Author: CarServiceLand

How Much Does Tune Up Cost?

What is a car tune-up?

To begin with, what is a car turn up? It could be anything from changing the engine oil, inspecting the brakes, adjusting the valve, rotating the tires, or even lubricating some vital car parts. All these services and much more come under the domain of a car tune-up service.

That said, a car tune-up is a thing of the past. The term has been replaced with ‘routine car maintenance.’ Folks with older cars might still turn up at a garage seeking a car tune-up.

On the other hand, modern car owners will walk into a garage seeking routine car maintenance. In any case, it’s looked upon as a major service. Of course, some naysayers may say that it’s less critical. But then, it’s necessary. So, it should not be neglected. After all, your car’s well-being is in your own hands.

Why is a car tune-up needed?

There’s no car out there that has non-maintenance parts. Eventually, most of the parts will either break or wear out with age/use. To put it in simple words; most of the car parts need some degree of maintenance at periodic intervals. Over here, non-adherence can cause the parts to go bad prematurely.

In other words, a car tune-up service is required to prevent your car parts from failing badly. Of course, timely car tune-up will also ensure that your car stays reliable and safe enough to be driven on the streets on any given day of the week.

The good news is that modern-day cars do not really need much maintenance. That said, the owner manual will provide you with a fair idea about the maintenance that needs to be carried out every year. Based on the services that need to be performed, your mechanic will tell you the cost needed to perform those services.

How do you know your car is due for a tune-up?

There are many noticeable signs that will tell you that your car needs some servicing to perform at its best. Let’s look at these signs:

  • Difficulty in starting the car
  • Engine light turning on
  • Decreased mileage
  • Diminishing performance
  • Noise coming from the car
  • Nonresponsive brakes
  • Occasional stalling
what does tune up consist of: replace spar plugs, replace rotors, check distributor cap an replace, check timing and adjust if necessary, check ignition wires and replace, check idle speed, check choke, check compression and power balance, check vehicle computer for trouble codes, check safety items, check battery voltage....
A complete car tune-up service list

Keep in mind that your car may require a tune-up, even when it’s not displaying any of the above-mentioned symptoms. In other words, don’t wait for the symptoms to show up to take care of your car’s well-being. So, refer to the owner manual to check the suggested interval for a car tune-up.

If you have any doubts, have a word with a mechanic whom you can fully trust. If a car has a running issue, a good car technician will advise you to allow the shop to carry out a diagnostic service to test if everything is working as per the manufacturer’s suggested specifications.

How much does a car tune-up cost?

How much does vehicle tune-up service cost at average?

As explained earlier, a lot of services come under the umbrella of a car tune-up. Depending on the many different services you avail of, the average cost for a car tune-up may vary from $50 to $1500. It really depends on the extent of the procedure conducted by the car technician.

Needless to say, complex procedures would cost far more than a simple fix.

Of course, the cost will also depend on the year, make, and model of your vehicle. If you own a normal car that doesn’t require complex tasks to be conducted, for quality tune-up service expect an invoice of anywhere from $50 to $300. If you own a luxury car that requires complex procedures, the cost that you will incur will range from $400 to $1500. As you might already know, both the labor and parts are expensive for luxury cars.

Average Tune-Up Costs Table

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Typical tune-up milestones:

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How to save money on car tune-up?

If you are able to properly diagnose the maintenance tasks to be carried out for your car to perform at its best, you can perform most of the tasks yourself. Of course, some degree of mechanical knowledge or experience is a must as well, of course, to not screw things up. After all, a failed attempt can lead to a more expensive repair.

how to save money with on tune-up service with couponsComing back to proper diagnosis, the car manual will make it easy to determine what tasks need to be carried out, and at what interval. For instance, the owner manual will suggest that you change the oil filter once the car has driven 3000 miles. The recommended interval for spark plug change would be around 20,000 to 40,000 miles, and so on.

If you can replace the spark plug on your own, do it. Then, take your car to the repair shop only for an oil filter replacement. The key is proper diagnosis so that you can perform all the simple tasks yourself and leave the complex procedures to the professionals. Simple checks like fluid levels, condition of the brakes, belts, tires, etc., do not even require any tools.

By completing the majority of the manageable tasks yourself, you will be able to save a good chunk of money that goes into the labor and mark-ups on car parts.

