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August 2020

auto repair shop in Philadelphia, PA

Keeping On Track Of A Second Driver’s Auto Repair

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You knew it was going to happen. Your child is no longer a child, but instead, a near-adult with a vehicle they use to get around town. Whether you bought the car for them or they bought it themselves, if they live with you, you want them to stay on top of auto repair in Philadelphia, PA so they remain as safe as possible. How can you keep track of their auto needs on top of yours, your spouses, and everything else you have going on in your life? Here are a few tips:

Keep A Calendar

You might mark the calendar every three months for your own vehicle so you can check the mileage and see if you need an oil change. You can do the same for the other vehicles in the family so you can also pop into them, check the mileage, and see when appointments are due. If they aren’t at the mileage where they need a change yet, set another reminder for a month down the road to check again. That way, you don’t have to remind yourself and hope that you actually will take a look at the right times.

Leave It Up To Your Child

Whether you got the car for your child or not, it’s a big responsibility to be a driver. You might want them to start to learn how to be responsible for the vehicle on their own. You can tell them the details about caring for a vehicle, like getting regular oil changes, and then leave it up to them. They’ll learn fast that they really do need to do those things. If they don’t, they’ll have high service bills, and assuming you make them pay those themselves, they’ll shape up quickly.

auto repair shop in Philadelphia, PA

Take Drives Every Now And Then

If you bought the vehicle for your child, technically it’s yours. Make it a habit to drive it every now and then, perhaps to the store on the weekend when your child is home, and check up on things. You can check the mileage, see how it’s running, and make sure it doesn’t need anything to continue transporting your child from place to place safely.

There are plenty of other ways to keep track of the needs for auto repair in Philadelphia, PA that might lie within your household. If you need professional advice on a schedule, or you want to set up a time to get an oil change or have something looked at, call the experts at Schafer’s Auto Center. We understand that not everyone knows a lot about cars and that makes them leery of using auto shops. But when you work with us, honesty is the key to our success. We won’t tell you your car needs something unless it really does. We can take you right into the shop and show you the details in person so you see what we’re seeing. We’ll take care of your car and your family as if they were our own.

auto repair in Philadelphia, PA

Common Auto Repair/Maintenance Needs

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When you buy a vehicle, the largest cost is the upfront price you pay for the car, whether it is new or used. But as a car owner, you have a responsibility to keep the vehicle in good working conditions. You will need to run certain auto repair in Philadelphia, PA, and maintenance over the years in order to keep it running efficiently and effectively. Here are some of the most common things you will find yourself pulling into the auto shop for:

Oil Changes

This is something that everyone has to do. It’s imperative to the vehicle that you get oil changes on a regular basis. You will want to check the owner’s manual to see how often the oil changes should occur and what type of oil is best for your vehicle. Usually, every 5,000 miles or so and every three months is a good rule of thumb. You want your engine to run well and with old oil, or with the oil dried up, it can’t and that can cause much more costly issues than a simple oil change.

auto repair in Philadelphia, PATire Rotations

When you get your oil changed, it’s a good time to have your tires rotated as well. The tires wear and if you want them to wear evenly, rotating is your best bet. You won’t have to replace the tires as often if they wear nice and evenly. Plus, when you have them rotated, the professionals can take a look at them and then warn you when they are getting close to worn out so you can start looking into replacements.

Brake Pads

Your brakes are an essential tool on your vehicle and you use them each and every time you get into the car. You want them to work well for your own safety, and for the safety of those around you. Have them checked over regularly and eventually, you will find that the brake pads are starting to wear. The brake pads are the first thing on the brake to wear down and can easily be replaced at a small cost in comparison to other brake issues. If you don’t have the pads replaced when they are needed, other parts of the brakes can wear and they are much costlier to replace.

These are just a few of the items that you will have to stay on top of when you own a vehicle. You will want to check in with professionals in auto repair in Philadelphia, PA on a regular basis to inspect your vehicle for any issues. When you get a regular oil change, have inspections as well so you can head off any small things that might be going wrong and fix them before they get worse. The professionals at Schafer’s Auto Center are here to help you with any of your repair and maintenance needs. If you have questions about when you want to do certain pieces of maintenance, give us a call. We can help you figure out your repair needs as well.

auto repair in Philadelphia, PA

Summer Auto Repair Tips

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Ah, the summertime. The sun is warmer, and the air is humid. It’s time to make the most of the time you have with your family. But that might mean ensuring that your vehicle is working well. No one wants to get stuck on the side of the road if they can prevent it—any time of the year, but especially in the summer. Use these summer auto repair in Philadelphia, PA, and maintenance tips in order to help yourself get through the summer with as much fun, and as little car issues, as possible.

