AUTONET TV

Can Your Car Last Another Year?

Have you checked out the price of new vehicles at Bushwood car dealers? Ouch! Add financing and insurance and a new ride may not seem so attractive. A lot of Bushwood, Maryland, folks are hoping to make their cars last a lot longer.

Fortunately, with the current state of automotive engineering and manufacturing, there's no reason a modern vehicle can't be made to last for a 150,000 miles (250,000 kilometers) or more for smart Bushwood drivers.

The old adage: 'a stitch in time saves nine' is really true for Bushwood residents when it comes to car maintenance. A great example is coolant service.

Over time, coolant becomes corrosive and actually starts to damage your radiator and other parts. Smart Bushwood drivers have their cooling system service taken care of right on schedule at Hill's Auto Repair, Inc..

Ditto for your power steering system, brake fluid, air conditioning system, differential and transmission. Of course, oil changes should be done right on schedule to avoid the build-up of harmful oil sludge.

Don't let your brake pads go too long before they are worn to the point that your rotors are at risk. Preventative auto maintenance at Hill's Auto Repair, Inc. is a great way to keep your operating costs down.

Replacing belts and hoses is much cheaper than repairing the damage that can be caused by failure.

We know that this is a lot for busy Bushwood area drivers to remember. Let the team of automotive professionals at Hill's Auto Repair, Inc. keep on top of this stuff for you. We can tell you what your vehicle manufacturer recommends and help you develop an affordable plan to take care of it.

Bottom line – do routine maintenance on schedule and you will reduce operating costs, prevent repairs and maintain your warranty coverage.

Let us take good care of your car at Hill's Auto Repair, Inc. in Bushwood, and it'll take good care of you.

Hill's Auto Repair, Inc.
22829 colton point rd
Bushwood, Maryland 20618
301-769-2400

Hill's Auto Repair, Inc. Helps You Decipher the Menu Board: Part 2

Maryland service centers have a menu board that lists the services they provide. Some Bushwood drivers may not be familiar with all of the items on the board so here is a quick description of some of the typical services that might be listed.

Hill's Auto Repair, Inc. fuel system cleaning: Over time, the vehicle fuel system gets gum and varnish built up. A fuel system cleaning gets rid of that and cleans out the fuel injectors. Saves gas, by the way.

Hill's Auto Repair, Inc. headlamp replacement: Halogen and standard headlamps gradually fade. It's usually good to change them every year or so.

Hill's Auto Repair, Inc. inspections: Bushwood drivers get inspections for many reasons. Maybe they're going on a trip or just want to make sure their vehicle's ready for a Maryland summer or winter. Maybe they just bought a used vehicle and want to give it the once over. An inspection may reveal some things that are broken or are getting close to having a problem.

Hill's Auto Repair, Inc. oil change: There are several options: Some Bushwood centers offer just an oil change and new filter as an option. Most will also check and top off all of your other fluids and do a quick visual inspection with a full service oil change. In my way of thinking, the full service option is best because it makes sure you have adequate fluids and may uncover an emerging problem. There may also be options for higher mileage fluids or an upgrade to synthetic oil.

Hill's Auto Repair, Inc. PCV valve replacement in Bushwood: PCV stands for Positive Crankcase Ventilation valve. It's a little part that releases pressure from the engine. It can get gummed up and that can lead to engine damage. It just needs to be changed now and then.

Hill's Auto Repair, Inc. power steering service: Often overlooked. Your friendly and knowledgeable Hill's Auto Repair, Inc. technician will evacuate the old fluid, clean out the system and replace it with clean fluid. Keeps the vehicle system running well for a long time.

Hill's Auto Repair, Inc. serpentine belt service: That's the belt that powers the vehicle engine's accessories like the alternator, air conditioner, power steering and brakes. You'll want to replace the serpentine belt before it breaks, because that'll shut you down.

Hill's Auto Repair, Inc. shocks and struts: This starts with an inspection of the suspension components. Shocks last a long time and wear out slowly, so many Bushwood drivers don't notice when it's time to change them. If they're worn or leaking, they need to be replaced.

Hill's Auto Repair, Inc. transmission service: This involves removing the transmission fluid and replacing it with clean fluid. It's like an oil change for your transmission.

Hill's Auto Repair, Inc. tire rotation and wheel balancing: The tires are rotated from front to back using the recommended rotation pattern. This helps tires wear more evenly. Wheels need to be balanced from time to time to keep them turning without any wobble or bounce. Helps the ride and saves tire wear.

