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April 2021

auto repair in Philadelphia, PA

Pointers On Keeping Track Of Oil Changes

By | Auto Repair | No Comments

It can be hard to keep track of everything you have going on in life, especially when your kids take up yet another activity that you have to add to the calendar. In order to get to everything you need to get to, you need a reliable vehicle and that means maintaining it well and getting auto repair in Philadelphia, PA when necessary. One of the things that every car owner knows they need to do is get regular oil changes. But how can you remember to check in on that with everything else going on? Here are a few pointers to help you out.

Mark The Calendar

When you get an oil change, automatically get out your phone or your calendar and mark it for the next oil change. Oil changes are done every 3 months or so, depending on your mileage. So mark your calendar for the three-month point and check your mileage. If you are not in need yet, mark the calendar again for another month down the road and check the mileage then. If you are good at doing what your calendar tells you to do, this could be a good method for you.

Set Appointments In Advance

If you drive a set amount of miles regularly, you know how long it’s going to take you to get to the next oil change. When you are there, getting the oil changed, go ahead and make another appointment for the timeframe that you will need the next oil change. You can mark it down and if you aren’t in need of an oil change that soon when it arises, you can always change the appointment. But having something ‘in the books’ can help you make it a regular thing.

Ask The Mechanic For Tips

Technicians see people struggle with all sorts of things on their vehicles, including remembering to get their oil changed. They might have tips and tricks for you to help you to remember what your vehicle needs, and get it for the car.

auto repair in Philadelphia, PACheck The Mileage When You Get Gas

When you get gas, once a week, or however often you need it, that is a good time to check on your mileage and see how far along you are in need of an oil change. Make it a habit and you will notice when you are getting close so you can make that appointment and get the service the vehicle needs at the right time.

There are lots of things that vehicles are going to need over their years of use, but you know that oil changes are one auto repair in Philadelphia, PA that you just can’t ignore if you want the vehicle to run well for a long time. The professionals at Schafer’s Auto Center advise you to take a look at your owner’s manual and see how often your vehicle needs an oil change and then stick to that schedule for the best results.

auto repair in Philadelphia, PA

What To Do When A Car Breaks Down

By | Auto Repair | No Comments

No driver really wants their car to break down and need auto repair in Philadelphia, PA, but it happens to most people at some time or another. When you find yourself on the side of the road, in need of help with your car, what can you do? Here are a few steps to take to get your car serviced.

Call The Mechanic

Whether you know what’s going on with your vehicle or not, you will want to call the mechanic to get help. They might be able to give you advice on how to get the car started again so you can get it into the shop on its own. Or, they might tell you that there’s no hope and you need a tow truck to get the vehicle to them. Either way, getting their advice and help is a good first step.

Check The Budgets

You need to know what you have in your budget for repairs. It’s also a good idea to keep an eye on how much your car is worth. Sometimes, the repairs are worth more than the vehicle and it’s better to replace it than to fix it. Knowing those details will help you move forward with repairs or other options when the time comes to make a decision.

Get An Estimate

Once you get the vehicle into the shop, the technicians will take over from there and diagnose the issue. They will give you an estimate of what the repairs will cost. The estimate will include the parts as well as the labor to fix the things that have gone wrong.

Get The Right Parts

Of course, the auto repair shop will take care of getting parts for you, but if you have a place that you can get quality parts at a lower price, that’s an option as well. The auto shop may be able to use those parts, but you will want to make sure that you check with the technician before you get parts on your own. You don’t want to get parts that they can’t use.

auto repair in Philadelphia, PAGet The Repairs Done Right

It’s best to get repairs done at an auto shop you trust so you know that the repairs are properly done. You want to be able to trust your vehicle and if you don’t trust the repairs, then you can’t drive your vehicle in the right ways. Get those repairs done right and keep your vehicle operating safely and efficiently.

