Every Automobile Owner Needs to Learn about Tires

Putting money into your vehicle maintenance is always a good idea. As far as getting a car tune up is concerned, the three scenarios below are key times when you really should get your car into an auto shop for inspection and auto maintenance.

Your Fuel Performance Has Gone Down

In many modern vehicles, it's easy to see how many miles per gallon you're getting at all times. But that leads a lot of people to monitor their gas mileage religiously. There are some times when your gas mileage naturally goes down. If the weather is colder, for instance, you will almost always see a hit in your miles per gallon performance, both because the colder temperatures are hard on the engine and because the cold temperatures change the gasoline volume to make it less energy-rich. But if this is not your issue, there are plenty of valid problems that are worth checking out with your mechanic. It could be something as simple as needing new oil, or you could have engine deposits or a clogged filter.

Your Car Is Sluggish to Start or Accelerate

Cars that don't seem to want to go can also have a number issues. A common one is old spark plugs that need to be replaced.

Your Check Engine Light Is On

If any of the lights on your dashboard have come on, then this is a good opportunity to find out what those codes mean. Your mechanic will run a code reader on your vehicle and investigate any problems that come up. Then, they will provide estimates for how to get the damage repaired and tell you how urgent these services are.

When you go to the auto repair center for a tune up, the first thing they should ask you is why you've come in for a tune up. Likely, you will want to report at least one of the issues above as part of the issues you're experiencing with your car. That will help the mechanic narrow in on a more specific set of issues to check for thoroughly, although they should still inspect the entire vehicle to see what issues come up. A regular tune up is a great idea because it will help make your car last longer. But especially when you see some of the issues above, it's a great time to visit an auto maintenance center to get a tune up.