Maintenance Tips

Your battery is the starting point for all of your car's systems and should always be kept in good working order. Luckily, today's modern car batteries are sealed and maintenance-free. Most should typically last at least three years. However, there are still measures you can take to ensure you get the most out of your battery and prevent unexpected breakdowns and costly repairs.

Your battery posts can significantly reduce battery performance if you allow corrosion to take hold. Corrosion around your battery posts is easily identified as a white, crusty buildup around your battery posts.

This corrosion can prevent proper contact between the battery and the posts, thereby reducing or even completely preventing proper contact. This can reduce battery life as well as make it very hard to start your car. A simple cleanup with a wire brush or a post-cleaning kit, available at any auto parts store, will easily remove corrosion and restore proper contact, giving you full power and reliable starting.
When the time comes to change your battery, German Car Repair can have the proper model battery for your car waiting for you when you arrive and install your new battery in less than ten minutes. Call us today for a fast, free quote.

Clean oil makes for a happy and well-lubricated engine. Checking and changing your oil regularly can vastly extend the life of your engine, improve fuel efficiency, and avoid very costly engine repairs and rebuilds. Follow the manufacturer's recommendations for oil change intervals and use quality oils.

Generally, this should be every three to six months or every three thousand miles, although some manufacturers have been able to extend that interval with some of their newer models. Remember, oil is the lifeblood of your engine, so this is one place you definitely shouldn't skimp on quality.

Sludge is the enemy! Sludge is a black, sticky, tar-like substance that is caused by the chemical breakdown of your engine oil. Adverse conditions, poor maintenance, high temperatures, and cheap oil can all be contributing factors to sludge buildup inside your engine. Regardless of the cause, sludge buildup can choke the internal parts of your engine and cause it to seize, which means an extremely costly repair. Again, the easiest way to avoid sludge is to perform regularly scheduled oil changes with a good quality oil.

German Car Repair uses only the highest-quality oils and filters. We can perform your foreign or domestic vehicle's oil change quickly and efficiently and have you back on the road in a matter of minutes! Call us today to schedule a service appointment.

As the name implies, engine coolant /antifreeze works to keep your engine running at optimal temperatures and prevent overheating. The last thing you want is to crack your engine block or warp your heads because of a faulty cooling system, allowing your engine to overheat.

The coolant flows from your radiator through your engine and cools all the internal parts by absorbing the engine heat, and then flows back to the radiator to be cooled again. Your coolant should be changed every 30,000 miles to keep your engine running at peak efficiency.

 German Car Repair uses only the finest quality coolants, and we can typically get your coolant changed and have you on your way in less than an hour. Call us today or come in for a free inspection of your entire cooling system and make sure your car never gets too hot to handle.

Just as your car's engine needs vital lubrication to keep running at optimal efficiency, so too does your transmission. Any driver who's heard the awful noise of gnashing gears in their transmission will attest to the shivers they can send up your spine. There aren't too many things worse than hearing those terrible signs of a dying transmission.

 A properly maintained transmission extends engine life and improves gas mileage by keeping your car in the right gear under all driving conditions. Most times, trouble can be avoided by regularly checking and maintaining proper transmission fluid levels in your engine and changing your fluid every 30,000 miles.

German Car Repair offers complete transmission service and maintenance for all foreign and domestic cars. Call us today for a free quote on changing your transmission fluid or for a complete transmission inspection to keep your car shifting smoothly.

Nothing can be quite as scary as putting your foot on the brakes and feeling nothing but a spongy reaction from your brake pedal or, worse, feeling the brake pedal go all the way to the floor with no apparent reduction in your car's speed. Proper brake adjustment and regular service can truly mean the difference between life and death. 

The time to think about servicing your brakes is not when you're forced to make a panic stop. It should be well before you feel anything is wrong with your brakes. 

Brake fluid levels should always be kept within recommended tolerances. Pads, rotors, and other components should be checked regularly and replaced at the first sign of trouble. Typical warning signs of brake problems are braking noise, vibrations, and/or grabbing when you apply the brakes.

Proper brake system maintenance and installation is best left to a professional, and German Car Repair's technicians are among the best in the industry. Call us today for a free quote on a quality brake job, or come in for a free brake system inspection to keep you, your family, and your car running safe and sound.

Most auto manufacturers recommend changing your air filter every 12,000 – 15,000 miles. Your air filter is the first line of defense in keeping harmful dust and particulates out of your engine and intake system. An old air filter is usually quite dirty and clogged, which can restrict airflow and cause a significant reduction in performance, efficiency, and gas mileage. A new, clean air filter allows your engine to breathe much easier, improving performance, gas mileage, and horsepower.

German Car Repair can install the proper air filter for your car and help you get the most out of your engine. Call us or come into our shop for a free air filter inspection. If your car needs a new air filter, we can install it immediately to get your car breathing freely again.

Your car's fuel filter helps prevent debris from clogging your fuel line or getting into your engine, where it can cause damage to the internal parts. Most fuel filters should be replaced annually to ensure optimal fuel delivery and peak performance. A clogged fuel filter can starve your car of fuel, which adversely affects the air/fuel ratio entering your engine. This can cause a 'lean' mixture, which can lead to bigger and much more expensive repairs.

German Car Repair can easily and quickly install a brand-new fuel filter in your foreign or domestic vehicle and get you back on the road safely and quickly. Call us today for a quick quote, or come in for a free fuel system inspection.

Your car's headlights and brake lights are a crucial part of overall vehicle safety for you and all drivers around you. Improperly aimed or dim headlights can greatly reduce your safe viewing distance at night and give you much less time to react to any oncoming dangers or surprises. Burnt-out brake lights or tail lights mean that drivers around you are unaware of your intention to stop, and that places you and all of your passengers in extreme danger by significantly increasing the chances of a rear-end collision.

Replacing and aiming headlights is a particularly delicate job, and sometimes, you might not even need a replacement if the culprit is a blown fuse. Headlight service is usually best left to a professional, as improper installation and aiming can sometimes lead to an accident or worse.

The pros at German Car Repair can inspect your lighting system, perform any installation or adjustments, and get you back on the road safely. Come in today for a free inspection and make sure you can see the road ahead.

Your car's tires keep your car riding smoothly and under control while driving, cornering, and braking. Those four little contact patches are the only thing between you and the road. Tires should be checked for wear often and should always be kept inflated at the manufacturer's recommended psi. A typical tire loses about one psi per month, or for every 10 degrees Fahrenheit change in temperature. It is vital that you make sure to check your tire pressure on a very regular basis.

Underinflated or over-inflated tires can cause premature tire wear, which will reduce the life of your tires as well as affect your car's responsiveness and handling. All of which can be dangerous. To avoid premature wear, you should rotate your tires approximately every 6,000 miles. If you notice uneven tire wear or the steering wheel pulling in one direction, you should have your alignment checked immediately to avoid further damage to your tires and possibly your suspension.

Bring your car into German Car Repair for a free tire and alignment check. We'll be happy to give you a fast quote on a new set of tires or rotate your existing tires quickly and properly and help keep your car glued to the road.