Posted on 3/20/2014
Mrs. Jones Asks: Why does my book say change my oil at 8,000 Kms and my trusted repair shop is recommending it sooner at 6,000kms?Mark Says: Well I find that the oil change interval (time and KMS) between oil changes in the book are great if you don't plan to keep your car after the warranty runs out. Why? Well motor oil is the main lubricant and also a cleaner for you internal engine parts, and when oil is driven up to and over 8,000kms/ 6 months we find that deposits build up inside and can cause issues later on. New technology in engine designs like: Variable Valve Timing, Twin Cam overhead valves, Turbo Charging, Direct Fuel Injection, VCT transmission, Hybrid engines are all designed to give us: more power, use less fuel, reduced tail pipe emissions; All rely on clean quality oil and filter, and maybe some help from additives. Some of the Problems we see due to extended oil change intervals are ... read more
Posted on 9/25/2013
Seasonal car care planning and preventative maintenance can save you money and time as the weather changes. Article from Mobile1 Timely maintenance does more than keep your vehicle running smoothly. It will save you money in both the short- and long-term because you are improving your vehicle's trade-in value, getting the most out of its mileage, and preventing costly repairs down the road. In addition to keeping cash in your pockets, performing routine maintenance and using quality products can help drivers stay safe through even the nastiest of conditions. Maintenance plays a big role in staying safe - according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, about one in eight crashes can be attributed to mechanical defects due to neglected vehicle maintenance.To avoid costly repairs and ensure your safety, prepare for harsh conditions in advance by following a few simple guidelines:Early Fall ... read more
Posted on 2/13/2013
Everyone knows that without gas your vehicle won’t run. Most people also know that oil is important. Engine oil lubricates, cleans, and cools critical parts of the engine. The oil's additives also help to suspend dirt, where it can be drained at the next oil change. The life-blood of your engine, engine oil consists of various weight mineral or synthetic oils combined with additives for engine protection. Oils may come in single or multi-grades and meet various oil performance standards. Multi-grade oils usually start out as single-grade base oils, such as SAE 10W. Then viscosity-index improvers are added to modify viscosity. The end result is an SAE 10W-30 oil capable of flowing like a 10W oil at cold temperatures and a 30W oil at higher temperatures. Check your owner’s manual to ensure you are using the proper grade of oil for your vehicle. Most people neglect the other fluids in their vehicle, these include: ... read more
Posted on 11/1/2011
A Note from Mark... This month we are featuring "oil changes." Why? Well there is a lot of talk and discussions going around the dinner table about "oil change intervals." There is a wide range of drain intervals from: 3 month/5000km to 12 month/24,000kms? What has changed? Well oil quality is better, but filters are lot smaller! The fuel is worse with the higher percent of ethanol, engines are smaller, more complex, run leaner and hotter (for lower emissions) with Turbo charging, variable valve timing, cylinders on demand, V-tec solenoids, mutli-timing chains, valve train solenoids, Direct Fuel Injection. To get every ounce of power from a litre of fuel, most 4 cylinder engines produce more power than your Grandfather's V-8 Buick ever did on a good day and on 1/3 the fuel and close to zero emissions. So what is right for you? Well I have modified the service intervals based on what we see in the industry. Our maintenance plans a ... read more