How often you should perform tune-up service?

Here are service intervals for some of the most common tune-up services:

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Final Words About Tune-Up Prices:

tune up car
Car Tune-up Service

Whether you own a regular or a luxury car, take your car to a trusted mechanic because shady mechanics will try to take you for a ride by doing an improper diagnosis. Consequently, they will slap you with an invoice that has unfair prices on it.

Basically, they will either overprice you for everything or try to upsell things that you might not need. Unfortunately, people with little to no car experience and knowledge will fall into this trap. If you find an auto repair shop that has been around for years in the business, your chances of getting scammed would be relatively less than taking your car to a newly opened shop.

You can also look for AAA certifications in the auto repair center or on their official website. Better still, you can ask friends, relatives, or family members for solid recommendations. If they feel that they have been ripped by a shop, it’s in your best interest to avoid getting the work done from the same shop.

Finally, make sure that you get a second or even a third opinion so that you don’t end up paying more than what is needed for a car tune-up.

How Much Does a Brake Fluid Flush Cost and When To Do It?

In jargon-free words, brake fluid is responsible for moving various components of the brake that exist in your car’s braking system. Brake fluid not only works to lubricate the parts but also to reduce friction between them. Because it’s a hygroscopic fluid, it starts absorbing water, which makes it less effective, requiring you to flush it at a set interval.

As expected, bad or lack of brake fluid can cause disappointment in the way your brake functions. Basically, you will lose partial or full control of your brakes. We don’t need to tell that many people out there might piss in their underwear, upon losing partial or full control of the brakes. The good news is that most of the modern cars do a good job of warning the driver of this issue before all hell breaks loose.

Brake Fluid Change Cost 2024 Price Comparison:

The expense won’t differ a lot, no matter what make or model of the car you own. Normally, it takes less than an hour to conduct the work, and brake fluid isn’t too expensive. To top it all, the majority of the vehicles out there won’t need more than one liter of brake fluid for flushing, and approximately the same amount of fluid for a fluid top-up.

To give you a better picture of the expenses; you should be looking to spend anywhere in the ballpark of $70 to $110 for brake fluid flush. All things considered; brake fluid flush is not going to create a dent in your bank account. Frankly speaking, even money-hungry mechanics don’t charge much for a job of this nature.

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How Often Should You Flush/Replace the Brake Fluid?

Brake fluid change cost price comparison

The standard timeframe for brake fluid flushing and replacement is two to three years, especially when your car features anti-lock brakes, which is a more sophisticated type of braking system. Of course, the folks who sell and make money out of selling brake fluid will suggest you to do it much sooner. The good news is that your car will run fine, even if you ignore their self-centered advice. That said, it’s better to refer to the user manual to see what the car manufacturer recommends.

Here’s what you need to do.

Since they have designed the car, they would know the engineering stuff better than anyone else. That said, there could be some extenuating circumstances where you will have to flush/replace the brake fluid sooner than expected (here you can read about brake fluid change frequency). This usually depends on one’s driving habits, accidental overspills, and corrosion. Also, you can prevent some other damages of brake system parts and control future brake replacement costs.

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Brake Fluid Flush Procedure Explained

Frankly speaking, it’s not a rocket-science feat to get the brake fluid flushed and replaced, which means that you don’t need a hardcore mechanic degree for this. Seriously, a job of this nature can fit the profile of weekend warriors too.

  • Draw the fluid from the master cylinder reservoir by using a turkey blaster.
  • Once this is accomplished, the brake system will still hold around 20% of the brake fluid.
  • Pour the new brake fluid into the master cylinder reservoir.
  • Now, comes the flushing part, which involves bleeding the brake caliper.
  • You will start with the brake caliper that is farthest from the brake reservoir.
  • If the brake reservoir is located in the engine bay, you will start bleeding at the rear.
  • Jack up that side of your car that you need to bleed first.
  • Keep in mind that you will have to remove the tires to access the brake caliper.
  • You need to locate the bleeder valve as well.
  • Ask a helper to press the brake pedals when you are opening the bleeder valve.
  • For those who don’t know, this will forcefully throw the fluid out.
  • You will have to repeat this step until the brake fluid changes it color from dark to light.
  • The color change will tell you that your is ready to use the new brake fluid that was poured a little earlier.
  • You will have to follow the same process for the remaining brake calipers until you are done with all four of them.
  • Once done, top off the master cylinder reservoir with the new brake fluid.
  • Finally, test-drive the car to inspect whether or not the job was done correctly. If you notice any issues, re-inspect the brakes to fix the issue.

