If you love your car as much as most people do, you’ll want to take care of it.  Max has a few basic maintenance and cleaning tips to keep your car in good shape.

Preventive Maintenance Pays Off
A trained, qualified mechanic with the expertise and equipment to do the job correctly should perform most of the maintenance on your car. You also should pay attention to what’s going on under the hood. The owner’s manual for your car will provide you with a maintenance schedule for your specific make and model. Additionally, you can do the following simple checks and procedures to help prevent problems – and extend the life of your vehicle:

• Change the oil and oil filter regularly.  
• Check all the fluids.  This includes brake, power steering, transmission, trans-axle, windshield washer and antifreeze fluids.
• Check the air pressure level in your tires at least once a month.
• Make sure all your lights work.  This includes headlights, turn signals, brake lights and taillights.
• Replace the windshield wiper blades periodically.  If your wiper blades are cracked or torn, or if they begin to streak, it’s time to replace them.
• Inspect the engine belts.  They should not have cracks or missing segments.
• Check the air filter.  The filter should be clean, not clogged or damaged.

Remember – you can always come by Maxim Muffler, Wheel & Brake – we are happy to take the burden off you and keep you safe and your vehicle in excellent condition!

Make sure you stay on top of your oil changes. This is particularly important in the summer, since a hot engine needs all the lubrication it can get, and at high temperatures your engine’s oil is really getting put through the wringer. Our current recommendation is to change your oil every 5,000 kilometers or 3,000 miles.

Maxim Muffler, Wheel & Brake offers a premium oil change service – the Max Life Oil, Filter, and Car Care Check-Up!  Featuring our exclusive oil blend, the Max Life system provides superior lubrication to convention and high performance motor oils, substantially reducing the possibility of metal-to-metal contact of your engine’s critical components.

Our Maximizer Max Life exclusive oil blend:

• Gives you longer engine life.
• Improves your fuel economy.
• Improves your engine’s power.
• Reduces harmful emissions.

Max wants to help make sure you have safe travel on your summer vacation with the following advice!  Remember, planning is good, but remember, you should always plan for the unexpected.

• Safety check your car, including coolant tank and radiator, hoses and belts, tire pressure, oil level, battery, air and fuel filters, windshield wiper fluid, headlights and tail lights. If you at all question your car’s reliability, a good tune up may be just what you need for the sake of safety and peace of mind. Simple maintenance can prevent a dangerous and expensive breakdown.
• Make sure you have your license, registration and current insurance card.
• Prepare an emergency kit to keep in the car. At minimum, pack a flashlight with extra batteries, warning devices, such as flares or reflective triangles, first aid kit and jumper cables. Have a phone number for nationwide automotive assistance in the event you need towing, rental car or maintenance.
• Take turns driving, if possible. A short nap can perk you up and allow you to be more alert while driving.
• Bring your own food and snacks. Convenient store food is fine up to a point, but at some time you may actually require something more nutritious. Load up on bottles of water, juice boxes, crackers, pre-made sandwiches, fruit and other travel friendly snacks.
• Don’t wait until you see Low Fuel to get gas. You are probably driving in unfamiliar territory and never know when you may get stuck in traffic with no gas stations nearby.
• Take frequent breaks. Stretch your legs often as this will cut down on travel fatigue for both driver and passengers.
• Get Sleep. A well-rested driver is a safer driver. Don’t push your limits. While time is precious, so are your family members. Putting too many hours behind the wheel can impair driving and put your family in jeopardy.
• Avoid rush hour traffic. If at all possible, plan your route so you hit major cities outside of peak driving times.
• Bring GPS and a map. GPS is a wonderful navigation tool to have during a road trip, but paper maps are always a good back-up.

Max wants to help you make sure you get to where you are going safely with a few tips for driving safely during those May showers!

1. Use extra caution if it hasn’t rained in a while.  Did you know that the road is the slipperiest right when it starts to rain? That’s because there is dried grease and motor oil on the road from all the cars that gets lubricated when the rain first his it. If it hasn’t rained in a while, this slippery build up can make driving in the rain treacherous.
2. Turn on your headlights!  
3. Don’t use cruise control.  Many people don’t realize that using cruise control when it’s raining is very dangerous! If your car catches water and starts to hydroplane, your cruise control will think you’re slowing down and automatically speed you up. This can lead to you losing control of your car, spinning out and even crashing.
4. Don’t slam on your brakes if you start hydroplaning. Hydroplaning occurs when a layer of water comes between the road and your tires, and your car loses traction or grip on the pavement. When this happens, do not panic and do not immediately slam on your brakes! Slamming on your brakes can cause you to lose control, instead simply take your foot off the gas and keep your steering wheel straight. That way when your tires do connect with the pavement again you’ll be able to safely drive straight out of it, instead of veering off to the right or left.
5. Increase your following distance. Slick roads make it harder to stop or brake suddenly. Always make sure there is plenty of room between your vehicle and the one in front of you, more so than on a dry, sunny day.
6. Don’t be afraid to pull over. If you are ever uncomfortable with your visibility or the driving conditions, it’s better to pull over in a safe area and wait out the storm than to try and brave it. When the roads are slippery or hazardous, it’s better to make it to your destination late and safely, rather than not at all.

