Tips To Keep Your Car Cool

It's getting HOT out there so make sure your cabin air filter is clean so you can keep cool!  Not sure? We can help.

Why did this happen on my vacation?

What we'd like to see happen on your vacation is that you pack up the car, drive a few hours to your destination, check-in to your hotel and then find yourself relaxing poolside.


What we DON'T want to see happen is half-way through your road trip that you find yourself calling a tow truck in the middle of nowhere.  Then you find yourself in front of a mechanic that you don't know and be forced to purchase something you weren't expecting all for the sake of getting back on the road to fun times.





5 simple steps you should take before a vacation

1. Check Up: Stop by your trusted mechanic and have them give your vehicle a check-up.  A basic, non-diagnostic, check-up should NOT cost anything.  If it's a good mechanic, they will tell you to:

         A. Continue happily on your vacation
         B. Fix 1, 2 & 3; come back after your vacation for the rest
         C. For the love of humanity, please get a rental car

2. Tires: If your trusted mechanic says, your tires are DANGEROUS and you need new ones before your vacation - please listen to them.

Have you heard of tire tread separation?

Basically the tread part of the tire splits and the tire explodes.  It is more common than you think and can be a major danger on the road for yourself and others.

3. Air: Stop at a gas station and check the air pressure in your tires.  It's always a good idea to keep in your glove compartment box a tire gauge (this measures the air in your tires) but worry not, most air stations have it built into the hose.  Your mechanic shop should and can fill the air in your tires for FREE.

4. Oil Change: If your car is due for an oil change, please take care of it BEFORE your trip.  With all the mileage you'll put on your vehicle, your engine will want and need nice clean oil.

5. Rental Cars:  Rental cars at times may be a better way to go especially if you have an older car.  The cost of renting a car might be worth the headache of taking your own.

If you are in the Orlando area stop by Universal Tire & Auto before your next road trip and we'll help you stay safe.

Why Are Oil Changes Important?

It's No Toy Car

When we got toy cars as a child we got to throw them, hit them and race them.  No maintenance required. The only repercussion was that it either got scratched, lost or broken.  And then our parents probably bought us a new one.  If only cars functioned the same.  You’ve been told oil changes are important from the moment you got your first car back in your teens.  Ya da, ya da, ya da.  But seriously, is it really that important?

YES!!!!!

1. Oil is what keeps your car alive

Think of it like your car’s blood. It is an essential part of keeping the engine working. Oil helps pull heat away from the combustion chamber of the engine and it prevents build-up of carbon and varnish. If you run out of gas, you get more gas. If you run out of oil, you don’t just get more oil.

2. It saves you money

Little expenses now save you from having large expenses later. Getting your oil changed is a fairly cheap procedure. Foregoing regular oil changes will lead to more serious car issues than just having low or old oil. Eventually, your car will suffer and it will cost you a lot more than a few oil changes would have.

3. Oil helps your gas mileage

This is a fringe benefit you can enjoy with a regular oil change. As oil gets older and is used more, it becomes darker and gummier. New oil is slick and doesn’t make the engine work as hard as older oil does, meaning it’s more efficient and your mileage will be better.

We want to stress that oil changes are not just nice for your car—they’re necessary. Waiting too long can cost you so much more than an oil change would have.

If you’d like to learn more or schedule an appointment to get an oil change, give Universal Tire & Auto a call at (407) 636-4033.