Auto experts recommend that you get a tune up for your vehicle about every 10,000 miles or every year, whichever comes soonest. That’s the recommendation for older – let’s say, more seasoned – vehicles with a non-electric ignition. 

Getting a Tune Up for New Versus Older Vehicles 

Tune Up

For newer vehicles with an electric ignition and fuel injection systems, you can afford to go slightly longer between one tune up and another. It definitely pays off in the long-term health of your vehicle to have a tune up if you’re on the fence about going to the auto shop for a look. 

When you hit the brakes for a pit stop at All Around Auto Repair, you’ll get your spark plugs replaced and spark plug wires inspected. A more thorough tune up will mean having your fuel filter, rotor, PVC valve, air filter, and a number of other systems checked out. 

The mechanics at All Around Auto Repair keep a shop manual on hand that outlines the maintenance schedule for your vehicle’s make, model, and year. This ensures that you get the coverage and care that your vehicle needs.

The age and mileage of your particular vehicle is factored into the equation as well to account for the fact that certain parts need to be inspected, overhauled, or replaced at predictable intervals.

Unignorable Signs 

You should definitely think about coming in sooner rather than later if your car is experiencing any of the following symptoms: you suddenly notice a huge drop in gas mileage (e.g., you can only get 160 miles out of a full tank of gas instead of 270), an appreciable loss of power when you hit the accelerator, an engine that knocks. 

Another tell-tale sign that you need to take your vehicle in for an immediate tune up is a check engine light that’s flashing instead of just staying on. When the check engine light flashes, that means that a problem is imminent and that you need to make a pit stop into All Around Auto Repair as soon as possible. 

Get Peace of Mind with a Diagnostic Scan 

Whether you have a huge problem on your hands or you only need your oil changed and your spark plugs replaced, the true benefit of going in for a professional tune up is getting a diagnostic scan. Today’s cars are different than ones made a single genation ago. 

Modern cars have are highly computerized, so that you might be hard pressed to come up with a quick diagnosis without a diagnostic scanning tool of your own. A scan, for instance, might tell you that your air filter has aged prematurely and your engine right now isn’t getting enough air to run efficiently. 

The problem of waiting too long between one tune up and another is that you would never know that a problem like this exists. The air-fuel ratio in your engine might continue to run richer and richer until other engine components start to hit the skids and your fuel economy really starts going down. 

In the worst case scenario, you could wind up stranded on the side of the road and having to resort to calling a tow truck to find your way home. That could all be avoided by getting your vehicle checked out according to the maintenance schedule and your owner’s manual. 

If you don’t have that at the ready, then come into All Around Auto Repair. A shop manual is kept on site to help ensure that your vehicle gets taken care of. Remember that preventive maintenance leads to a more efficient and longer lasting vehicle! Contact us for more information.