Extending the Life of Your Vehicle

Our Technicians have compiled tips to keeping your car running better and extending the life of your vehicle. Keeping up with your car’s maintenance and getting problems fixed before they become bigger problems are the keys to getting those extra years of life out of your car.

Tips for getting extra years out of your car and saving money in the long run.

1 - Change oil regularly, every 3000 - 5000 miles (longer if using synthetic, 7500)

2 - Check all fluid levels every few months (Transmission, brake, coolant and power steering)

3 - Change air filter (Usually every 6 months, car will get higher gas mileage and run better )

4 - Check tire pressure and wheels (Properly inflated tires give you better gas mileage, uneven wear from being out of balance or alignment causes vibration that can cause stress on the car's suspension).

5 - Fluid flushes (Transmission, brake and power steering flushes. These fluids breakdown contaminated by impurities, dirt, moisture and corrosive properties that cause these systems to have expensive problems.

6 - Schedule a safety inspection twice a year, more often if you do a lot of driving. (We perform a safety inspection with every oil change)

7 - Protect your car's exterior and interior. (Have your car waxed twice a year and keep the dirt and grime from the inside. This will increase your car’s value when it’s time to sell and it just feels better)

8 - Fix the small issues now (Small issues with your car often turn into big issues if they are not repaired in a timely manner, coolant leaks, oil leaks)

9 - Know your car (be sure to glance through your owner's manual to get an idea about your scheduled maintenance, as always we will be glad to help you with your scheduled maintenance)

All of these tips are inexpensive and have a huge effect on how well your vehicle runs. These simple tips will absolutely help lengthen the life of your car.

Make Your Holiday Travel Safer

Get an Oil Change and a Vehicle Safety Inspection

With a busy holiday season going on don't forget that we do get extremely busy and it can be difficult to get an appointment.

During your Oil Change we will perform a Safety Inspection Check of the following items:

Tires  
Tire Pressure
Batteries
Brakes
Hoses
Belts
Air Filters
Wipers

Lights
Fluid Levels including Engine Oil, Brake Fluid, Transmission Fluid, Power Steering Fluid, Windshield Wiper Solvent and Antifreeze/Coolant.

A reminder that our other shop Atlanta Hybrid Repair / ToyoTechs 2 is now servicing Gas Powered and Hybrid, Honda, Acura, Toyota, Lexus, Mazda, Hyundai, Infiniti, Nissan and other brands.

For Appointments

AHR / ToyoTechs 2 - 770-492-7437

Always be Prepared, Get Regular Safety Inspections

Whether you're just driving around town, heading to the mountains or to visit home this fall. Atlanta Hybrid Repair reminds you to make sure your vehicle is ready for the road. Having a thorough vehicle  inspection is a must to avoid the inconvenience and safety hazards of breaking down.

ToyoTechs recommends a check of the following, tires and tire pressure, batteries, brakes, hoses, belts, air filters, wipers, fluid levels including engine oil, windshield wiper solvent and antifreeze/coolant.

We also recommend that you keep a emergency travel kit in your car. The emergency kit should include a first aid kit, jumper cables, flashlight, water, blanket and a snack. You may think you might not need an emergency kit however even driving around town you may get stuck for a few hours or more. (remember Atlanta’s Snowmageddon 2014)

The smart thing is to always get a safety check before traveling. Even if driving locally, have your vehicle inspected at least twice a year.

Regular preventive maintenance is probably the single thing you can do as a car owner to keep your car running and save money on repairs in the future.

Thoughts: Pre Purchase and Safety Inspections                                                                                                                                                        

Over the last year I have put out information that is both useful and infused with money saving tips. I’ve written about Pre Purchase Inspections in the past however another situation has popped up. A customer recently purchased a used car without getting a pre purchase inspection and then brought the car in for a safety inspection. This was an absolutely beautiful vehicle inside and out until we put it up on a lift and looked underneath. OUCH !!! This car came from up north and apparently the years of road salt had totally damaged the underside of the car. (see pictures below) Telling you about the amount of rust on this vehicle cannot be overstated. The whole underside of the vehicle is so incredibly damaged we’re not sure how long this car will be driveable. If your are purchasing a used vehicle PLEASE have us inspect it first. It is a slight inconvenience and will take about 30 - 45 minutes however it could save you thousands of dollars and a lot of heartache.

I also put a lot of information out about having a safety inspection on your vehicle at least twice a year, more often if you drive a lot.  During this inspection we inspect tires, hoses, belts, brakes, all fluids, the cooling system and suspension. More often than not the safety inspection is performed during your regular oil change. However we always do a safety check when you come in for any service. I cannot tell you how often we find coolant leaks, oil leaks, worn belts, brakes and other problems during this check. That's the bad news. The good news is how often these problems are caught in the nick of time so that you don’t end up with a blown engine or stuck on the side of the road. Yes the found repairs cost money however it’s always better to catch the problem now instead of later.

The idea I am trying to present to you it’s always better to take a little time and money now than a lot of time and money later. We will fix your vehicle when you have a major repair however we would like to see you avoid the time and expense of these problems if possible.

As I have said before, we are here to serve you and help keep you safe from the villains in the car sales business.