Important Pointer: Even car dummies will tell you that it’s important to use high-quality brake fluid from a reputed manufacturer. A good quality brake fluid won’t absorb moisture. Also, make it a point to keep the brake fluid far away from painted surfaces. Remember, the brakes can fail if you don’t flush the brake fluid properly. So, do a good job without any rush. Leave it for another day, if you don’t have enough time at hand.

How to Save Money on Brake Fluid Flush Cost?

In today’s age and time, you will find plenty of information on how to do a job of this nature on your own. Obviously, this will save you the labor expenses. Although brake fluid doesn’t cost a lot, if you research well enough, you might be able to get the fluid at a lower price. You can use one of the brake service coupons and get the best possible brake fluid flush price.

Of course, the big savings will come from not neglecting the work for long. So, don’t try to save $100-odd dollars that go into brake fluid cost, and end up losing brake parts worth two grants due to corrosion. As you can tell, it’s a small investment to protect the vital components of your beloved car.

How To Check Your Car Battery Before Winter

Winter is rapidly approaching. It is important to inspect your car battery quickly. Severe temperatures are hard on a battery and you do not want to awaken to a dead battery on a cold and wintry morning.

How To Check Your Car Battery

Take your vehicle to your neighborhood dealership, independent, or many car components shops to have them check it. You can call ahead very first and see if they supply free battery testing or exactly what the cost could be. If you do have to pay a charge, there is a likelihood they will certainly be inspecting some extra items for you at the same time. Bear in mind, ask concerns.

checking car battery before winterThe battery check informs the overall health of the battery. Batteries are rated in cold cranking amps when they check your battery they are inspecting just how numerous cool cranking amps your battery is currently putting out compared to exactly what it is ranked for. Many of the new screening gadgets are pass/fail. The battery is additionally tested to see exactly how well it replies to having a bunch put on it. A great technician will certainly additionally be looking at your cable televisions and terminals to make certain they are in good condition.

Buy the best battery that you could afford. Look at the warranty size of the battery and get the longest one feasible. Generally speaking, if your battery is four years or older it probably will require replacing. A common price variety is $ 50– $ 100, depending on the quality and where you buy it. Besides a new auto dealership, Hubby would certainly suggest buying a car battery from Napa Auto Parts, Sam’s Wholesale Club, or Walmart. You can find coupons for car batteries here.

Batteries are HEAVY. You may need another person to carry it and to install it. If you are not sure exactly what you are doing DO NOT INSTALL THE BATTERY YOURSELF. You can harm your automobile in major methods. You might additionally harm yourself! Batteries are full of acid, keep them level when eliminating and saving, and do not drop them. Use laminated safety glass also.

Check Your Car Manual

Remember that all autos are different. Check your owner’s manual– that book in the glove box– for specifications for your make and design or check with the area new vehicle dealership of your make. It is much simpler to set up time for upkeep like this than to need to replace a battery when it actually fails, which would most likely be when you are bustling.

For those curious, Hubby is a master approved ASE specialist, a Lexus Senior Certified Technician, and has over 25 years experience in the motor vehicle industry. And yes, a few of that vehicle expertise even seeps over to me occasionally!

Motorcycle Oil Change

What’s the difference between a motorcycle oil change and an automobile oil change? Motorcycles have their own motorcycle oil to use on your bike and you’ll find that motorcycle oils don’t require friction modifiers for fuel economy, unlike their passenger vehicle counterparts. Passenger vehicles tend to place more emphasis on fuel economy and emission systems and their motor oil reflects this requirement while the emphasis on these factors for motorcycles is not as great.

When Is The Right Time To Get A Motorcycle Oil Change?

motorcycle oil changeA motorcycle oil change is necessary to increase the life of the engine and must be done at regular intervals. This oil change interval varies depending upon whether you are on a short drive or a long one.