Hill's Auto Repair, Inc.
22829 colton point rd
Bushwood, Maryland 20618
301-769-2400

Air Conditioning Maintenance at Hill's Auto Repair, Inc. in Bushwood

Warm weather or cold, Bushwood drivers still need to think about their vehicle's air conditioning. Most Bushwood people don't service their air conditioning until after it fails. At Hill's Auto Repair, Inc., we can advise you on your vehicle manufacturers preventive maintenance schedules for air conditioning service, just as we do for transmission service, oil changes and so on.

Maintaining your air conditioning system means that you always have enough refrigerant to properly do the job. Small leaks in the vehicle's air conditioning system allow the refrigerant to escape and the system can't cool the air as well. We see that a lot at Hill's Auto Repair, Inc. in Bushwood.

The refrigerant also contains oil that lubricates air conditioning components and keeps the seals resilient. Low refrigerant and lubricating oil means that the air conditioning parts will wear out prematurely, and all Bushwood vehicle owners know that air conditioning repairs can be costly. At Hill's Auto Repair, Inc., we recommended that the air conditioner be run regularly, even during winter months, to keep the parts and seals lubricated.

Bushwood drivers need to be aware that there's one more thing that isn't directly related to air conditioning service but does impact the quality of the air in your vehicle. And that's your cabin air filter. This filter cleans dust, pollen, pollution and other impurities in the air that come from the heater and air conditioner. The cabin air filter needs to be replaced when it's dirty. If you don't, it'll start to smell. Not all vehicles have one, so ask your Hill's Auto Repair, Inc. service advisor to check your cabin air filter at the same time they're doing your air conditioning service.

Hill's Auto Repair, Inc.
22829 colton point rd
Bushwood, Maryland 20618
301-769-2400

Fuel System Cleaning at Hill's Auto Repair, Inc. for Better Performance

Hi Bushwood residents. Let's talk fuel injectors. A fuel injector is a valve that delivers fuel to a vehicle's engine. It has to deliver the precise amount of fuel to precisely the right place, precisely when the engine needs it. The fuel also has to be mixed with air before it can burn in the engine.

Fuel injectors are engineered to spray fuel in a specific pattern into the engine. (The pattern varies by engine type and design.) In order to achieve these spray patterns, the fuel must be pressurized.

Vehicles have one fuel injector for each cylinder in the engine. Your vehicle's control computer constantly monitors the engine and various sensors in the vehicle.  It also adjusts the fuel injectors accordingly so that they can deliver the proper amount of fuel to the engine. As you can see, fuel injectors are a sophisticated and vital part of your vehicle's engine. Because fuel injectors are such precision instruments, dirt and contaminants are a serious detriment to their performance. When an injector gets gummed up, it affects the pressure, pattern and timing of the fuel delivery. The result is a decrease in fuel efficiency and loss of engine performance for Bushwood residents.

So it's to Bushwood residents' advantage to keep their fuel injectors clean. That starts with keeping the fuel in your tank clean. High-quality fuel contains detergents and additives that help clean your engine. Brand-name fuel companies also deliver a more consistent quality of fuel to Bushwood vehicles than do bargain Bushwood area service stations.

The second way to keep your injectors clean is to keep your fuel filter clean. This filter screens dirt and rust out of the fuel as it travels from the tank to the engine. If the filter clogs up, fuel will bypass it and carry its load of dirt into the engine.

Bushwood residents should check their owner's manual to find out how often they should change their fuel filter. This should be part of your regular preventive maintenance. Also, remember that if you use bargain-brand or low-grade fuels, or if you drive an older vehicle, your filter will need to be changed more often.

You can also purchase cleaners at Hill's Auto Repair, Inc. that will protect your fuel injectors. These cleaners are added to the fuel tank. They work best at preventing build-up in your fuel injectors and can clean up small amounts of carbon, gum and varnish. But they won't be able to clean a fully gummed-up injector. Read the labels before using any of these products for full directions on their use. If your fuel injectors are gummed up, you can get a professional deep cleaning service at Hill's Auto Repair, Inc. in Bushwood that will result in better fuel economy and improved vehicle performance.

Good vehicle care will prevent serious damage to your fuel injector system. And this is one system that you want to keep in perfect condition.

Hill's Auto Repair, Inc.
22829 colton point rd
Bushwood, Maryland 20618
301-769-2400