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Monthly Archives: October 2013

How to Know When to Change Your Oil at PONTE'S AUTOCARE

Today in the PONTE'S AUTOCARE auto care blog, we're going to talk to Wilmington drivers about oil change intervals. It seems that as engine technology advances, oil change intervals become longer for PONTE'S AUTOCARE customers. For example, recently four of the world's largest vehicle manufacturer's shortened the published intervals for several of their engine models. They originally published intervals that extended out to a much as 8,000 miles (13,000 kilometers).In real world Wilmington driving, the oil started to sludge up before the recommended change interval. Oil sludge is a thick jelly-like substance: quite literally petroleum jelly – like Vaseline. This goop was clogging vehicle small engine passages so the oil wouldn't flow to some parts of the engine. This resulted in engine damage. We see it too often at PONTE'S AUTOCARE in Wilmington.The vehicle manufacturers began to offer an extended warranty to cover sludge damage. But there was a catch: the vehi ... read more

Categories:

Fluids

Fuel Saving Tip: Dirty Oil in Your Wilmington Vehicle

If you're a quart low in your vehicle, there isn't enough motor oil to lubricate your engine properly. The extra friction causes drag that reduces fuel economy while you're driving around the Wilmington area.The same goes for dirty oil; it doesn't reduce friction properly. The result is you get to watch those numbers at your local Wilmington gas pump rolling higher and higher.The transmission also needs the proper amount of clean fluid to do its work. When it's in need of service, the transmission drags your fuel economy down.So keep it clean at PONTE'S AUTOCARE  and give yourself a fighting chance. PONTE'S AUTOCARE 2401 Concord Pike Wilmington, Delaware 19803 302

Categories:

Fuel System

Why People in Wilmington Hesitate to Get Their Vehicle Serviced

A recent report stated that over 80 percent of the vehicles on our Wilmington, Delaware, roads have one or more service or repair that's needed but hasn't been taken care of. Now that's a lot of undone service. That translates into something over 160 million vehicles in North America alone. Some of the neglected items are minor. Others are serious safety concerns.There are several reasons we hesitate to take care of recommended services, especially services that our Wilmington automotive advisor recommends when we're in for something else, like an oil change.The first issue boils down to comfort with car care. We don't always feel we know enough to make good decisions. Some of that can be attributed to the fact that vehicles are so reliable these days. They almost become an appliance. Of course you love your vehicle, but if you don't have to worry about it breaking down all the time, you're not forced to think as much about preventive main ... read more

Categories:

Inspection

The Maintenance Free Myth

Sometimes we hear people in Wilmington say, "What's up with all this maintenance stuff? Modern cars just don't break down." While it is true that today's vehicles are extremely reliable, they are also becoming increasingly complicated and use more exotic materials than ever before. All that complexity demands higher tolerances for everything. For example, most Wilmington drivers don't realize how high tech automotive fluids have become,  fluids such as engine oil, transmission fluid, coolant and brake fluid.Did you know that a modern engine would not run for more than a few months using motor oil formulas from 30 years ago? Today's automotive fluids contain a much higher percentage of additives to protect your vehicle's components from premature wear and corrosion. Time and distances march on for all of our cars. Please don't think we're using scare tactics to get you to take care of your maintenance - but here are some personal stories we've heard ... read more

Categories:

Maintenance
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