As far as motorcycle oil change frequency, consult your owner’s manual to be sure but you’ll probably find that most manufacturers don’t recommend going more than 8,000 after break-in without getting your first oil change. The most commonly recommended oil change frequency for bikes is typically 3,000-4,000 miles if your bikes take mostly short trips since it causes the most stress on the oil. If your bike goes on a long trip, you might find that a 6,000-8,000 mile oil change interval will suffice.

Almost all motorcycle oils contain polymers that degrade during transmission and when the polymers are degraded properly then only the motorcycle oil change should be done. These polymer oriented oils degrade more often and hence require oil changes at repeated intervals. The use of synthetic oils helps in overcoming this problem.

Again, consult your owner’s manual. And check our list of oil change discount coupons to save some money.

Motorcycle Oil

You’ll probably be going to find that motorcycle oil is more expensive than regular motor oil so changing your bike’s oil more frequently than the recommended service interval is probably a waste of time and money in more ways than one since in addition to the oil being more expensive, more frequent oil changes probably won’t help your engine at all.

Which Type Of Motor Oils Are Recommended?

Synthetic oils are recommended over other oils because they have a comparatively lower factor of degradation. This low factor helps in reducing the oil change interval.

So, should you choose synthetic or regular motorcycle oil? Again, check your owner’s manual but for regular (i.e. non-racing) driving a cheaper regular motor oil for your bike should suffice and save you money at the same time.

How Much Does Motorcycle Oil Change Cost?

As we already said motorcycle oils are usually costlier than other regular automotive oils. But the motorcycle engines are sufficient for either of these oils. They are built so well in technology that the use of either of these oils is equal to them.

For a new bike, it is highly recommended that the first three oil changes are done by the person from whom you purchased the bike, i.e. the dealer. But if you are financially conscious, then you can save a lot on the cost of an oil change by performing this task yourself after the first three oil changes. The cost of the motorcycle oil change varies from approximately $15 at home to $50 – $75 at the shop.

The time to perform the oil change varies from 30 minutes at home to 1 hour at the shop. These factors vary depending on the vehicle owned by you. The cost of a motorcycle oil change includes labor charges for oil and filter change.

Motorcycle Oil Filters

motorcycle oil filterYou’ll find a number of OEM oil filters for your bike. There are plenty of motorcycle oil filters to choose from coming from brands like AMSOIL, Champion, Mobil 1, WIX, Purolator, and Bosch among others. You’ll also find Honda and other motorcycle brands with their own oil filters for their bikes too.

Purolator, Mobil, and Bosch produce some of the higher quality filters that you’ll find on the market although it’s open for debate and people often have their own favorites based on their personal experience and biases.

As with an automobile oil change, it’s recommended that you change your motorcycle oil filter with each oil change.

 

Motorcycle Oil Change Coupons

These motorcycle oil change coupons are available at our website. You can enjoy huge savings by simply doing some research.  Here is a list of some popular coupon categories:

• Midas oil change coupons are provided by Midas, an automobile service firm, also help in decreasing the cost of an oil change. These stores also provide fluid changes, brake checks etc as additional services along with oil change.

• Valvoline Instant oil change coupons provide a $5 off on conventional oil change and $7 off on premium oil change. By premium, they mean synthetic oils – full and semi both.

• Pep Boys motorcycle oil change coupons provide you with some interesting discounts. They guarantee your oil change within 29 minutes and if they are unable to do so they provide you with a relaxation of $10 on your next visit.

• NTB oil change coupons provide up to 50% off on selected oil changes. They initially specialized in replacements of tire, battery etc but gradually extended to performing oil changes for vehicles too. They provide additional services of checking fluid levels, replacing old oil filters with a new one and maintenance analysis.

• Firestone oil change coupons are available at approximately 1,500 locations all over America. An example of the type of coupon they offer is buy 3 get 1 free and up to $30 off on standard oil changes.

• Jiffy Lube oil change coupons provide you with a $5 off an oil change. Their services include 5 quarts motor oil with an oil filter along with cleaning of windows, checking the pressure in tires and other small tasks.

• 5-minute oil change coupons are useful for customers looking to get the service done quickly. They provide a $5 off on an oil change and also provide a few additional services too.

• Pennzoil 10 minute oil change coupons provide a $5 off on motorcycle oil change. These stores provide few more services for fluid, battery and brake fluid problems.

