Grand Prix Performance - Costa Mesa, CA

Owning a car is a big investment. It requires regular maintenance to keep its value and to ensure your safety. To make sure you have a winning hand when it comes to caring for your vehicle, here are 21 of the best – and easiest – tips:

1. Examine your paint for new scratches frequently. 

Even with four identical tires on your car, various factors will cause each of them to wear differently. Tire rotation helps equalize wear by allowing each tire to serve in as many wheel positions as possible. Evenly worn treads keep tires performing the same on all four corners and:

• Increase dry road performance with more balanced handling and traction.

• Make for quicker tire response times when braking.

• Allow you to replace tires in sets rather than individually or in pairs. (That means all your tires will include the latest technology and performance advancements that manufacturers are continually bringing to market: You won’t be forced to match yesterday’s product or performance.)

  A general rule of thumb is to rotate your tires every 5,000 to 8,000 miles—even if there are no visible signs of wear. If you own a front-wheel drive vehicle or do mostly city driving, more frequent rotation is advisable.

  What’s the correct rotation pattern of your tires? For rear and four-wheel-drive vehicles, a rearward cross pattern—or, alternatively, an X-pattern—is used. Front wheel drive vehicles use a forward cross or X-pattern. It’s always best to consult your owner’s manual for the manufacturer’s recommendations.

  After a rotation, be sure your mechanic has checked:

  • Individual tire pressure. The tire’s new location may affect how much pressure it now requires.

  • Vehicle alignment. This is important if irregular tire wear was evident. 

    Regular tire rotations are an important step in getting the maximum mileage out of your tire investment—so keep those wheels moving! 

Did you know that cooling system failure is the leading cause of mechanical breakdown on the highway? That’s why it is important to maintain the right level of fluids in your radiator. In fact, the same holds true for ALL the fluids in your vehicle. Here is why:

• Engine coolant: Also called antifreeze or radiator fluid, coolant is circulated through your radiator to maintain proper engine temperature. If you do not maintain the right level, your engine can overheat. Coolant helps lubricate your water pump and prevents corrosion in your engine and radiator.

• Brake fluid: The brake system uses fluid to transmit the pressure you apply to the brake pedal to each of the brakes at the wheels. If that fluid is low, so is brake responsiveness.

• Power steering fluid: Your power steering uses a system of belts and pumps to keep the fluid within under pressure. That pressure is what helps you steer the vehicle. When fluid is low, the pressure decreases making steering more difficult.

• Transmission fluid: Whether your car has an automatic or manual transmission, it uses a system of gears to transmit engine power to the wheels. Transmission fluid lubricates those gears and keeps the system running properly.

  As a rule of thumb:

  • Every oil change, or every 3,000 miles, check the engine coolant, brake, power steering, and transmission fluids.

  • Every two years, or every 30,000, completely change your engine coolant and brake fluid.

    You’ve heard the expression, “a well-oiled machine.” Well, maintaining your car’s fluids at their proper level is critical to “greasing its parts” and keeping things running smoothly. Stay hydrated! 

The timing belt is one of your engines most critical components. Waiting for it to wear out or break can result in serious engine damage. What exactly does it do? How will you know when it’s time to replace it? Read on…

WHAT DO TIMING BELTS DO?

The timing belt connects the crankshaft (which controls the engine pistons) to the camshaft (which opens and closes valves). This precision component has teeth that, when in rotation, are perfectly “mated” with matching sprockets. The uniformity of the teeth and their spacing is what keeps valve operation and piston position perfectly synchronized. On some engines, the belt also drives other components, including the oil and water pumps, and balance shafts.

WHEN SHOULD YOU REPLACE A TIMING BELT?

Belt replacement varies by vehicle make and mileage. Check your owner’s manual for suggested maintenance. Here are some warning signs that your timing belt might need to be replaced:

• ▪  Rough idling

• ▪  Chattering and other strange engine noises

• ▪  Difficulty starting the engine

  Even if your car is “symptom free,” it’s still a good idea to check the timing belt regularly. This is especially vital for your higher-mileage vehicle.

  OTHER CONSIDERATIONS DURING TIMING BELT CHANGES

  Changing the timing belt is an involved process. It requires a number of parts to be removed, including: the radiator hose, water pump, and alternator. When you change your belt, you should also consider replacing any other worn-out parts such as other belts, hoses, and clamps.

  Remember, when it comes to maintaining your car’s engine, timing plays a key role when it comes to sustaining high-mileage and high-performance. 

How often do you check your tire pressure? If you’re like the majority of drivers, it’s not nearly often enough. And that’s a problem because tires are one of your car’s most important safety devices—right after the brakes. So why is either too much or too little pressure a bad thing.