When you are ready for advice, or your car breaks down and you know you need auto repair in Philadelphia, PA, it’s important to get those tips and repairs done by the right technician. The professionals at Schafer’s Auto Center are here to help you in any way possible. We can do regular oil changes and tune-ups, but we can also help diagnose repairs that you might need after your vehicle breaks down on the side of the road.

auto repair in Philadelphia, PA

Things That Happen When You Ignore Auto Repair

By | Auto Repair | No Comments

There are some things you just don’t want to ignore…your child crying out in the middle of the night, for example. The broken window in your bedroom, and so on. Another thing you don’t want to ignore is your car’s need for auto repair in Philadelphia, PA. Whether you hear a noise you know shouldn’t be there or you feel something amiss, you should never ignore the auto repairs your vehicle might need. Here are a few things that can happen if you do:

You’re Stuck On The Side Of The Road

Having cell phones in action today, being stuck by the side of the road isn’t as dangerous as it used to be. You can call for a tow truck and get a ride from a friend easily enough. But it’s still a huge inconvenience. Whether you were headed to work, and now you’ll be late, or you wanted to get home in time to watch the big game, having your car break down never happens at a good time. If you had paid attention to what your vehicle was trying to tell you through the noises it was making, you could have gotten something small repaired and you wouldn’t be on the side of the road without a vehicle.

Something Large Breaks Down

When you ignore your vehicle’s needs for spark plugs, an oil change, or something else that regular maintenance requires, you could cause something much larger on your vehicle to break down and need major help. If you had listened to your car’s need for an auto repair, you could fix something small. If you don’t, the small things get larger and more urgent, causing larger issues that are much more expensive to fix. That’s never a good thing on your budget.

auto repair in Philadelphia, PA

You’re Without A Vehicle

While small repairs are often things you can wait for, if something large goes wrong because you ignored your vehicle’s auto repair needs, you might have to leave it in the shop for a while. You’re without a vehicle for a day, two days, or even just an afternoon. You might have to rent a vehicle or borrow one from someone else and that can be a real pain. You don’t want to disrupt your life, but you don’t have a choice when your car isn’t working well.

Instead of ignoring your vehicle’s need for auto repair in Philadelphia, PA, it is best to address things as they arise. If you hear a strange noise, get it checked out. If your vehicle is pulling to the left, have a professional look at it. By looking into things that seem small right away, you are preventing larger issues—and yourself from being stranded on the side of the road, without a vehicle when you need one the most. The professionals at Schafer’s Auto Center understand your time is precious and we work quickly and efficiently. Call for a tune-up, an oil change, a tire rotation, or to get that noise checked out.

auto repair in Philadelphia, PA

Why Is Tire Rotation Important To Auto Repair?

By | Auto Repair | No Comments

There are a lot of things you will need to do to your vehicle over the years. It’s important to keep track of when you need an oil change or other maintenance and auto repair in Philadelphia, PA. You know you are supposed to rotate the tires on your vehicle every so often, but it might help you to actually do so if you understand why.

What Is Tire Rotation?

You have four tires on your vehicle and by rotating them, you remove them all and put them in different positions. The tire on the front left might move to the back right and so on. A tire on the front of your car may wear differently than a tire on the back of your vehicle. By rotating the tires, they have the chance to wear evenly, and that way, they won’t wear down as quickly.

How Often?

How often you need to rotate your tires depends on the vehicle you have and the type of tires you have put on. You can talk to the auto repair shop about how often you need to have tire rotations done. In general, you can count on about every 5,000 miles. If you want to get that done every oil change, that would be a good rule of thumb. You can always ask the technicians when you go in for a tune-up whether or not it needs to be done and they can advise you as to what you should do.

Philadelphia, PA auto repairs

Why?

Tire rotation is important to the lifespan of your tires. If you leave them as they are, they will wear down in one spot very quickly and you will have to replace them faster. By rotating them around, you lengthen their life and you can enjoy them longer without having to buy new ones faster. The tires are also going to give you a better ride and work in a more efficient manner, giving you lower gas mileage. You could also notice a better grip on the road when your vehicle has tires that are in good condition, which can remain longer when you have rotations on a regular basis. It’s for the best for the tires, your vehicle’s safety, your vehicle’s efficiency, and many other things.

If you need to ask questions about how often you need a tire rotation, or you want to get in for an oil change and have them checked out, the professionals who help you with auto repair in Philadelphia, PA are there to help with tire needs as well. At Schafer’s Auto Center, we will help you stay on top of tire rotation needs and when the time comes to replace those tires, we will let you know when that’s a good idea. We’re here to help you keep your vehicle in the safest, most efficient working order so it will last as long as possible. We believe in preventative measures that will cost you less in the long run.

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