the spark plugs in your vehicle one by one. While they are out, add a teaspoon of engine oil to the threads of the cylinders. Secure the spark plugs in place once again. This procedure will help prevent rust from developing on the cylinders.
Support Your Franklin Car on Jack Stands
If you’ll be keeping your vehicle stored for a year or more, you need to take weight off your wheel bearings and other key suspension components. The best way to do this is to life the vehicle up off the ground using a set of jack stands underneath its frame.
Pull off the Wiper Blades
Take the wiper blades off the Franklin car to keep them from getting stuck to the windshield. If the wipers are allowed to get stuck in place they can cause damage to the windshield when removed.
Flush the Brake Lines
Look at the brake fluid in the system and if it’s a brownish color flush the fluid out, replacing it with brand-new fluid. Old brake fluid has water in it and can lead to rust if it isn’t moving around.
Cover the Franklin Car Up
Finally, make sure that you cover your Franklin car entirely. Get a large cover, or put it in a windowless storage area to protect it from the elements. A good cover will keep off the weather which can be particularly harmful to vehicles. Sunlight fades paint and damages the interior materials, rain, sleet and snow can cause corrosion and other issues.
Speak with us here at the Auto Clinic of Franklin, where we are able to help with the diagnostics, maintenance and repairs that are needed prior to putting your Franklin car in storage.
Many vehicle owners today are looking for cheapest possible way to repair their vehicles. They want to spend as little as possible when fixing issues, which means that they’ll invest in low-quality aftermarket parts. These OEM replacement parts often lower the strength and reliability of the vehicle, and in many instances they cost the owner more than an OEM part would.
Low Quality Materials
Aftermarket parts seem like a good deal because they are often much more affordable than OEM replacement parts are. Unfortunately, they are lower priced because they are made of inferior materials. Weaker metals, thinner construction, and softer hardware is employed when building the parts. Sure you’ll spend less money up front making these repairs, but you’ll likely regret it later if you’ll have that vehicle for a while.
Fails Faster
Since most aftermarket parts are made with inferior materials or they feature a thinner or weaker structure, they tend to fail faster than an OEM part would have. That means that you’ll be paying to replace the part sooner than you would when buying an OEM replacement part. If you plan on having your vehicle for many years, you’ll likely spend more on low quality parts than you ever would on the high quality stuff that is going to last far longer.
Imperfect Fit of Non OEM Replacement Parts
Another downside to aftermarket replacement parts is that they do not always fit the vehicle they are made for perfectly. There are often manufacturer defects that make the parts hard to mount and more difficult to install overall. If you are taking on the task on your own, you could end up struggling and spending much more time trying to get the part installed when you rely on a low-quality aftermarket item. If you go with an original part it will fit perfectly and will generally be simpler to install.
While aftermarket parts seem like a good way to save money on vehicle repairs, they are rarely a good investment. You’ll be throwing money out the window for parts that won’t fit as well, and will likely fail sooner too. This is why OEM replacement parts come highly recommended. Make your appointment with the Auto Clinic of Franklin today!
You probably wouldn’t trust your health to just any old doctor that’s not familiar with preexisting conditions that you may have. That’s the reason that so many people have a family doctor that they see each and every year.
For the same reason that it makes sense to go to the same doctor all the time, it makes sense to find a reliable Franklin mechanic and use him or her each and every time that you need work done on the vehicle that you can’t handle yourself.
Maintenance is Vital to a Healthy Car
Generally, the most long-lasting vehicles are the ones that are maintained properly. If you aren’t taking steps to keep your car, truck or SUV in good shape, you need someone else to do it for you. If you aren’t a professional Franklin mechanic, you’ll need one to keep an eye on your vehicle and handle the more difficult repairs for you as well. That’s why it makes sense to find a trustworthy professional before you actually need a serious repair done.
Finding a Reliable Franklin Mechanic
Locating a reliable mechanic requires doing some research. Take the time to talk with friends and family, and to look at online reviews of different local mechanics to see who is supposed to be the best in the area. After you’ve found a few good people, consider working with both of them the first time that you need work done on your vehicle.
Talk with the office of the couple different mechanics and gauge the quality of service that you get. Bring the car in and take note of the facility as well as how you are treated while you are there. Take your time and do your best to choose the most reliable mechanic that you can find. This will really pay off in the end.
Get Annual Maintenance and Care for Problems Immediately
Once you find a good reliable Franklin mechanic, you need to use his services often. Bring the vehicle in anytime that you notice a problem beginning to develop, and be sure to take care of it immediately. Take care of regular annual maintenance and keep record of all the receipts over the years.
Relying on a good mechanic will keep your vehicle in excellent shape, and keeping all those records will help you get the most money out of the vehicle if you ever decide to sell it off later on. Make an appointment with our Franklin mechanic today to keep your vehicle running perfectly.
Franklin car care
Many garages recommend that spark plugs and wires are changed on an annual basis during Franklin car care, and this generally isn’t necessary at all. When going to a shop in TN, don’t get your spark plugs changed unless they have between 60,000 and 100,000 miles on them. You also shouldn’t change the wires until they have at least 30,000 miles on them. The plugs and wires are both important for maintaining engine efficiency levels though, so check the gap regularly and swap them out before they get too old.
