What to Look Out For When Looking for a Service Station
The best way to guarantee an enjoyable automobile relationship with your oil change service provider is to ensure they are available when you need them. The best way to guarantee this kind of availability is by choosing a company with a solid reputation for making sure it’s your car that needs the service, not someone else’s. It goes without saying that some oil change services will work on another vehicle in the same oil change queue, but this should only be expected if the mechanic has a good track record and performs his or her job with professionalism. There are a number of indicators that help car owners judge the reputation of their oil change providers. Read on to find out what these indicators are, and how you can use them to protect yourself and your investment.
– Shops that are licensed by your state should have a license number that is posted on the front of their shop sign. This license number can usually be verified by looking up your state licensing board’s website. If a mechanic has a great reputation in your area, chances are they’ll also have a good reputation for providing fast, quality oil changes, so look for evidence of this. In addition, your oil filter should always be changed in the same oil filter carrier that came with your vehicle, as filters can vary between manufacturers.
– Your oil change service ticket should tell you what size of a full-service engine oil filter you need to use on your vehicle. If it doesn’t, then your mechanic probably isn’t using the right size. You should also find out if your mechanic suggests running your motor oil on an automatic transmission or if he recommends a transfer case.
– Finally, the location of the service site and the availability of parts if necessary are two other important indicators of a good, reliable, and professional oil change service technician. If your technician is several blocks away from your home, or if your home isn’t close enough to allow the technician to come to your location, then that’s another red flag. Also, if your technician prefers to come to you rather than your vehicle, this is another reason to be wary.
Don’t forget, though, that just because your mechanic recommends a certain type of oil or wears a specific brand of spark plug or wears a specific type of valve stem, it doesn’t mean that those things will necessarily apply to your vehicle maintenance needs. For instance, if your vehicle maintenance needs include regular oil changes or the replacement of engine parts like an oil filter or a valve stem, you should always buy synthetic oil instead of conventional oil to help reduce your fuel consumption. If you have less than 3,000 miles or never have maintained your vehicle at all, you can probably get by with a conventional lubricant. But if you regularly take your vehicle to an auto service shop for oil changes and other maintenance, then you should consider a synthetic oil.