Recently we’ve seen several new customers bring their cars into the shop for emergency repairs. We discovered that both vehicles were in terrible condition caused by something we call “Quick Lube Dependency.”

Taking your car to a Quick Lube for an oil change is fast, convenient, and affordable. However, using a Quick Lube for other services, including preventative maintenance can be quite problematic, resulting in your car not getting the proper care it needs to ensure a long life of smooth driving.

Too many car owners think that getting an oil change every 3,000 miles is all the preventative maintenance that their vehicle needs. This could not be further from the truth. All they need to do is check their car’s service manual to see the long list of services recommended on a regular basis. Quick Lubes give you an oil change and top off some other essential fluids. However, there is more to preventative maintenance than a quick change and fill. Here are four checkups you need a professional, ACE certified mechanic to perform on a regular basis:

1. Check the brakes. Your brakes are a critical safety system on your car, and most quick lube shops simply check the fluid level. However, in addition to checking the fluid level at regular intervals, your brake pads and discs, lining and drums, brake lines, parking brakes, front and rear axle boots, and axle shaft joints need to be inspected.
2. Check the tires. Some quick lubes check your tire pressure, but what about examining the actual condition of the tires. Your tires need to be inspected at least annually. This includes more than just checking the tread thickness. Looking at the age of the tire, along with rotating the tire and inspecting the whole contact surface and tire walls is also essential. We check for anything in the tire that could cause a puncture. During inspections, our technicians have discovered many items that could result in a roadside emergency. Our approach is to always take preventative action. It’s a much better approach than fixing the issue later. Your tires should be rotated regularly. This is not a part of the standard quick lube oil change service.
3. Check the steering and suspension. Most manufacturers recommend that the steering and suspension be checked at regular intervals, particularly if your vehicle is used under severe driving conditions. Your car needs to be road tested by a certified mechanic to accomplish this. When was the last time your quick lube shop took your vehicle out for a road test?
4. Test the battery and do a full computer scan to make sure there are no other issues that need to be addressed.

When you bring your car into BA Auto Care, our mechanics give it a thorough inspection, making sure to carefully follow the manufacturer recommendations, which can vary dramatically from manufacturer to manufacturer and model to model. Once we have established a benchmark for your vehicle, we will establish a customized preventive maintenance program to keep your car road worthy.