Brakes are one of the most important parts of your car’s safety system!  To make sure you and your family arrive safely when you are driving around, Max would like to offer the following advice on Brake Maintenance!

Light squealing is more than likely the brake pad indicators letting you know it’s time to change your brake pads. Most pads will have a metal tab which is designed to contract the rotor when they are worn to a point of needing replacement.  Change your brake pads as soon as possible.

A grinding noise is more serious and usually indicated that the pads are worn to a point of metal-to-metal contact with the rotor. This is more serious as braking ability can be decreased since less brake pad material is contacting the rotor. Get service immediately if you hear grinding and expect to most likely have to replace your rotors as well.

Maxim Muffler, Wheel & Brake offers premium brake service.  Please give us a call or drop in and we will help you with your brake maintenance needs.  Let us help you put your mind at ease!

Spring is in the air and it is time to get your car ready for those fun spring and summertime drives!

Max would like to offer a few thoughts on a few things that may make things a little safer on the road for you!

In some cases, you’ll be able to perform these procedures yourself. Others are best done by a mechanic as part of a tune-up. Some will help your vehicle look better. Most will help it perform more efficiently and get better gas mileage.

• Get rid of road salt on the undercarriage.
  • Road salt can damage your vehicle by eating away at its undercarriage.
• Check the tires.
  • Tire pressure changes depending on the outside temperature, so it’s important to check tire pressure after weather changes. Check your owner’s manual for the recommended pressure for your tire, and never exceed that.
  • Higher pressure generally results in improved steering response and fuel economy, but a stiffer ride, and it wears out the tread in the center.
  • Underinflation generally provides a smoother ride, but it causes tires to wear out at the sides. It also wastes gas because tires need more power to push the vehicle.
• Check wiper blades.
  • Your wipers work hard all winter removing dirt and debris, including salt spray.
  • Since the life expectancy of a wiper blade is six months to a year, check that the blades are making full contact with the windshield and have not dried out.
• Refill the wiper fluid reservoir.
• Rotate the tires.
  • This is a relatively simple car care procedure that will extend the tread life of your tires, and should be done roughly every 5,000-10,000 miles.
  • A good rule is to rotate tires after every oil change.
• Change the oil and oil filter.
• Change the air filter.
  • The air filter prevents dust and other impurities from getting into the combustion chambers of the cylinders, resulting in wasted gas and weaker engine performance.
• Flush and fill your cooling system.
• Check the radiator and gas caps.
  • A snug radiator cap helps raise the cooling system pressure, giving added protection against boil-overs. Radiator caps don’t last forever, so replace yours whenever you flush the cooling system.
• Check the battery and spark plugs.
  • Make sure battery posts and connections are secure and free of corrosion.
  • Dirty spark plugs cause misfiring, which wastes fuel.
  • If you’re planning a long trip, consider replacing the battery and spark plugs if they are more than two years old.
• Clean the cabin.
• Finally, you’re ready to wash and wax.

Max wants to give you five car-care tips in mind as the mercury plummets. You don’t want to be stranded by a dead battery or get into an accident because you can’t see out your windows.

If you haven’t taken some of the mechanical preventive-care steps, do them as soon as you can so you’re prepared for the next big chill.  Stop by Maxim Muffler, Wheel & Brake – we can help you out!

1. Keep your battery in good shape.  Your vehicle’s battery is especially hard hit when the mercury plummets. Cold temperatures reduce its cranking power.
2. Replace wiper blades.  You have to replace wiper blades more often than you might think.
3. Clear the windows.  If you can’t see out the windows, you’re a danger to yourself and everyone around.
4. Check the oil.  Cold weather can beat up your engine, too. Motor oil thickens when cold, making it harder for the engine to turn over.
5. Consider new tires.  Spinning out in the snow and ending up in a ditch isn’t the best way to discover your tires are worn out. So if you’ve been waiting to pick up a new set of tires, don’t delay as your safety depends on tire traction and winter-grade tires tend to be in short supply when the snow begins to fall.

Once you have trusted Maxim Muffler, Wheel & Brake with installing best performance braking system for your vehicle, follow these simple steps for proper brake maintenance.

1. Check your brake fluid.  You need to make sure the brake fluid is good and that it is at the appropriate level.
2. Change the brake fluid if necessary.  If your brake fluid has a milky color, it means that water or condensation has infiltrated the fluid and you need to change the brake fluid.  Leaving contaminated brake fluid alone destroys your master cylinder in the brake system. It also deteriorates your wheel cylinders.
3. To change the brake fluid in your vehicle, you need to add new fluid into your master cylinder.
4. Bleed your brake lines in order to get all of the air out of them.  This usually requires two people: one to pump the brakes while the other watches the bleeder valve, closing the valve when brake fluid begins to flow through.
5. Inspect the brake pads and rotors to ensure they’re still looking good.  You can do this by removing the tire.  If the brake pads are showing wear to the extent that you can’t see much of the pad, it’s time to replace them.

Of course, if you prefer, you can stop in at Maxim Muffler, Wheel & Brake and they will work with you on your brake maintenance and peace of mind!

We are here to make your life easier and safer!