How often should you take your vehicle in for a tune up in Clinton, MD? Are there general guidelines or rules of thumb? Does that answer change depending on what you drive? Those are all great questions and we’ll offer our professional opinion just below!
Depending on who you ask, you’ll get a number of very different answers regarding how frequently you should have your vehicle tuned up. If you own an older car, truck, van or SUV that doesn’t have an electronic ignition system, you should probably have it done every 10,000 to 12,000 miles.
Newer vehicles with electronic ignition systems and fuel pumps can go much longer between tune ups. The range varies from one make and model to the next and can be as low as 25,000 miles and as high as 100,000 miles. In general, we recommending having a tune up in Clinton, MD every 30,000 miles to keep your vehicle operating at or near peak performance.
Having said that, if you begin experiencing performance issues with your vehicle, forget about the number of miles driven and bring it in right away. In most cases, fixing a performance issue when it’s still in its early stages is much less expensive than waiting until it gets worse. And it will get worse. To date, we’ve never seen a vehicle have problems that get better all by themselves. The longer you wait, the more damage your vehicle will suffer and the more difficult and expensive it will be to repair.
That brings up an interesting, related question though. What types of issues should you be on the lookout for that signal that it’s time for a tune up?
This is actually highly variable and in truth, it could be anything you don’t normally experience while driving. Among other things though, it includes:
- Poor gas mileage
- Slow performance
- Thumping or pinging noises, especially if they seem to be coming from your engine
- Minor electrical issues
- And airflow issues
In addition to the fact that regular tune ups allow us to spot problems while they’re still small and relatively easy and inexpensive to repair, regular tune ups will also improve the average gas mileage of your vehicle.
Our tune up service in Clinton, MD is both affordable and extensive and includes:
- Replacing the air filter
- Replacing the fuel filter if and as needed Installing new spark plugs and replacing ignition wires if they’re showing signs of wear
- Checking the valve cover gasket and adjusting the valves as needed
- Inspecting your vehicle and topping off all fluids
- And replacing the PCV valve if applicable
Don’t delay. If it’s been a while since you had your vehicle tuned up, or if you’re noticing any unusual behaviors, swing by our shop at your next available opportunity. You’ll be very glad you did.