• Too much pressure reduces the footprint of the tire. This means that less of the tire hits the road while driving, which creates more bouncing and less traction, and can seriously impact stopping distances.

• Too little pressure means more of your tire touches the pavement, and that increases friction and uneven wearing. It also increases the chances of overheating and tread separation—both of which can lead to reduced control in braking and cornering.

  Always check your owner’s manual or the sticker on the door jam of the car for the recommended tire pressure: Don’t go by what’s marked on your tires. That number is the maximum allowable air pressure—and it can be a lot higher than what’s actually right for your vehicle.

  Some tips on maintaining tire pressure:

• Check pressure once a month, or seasonally at the very least.

• Always take a “cold” measurement. That means check tires after they’ve been sitting for a few hours. A “hot” reading after you’ve been driving is usually less accurate.

• Don’t go by looks. Your tires could be over or under inflated by a good ten pounds and still look normal to the eye.

• If you’re heading out on a long road trip, check the tire pressure in all tires, including your spare before you leave, just to play it safe.

  • Be particularly mindful of your tires in the winter. Tires can lose up to one pound of pressure per square inch every time the temperature drops 10 degrees.

  • If possible, use a digital gauge to check the pressure. Other types tend to be less accurate.

    Regularly checking your tire pressure can help increase your car’s safety and performance—and help you get the maximum amount of mileage out of your tires. Isn’t it worth taking the five minutes to check? 

Oil serves several crucial functions in your car’s engine…and clean oil performs those functions better than dirty oil. That’s why you should change your oil every 3,000 miles or 3 months, whichever comes first. Why is oil so important? What’s the best type to use? We’re happy to tell you…

Motor oil’s prime function is to lubricate every moving part of your engine with a protective film that reduces friction. It also:

• Cleans your engine. Oil collects soot, ash, acids and other moisture that eventually forms sludge. Sludge, if accumulated on critical engine parts, accelerates wear. Oil helps prevent this by keeping particulates suspended until they’re drained away when you change your oil.

• Creates a seal around piston rings and cylinder walls. Without proper sealing action, you lose power and waste fuel.

• Protects your engine against rust and corrosion.

• Cools vital engine parts your radiator coolant can’t reach. In fact, as

• Much as 40% of the cooling job in your engine is performed by oil. 

If the engine is the heart of your car, think of the fuel injection system as its main artery: It is your car’s source for delivering fuel, or pumping the blood, to the engine. This used to be the carburetor’s job. But today, most cars use fuel injectors making service on the injection system a required part of your vehicle’s maintenance. But how do you know when it needs resuscitating?

First, it is good to know that fuel injection maintenance is not something you need to consider as frequently as say, oil changes. Generally, your vehicle’s injection system is good for the first 50,000 miles. At that point, you might want to consider a cleaning especially if you notice your car is:

• Hesitating

• Having trouble starting

• Getting poor gas mileage

• Overall sluggish

  These are all signs of deposit buildup, which can occur naturally over time. And it is no wonder, considering the fuel injection process:

• First, gas is pumped from the tank when you start the engine

• Next, it goes through filters, rails, and the injectors

  ▪ The injectors pump fuel into the engine’s combustion chamber, where it mixes with air and is ignited by the spark plugs creating combustion

  The heat generated by this process is intense, and the burning fuel can leave hardened carbon deposits on pistons, valves and fuel injector nozzle heads. The result can be restricted fuel flow and the need for occasional maintenance. 

They’re one of the hottest trends in the automotive industry. Low profile tires are being fit on everything from sports coupes to family sedans, and tire makers are planning to introduce even more sizes this year. With choices mounting, the question still remains: Are they right for you?

Inspired by motor sports, low profile tires are high on two things—performance and appearance. Lower deck heights both give the tires a racecar look, and also make them better at handling corners. Fewer grooves and smaller void areas between the treads are what make them effective as performance tires. Combined, these features deliver:

•  Greater lateral stability

•  Improved tread wear

• Reduced weight

• Lower cost (generally)

  On the flip side, these same features can make low profiles less than ideal when handling in the snow. Additionally, they:

• Rotate faster than standard tires—which can negatively impact fuel economy if the drive train isn’t modified to account for the RPM change.

• Are more susceptible to sidewall damage, and take a major beating when driving over potholes.

  Before switching to low profiles, check your owner’s manual to find out:

• Your vehicle’s recommended tire size.

• The recommended tire inflation pressure.

• The maximum weight your car’s axle systems are designed to carry.

• The tire load capacity and handling characteristics of your vehicle.

  These factors all influence the type of tire that should be on your car. A final note: If you do opt for low profiles, remember not to mix with standard tires. Change out all four tires or none at all.