Have Inspections Before Trips

While you know you want to get your oil changed at regular intervals, it’s also a good idea to get the whole vehicle checked out before you take a road trip with your family. You don’t want the AC to go out because the freon levels got low or for a tire to blow in the heat because it’s not inflated right. You made it through the winter, but your batter could have been affected and you don’t want that having an impact on your trip, either. There are lots of things that can go wrong in your vehicle over the summer months and the best way to prevent those from happening during a vacation is to have an inspection before you head out.

Have Your Wheel Alignment Checked

Potholes are the name of the game at the end of the winter and the beginning of the next season. It’s hard to avoid them all no matter how you try. Your vehicle could be misaligned because of those potholes and that can reduce the lifespan of your tires and increase how much gas you have to use to get around. Have the alignment checked so you can get the most fuel efficiency possible during your trip.

auto repair in Philadelphia, PACheck Fluid Levels

Things like the radiator, the AC, and other things have fluids involved and when those things get low, things go wrong. Have the fluid levels checked and topped off if anything is getting a little low. It’s better to have the levels nice and high where they should be so there’s no chance of running out of anything important.

Coat The Vehicle With Wax

This isn’t really an auto repair, but you might want to consider it for your car’s protection, anyway. Putting some wax on your vehicle can protect the paint during long periods of sun exposure. You want the paint job to last as long as the rest of the vehicle.

When you are heading into the summer months, you’re thinking about the fun ahead of you, not so much auto repair in Philadelphia, PA. But if you want your vehicle to get you from one fun activity to another, it’s important to take these tips into consideration and ensure that you follow the advice you get at Schafer’s Auto Center. Our professionals are here to help you figure out what you need to do to make your car as safe and efficient as possible all summer long.

auto repair in Philadelphia

Getting That Clean Bill Of Health Before A Trip

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Most people don’t visit the doctor to get a clean bill of health before they take a road trip with their family. But it is a good idea to take your vehicle in for auto repair in Philadelphia, PA, and maintenance before you take that family vacation. This year, a lot of things are closed down so you might spend more time in the car, cruising the scenic views. That means even more work for your car. Here are a few things to get in order before you head out.

Get The Oil Cleaned

Oil changes are a regular part of your life in your car. If you haven’t gotten one recently, even if you aren’t quite to the right mileage number, you’ll want to get one before you head out on a long trip. It’s better to cut the oil a little short now than to try and stretch it and damage your engine. Motor oil lubricates the moving parts in your engine and prevents wear and tear. It takes out contaminants, prevents hot spots, and keeps things clean. If you don’t get your oil changed before you go and you go way over the recommended time span, you might have costly repairs come up on you down the road in the middle of nowhere.

auto repair in Philadelphia, PACheck The AC

Most of the places you are going to drive during the summer will be warmer than usual. You’ll probably need to crank up the AC for some, or even all, of the trip. You don’t want to click that chill button only to have hot air come out. Have the AC freon levels checked to make sure you have enough coolant to get you by for the whole trip. You might need to have things topped off before you go.

Inspect The Tires

The tires are the only part of the vehicle that touches the road, so they are very important to your overall safety. They are, however, on a limited lifespan. If they are getting close to their end, they can be dangerous to drive on. If your tires are new enough and don’t need to be replaced, you should still ensure that they are within the right tire pressure ranges for the safest journey for everyone going along.

Let the professionals know when you bring your car in for maintenance and auto repair in Philadelphia, PA that you are about to go on a trip with your family and the experts at Schafer’s Auto Center will inspect things very closely for you and let you know if there’s any little thing you need to do to ward off larger issues that could arise while you are traveling. We want you and your family to be as safe as possible on the road and we won’t tell you to do something on your vehicle unless it’s something we would do on our own vehicle in your position.

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