Get the Plugs Inspected Regularly with Franklin Car Care
Most vehicle manufacturers state that you don’t have to worry about changing the spark plugs until they’ve gone through a total of 100,000 miles of operation, which means you can go quite some time before worrying about making the swap. While that might be true, it doesn’t mean you should ignore the plugs until it’s time to make the swap. Instead you should have them inspected at a TN auto shop, or do a self-inspection about once every 30,000 miles. Staying on top of the plugs that often will help you identify potential problems before they get too serious.
Replace Before 100,000
Spark plugs might be rated to last 100,000 miles, but that doesn’t mean that you should allow them to. Plugs that are that old generally begin to wear out and become troublesome to change. That’s why it’s best to make the swap around 80,000 or 90,000 instead. Keep checking on them regularly as you approach the 100,000 mile marker to make sure you make the switch before the plugs seize or begin to break down. Making the change earlier with Franklin car care will also help ensure that your system continues running properly and runs efficiently.
Change the Wires Sooner
While spark plugs are often designed to last as long as 100,000 miles, the wires often go bad sooner and generally need to be changed by 60,000 miles. It’s important to feel the wires in your hands to see if they are crispy or pliable. As the wires become less pliable, they are getting closer to needing to be changed. Stay on top of the wires and make sure you swap them out before they get too old. Once they age too far you’ll have trouble changing them and might have to replace the plugs as well because of difficulties you experience with the wires.
Don’t make the mistake of taking your vehicle into a garage and having the wires or spark plugs changed too early, but also don’t make the mistake of letting them go too long either. Get them evaluated every 30,000 miles during your usual Franklin car care, and swap both out as soon as they show serious signs of wear.
Contact us here at the Auto Clinic of Franklin to schedule an appointment to check your wires and spark plugs and for all of your Franklin car care.
While most counties in Tennessee have requirements for Franklin auto emissions inspections when it comes to motor vehicles, these requirements don’t include inspecting many safety components of the vehicle. That means that vehicle owners are often unaware of developing problems that they should be taking care of. That’s why it’s highly recommended that owners consider going to a local mechanic and having a comprehensive Franklin auto inspection performed. This service will ensure that the vehicle is in good operating shape, and could help keep it in better condition over time.
Ensure Safety of the Franklin Auto
There’s nothing worse than driving a vehicle only to have a critical system like the brake system, or the engine fail. Not only is this dangerous, but it’s also highly inconvenient. By having your car, truck or SUV inspected on a regular basis, you’ll find out about problems before they are a real issue. This enhances your safety while out on the road, and could even save your life. It’s a good habit to get into, so consider having all the major components of your Franklin auto inspected when you go in for the annual emissions inspection.
Improved Franklin Auto Maintenance
A good annual inspection will ensure that any developing problems are recognize in your vehicle before they have a chance to become serious. Consider bringing your vehicle into a local Franklin auto shop to have it thoroughly looked over, and you’ll be able to save money on repair costs by finding out about potential problems before the problem spreads and becomes too serious.
Peace of Mind
If you neglect your vehicle, you’ll always wonder about potential problems that it’s developing over time. By taking the time to bring it in and have it inspected, you’ll know that you are driving a reliable vehicle and that you’re taking care of your investment. You’ll feel relaxed and at ease while driving around in your inspected vehicle.
Increased Resale Value
As long as you keep detailed records of each visit that you bring your vehicle in for, taking the trouble to have your vehicle inspected regularly will likely increase its resale value later on. You’ll be able to prove that you really care about your vehicle, and this will make prospective buyers comfortable with paying more money for the Franklin auto.
There are plenty of reasons to head to a Franklin auto mechanic and get a comprehensive inspection performed on your vehicle. If any of them seem valuable enough to you, consider making the investment and staying on top of any potential problems. Speak with us here at the Auto Clinic of Franklin to schedule your appointment.
Franklin Auto Maintenance
While most people handle standard Franklin auto maintenance tasks like changing brake pads, rotating tires, swapping out the air filter and changing the oil, there are other more advanced maintenance tasks that are equally important, even if you don’t have to do them as often.
One of these tasks is changing the transmission fluid regularly, but fluid changes depend on a few different variables, like whether your vehicle is a manual or an automatic. This isn’t a fun job to handle, but having it done regularly can prolong the lifespan of your transmission, one of the most expensive parts of your vehicle.
Why Change the Fluid?
Just like with oil, transmission fluid becomes contaminated over time. You’ll get small bits of metal and other nasty objects suspended in the fluid, and that can speed the wear on your vehicle’s transmission noticeably. In order to prolong the lifespan of your transmission, it’s important to change this fluid at the recommended interval.
Manual versus Automatic
Vehicle owners with a manual transmission are expected to change the fluid more regularly than owners with automatic transmissions. This means that you must track the mileage on your vehicle closely, and make sure that the fluid is changed at the proper interval. This generally varies between 30,000 and 60,000 miles, but in some instances you’ll be expected to change the fluid as soon as 15,000 miles if you are driving in harsh conditions.