These motorcycle oil change coupons are usually available online also. They can be printed from there and can be used at any of the retail outlets directly.

How To Change Your Motorcycle Oil and Filter

Noisy Brakes Can Be Costly If Neglected

If you are not having your brakes regularly maintained then you may start to notice some of the warning signs of brake wear. Squealing or grinding noises, pulsation in the brake pedal, the brake pedal going down very close to the floor before the brakes engage are all indications that you need to get the brakes checked.

Listen to Your Brakes

Fix Noisy BrakesCars have a small indicator tab on the brakes. The indicator tab lets you know when it’s time for brake service. It will start to make a squealing noise when the brakes are worn down. And sometimes, when you hit the brakes it goes away. So, people think it’s not the brakes because it goes away when you hit the brakes. But, in reality, it’s because when the pad touches the rotor, it swells up the pad and pulls the tab away (stopping the noise). But eventually, the noise will return.

Fix noisy brakes before they cause problems

As soon as you hear that telltale squealing sound, get the brakes serviced. What can be done, is to replace the pads and resurface the rotors. If the problem is not fixed right away then the rotors will be ruined. That means they will have to be completely replaced instead of just resurfaced. So, to keep the brake service cost low it is important to attend to noisy brakes promptly. Also, you need to check and regularly change the brakes fluid.

Here is a quick summary of what to look and listen for to know if your vehicle’s brakes need service:

  • Soft or inconsistent brake pedal
  • Stiff brake pedal
  • Constantly lit brake warning light
  • Noisy brakes making squealing or grinding sounds
  • Shuddering or vibrations when applying brakes

What if the brakes fail while driving?

A car’s brake system is an incredibly important safety feature of a car. If you are mechanically minded and take care of your car’s maintenance yourself, then do not wait until the brake pads are completely worn out. Keeping the brake system in tip-top shape – from the brake pads to the rotors – should be every driver’s top priority.

But, what can you do if you are driving along in your car, step on the brake pedal, and nothing happens? The first thing to remember is to stay calm. Try pressing the brake pedal repeatedly, then press the pedal to the floor. The brake failure maybe just a temporary weakness of the brake and this motion can be enough to get it working again.

If that does not work, downshift and pull the handbrake while pressing the lock button, which should cause gradual deceleration until the car stops. Do not abruptly engage the handbrake as you may spin into a U-turn.

Brake Service – Repairs and Maintenance

Generally pretty much all elements associated with the brake system of your own car are manufactured to keep working, however, it is highly recommended to check your braking system routinely and adjust brake pads, rotors, line, and fluid if necessary. To save your money we provide brake service coupons.

Brake Service

To fully understand the value of the braking system why don’t we briefly look at how it functions. Whenever anyone presses the brake pedal in your car or truck, it engages the primary brake cylinder. The piston within the cylinder creates the pressure within the brake lines which are connected to each individual wheel. Afterward, the brake fluid under pressure activates every wheel cylinder, which in turn then forces brake pads to the rotors. This causes each of the wheels stops which in turn causes the entire car to stop going. A wonderful design was the generation of the vacuum brake booster, which makes it simpler for us to put pressure on the brake pedal, and causes the complete system more efficient.

brake serviceAfter a particular interval of usage there arrives a point in time when the brake pads need replacement, become hazardously thin, which often everyone can identify by screeching or squealing noise while stopping. If not dealt with, the pad may possibly damage brake rotor which will call for its replacement since even if you put in brand new pads, they will likely require replacement again after several months of driving a car.

The substitution of the brake rotors sometimes is not necessary, you can get away by means of just resurfacing them. Actually, everyone needs to perform the sanding and resurfacing of your brake rotors every now and then regardless. This approach will certainly keep their layer nice and identical and subsequently, each of those of your brake pads and rotors will survive a lot longer. You can usually see that the rotor is distorted by the pulsating brake pedal.

If you detect that your brake pedal moves too far any time you brake, that could quite possibly indicate air inside the brake lines. Normally you can pump the pedal whenever you begin using the brakes, but it is crucial to analyze your brake system and identify the issue. In reality, it is required to do so immediately if you also endure such warning signs as the plushy brake pedal, hard brake pedal, pulling to one side. For ideal results in diagnosing and fixing your brake line, pads and rotors remember to head to your local mechanic.