It all depends on how much stop-and-go traffic you are in (more is harder on the transmission), what material your transmission is made from (aluminum is prone to wear faster) and what type of vehicle you drive.
Read your manual closely, and determine what the recommended change period is for the vehicle. This will help you stay on top of important tasks, so that you don’t run into issues later on when it comes to Franklin auto maintenance.
Can You Do Franklin Auto Maintenance Yourself?
If you’re an accomplished do it yourself and you’ve handled tasks like changing your brake pads, swapping out oil and changing the spark plugs, it’s likely that you can handle changing your transmission fluid as well, but it’s up to you to decide if you want to take on the task or not.
It’s a messy task and you’ll be required to remove the entire pan in order to change out the fluid and the filter. Even the pans that have a drain plug still require you to remove them to change out the filter, which is something you should do each time you change the fluid.
If you don’t want to deal with the mess, or you aren’t confident about tackling this type of project yourself, it’s a good idea to hire it out to a professional. You’ll save yourself time, you’ll do away with that mess and you’ll end up with a healthier vehicle because of it. Call us here or make an appointment at Franklin Auto Clinic for all of the Franklin auto maintenance you’re in need of.
If there’s anything that you should know about auto maintenance, consistency is highly important. Staying on top of important maintenance tasks is the only way to ensure that your Franklin vehicle continues running properly for years at a time.
Unfortunately, it’s very easy to forget about maintenance tasks, or to overlook important tasks that should have been completed by the shop. It doesn’t matter if you rely on a shop in Franklin, TN to maintain your vehicle, or you do it yourself, a good solid app will help you stay on top of what needs doing.
Track Vital Maintenance Tasks
Some of the very best apps designed for vehicle maintenance are already programmed with common maintenance tasks, and you can easily add more into the system if you like. With a quality app in use, you’ll be able to see when important maintenance tasks are coming up and make sure that your tires are rotated, brakes are changed, oil and filter are maintained and that you are doing everything that needs doing.
This will extend the life of your Franklin vehicle, and give you the peace of mind that comes from staying on top of important maintenance tasks.
Keep Franklin Vehicle Records
Good service records let prospective buyers know how you maintained your Franklin vehicle while you were the owner. When you keep them maintained and up-to-date, you’ll find it much easier to sell your vehicle for a premium.
When the records are lacking, it’s difficult to command a decent price. A good solid app will serve as a service record keeper for you, and some will even allow you to store receipts and other proof of work completed.
Avoid Unnecessary Maintenance
I don’t know about you, but it’s common for me to schedule excessive service visits and maintenance related tasks just to ensure that my vehicle is staying in good shape, because I don’t quite remember the last time it was in the shop being cared for. This is a pretty serious issue, and is a bit wasteful to be honest.
With an app on your smartphone, you’ll always know when every single maintenance task was completed, and you’ll be able to schedule visits more reliably, so you don’t bring your Franklin vehicle to the shop too often and spend more than necessary.
Good auto maintenance apps are easy to obtain, and they will help you keep your vehicles in better shape, for less money. Add one to your phone and you’ll know exactly when you need to schedule your next service visit in Franklin, TN right here at the Auto Clinic of Franklin.
While Tennessee doesn’t suffer from too much snowfall throughout the year, that’s not the case in some of the northern states. As temperatures dip down snow is a regular problem and ice is often applied to the roadways to help prevent snow buildup and problems with ice while driving around. If you happen to go up north to visit during the winter, it’s vital that you take the time to wash your vehicle while you’re up there, and also before you head back down to Tennessee once again.
How Often Should You Wash?
It’s tough to say just how often it’s necessary to wash your vehicle while up north, but a good rule of thumb is at least once a week when the roads are icy or have snow on them. Even when the roads aren’t too bad, they might still have ice on them regularly, so be sure to look out for ice each time that you drive to decide if you need to wash the vehicle or not.
Pay for an Underbody Treatment
Heading to a standard car wash while up north might not be enough to get your vehicle clean where it matters. The important thing is to ensure that the bottom of the car or truck gets washed thoroughly. The best way to make that happen is to pay for an advanced car wash that includes an underbody treatment as well. This might cost you a bit more money, but will ensure that all the salt and gunk is removed from the frame of your vehicle. That’s the best way to prevent your investment while up north and to make sure that you don’t end up with rust issues just because you decided to take a trip.
Even if you don’t make a regular habit of traveling up north, it’s still important to pay attention to the roads around you when temperatures drop down around freezing level. It’s common for salt to be used to prevent freezing rain and other dangerous driving conditions in the heart of winter, and you shoul wash your car whenever salt is laid down on the roads around you as well.
Spending a bit of extra money to keep your vehicle nice and clean throughout the winter is the best way to ward off problems with rust that can prematurely age the frame of your car or truck. Speak with the professionals at the Auto Clinic of Franklin to get winter upgrades and diagnostics to complete the vehicle care.
