Europeans Achieve 25,000–Mile Oil Changes

After being involved in the oil change business for a few years I discovered that no matter what products I offered there really wasn’t any loyalty to a specific brand of oil. Basically the oil change business isn’t about offering a certain brand of oil, all you’re really offering is a service.

Struggling with this for a while I decided to attended a seminar about synthetic oils and I was shocked to learn some fascinating facts that up to this time I had no idea.

One of the first things I learned was that in all of Europe there is no such thing as a 3,000 mile oil change, in fact you can’t even find a quick lube shop in all of Europe. You see Europeans have been changing their oil once a year or about 25,000 miles for well over two decades.

I was surprised when I heard all the facts about extended drain intervals and I feel most people would be open to this concept if explained properly. How can it be possible to go 25,000 miles between oil changes?

Further research pointed to the quality of oil Europe was using and needless to say their quality standards were so much higher then those of the U.S. Our research also showed that Europeans have very few engine rebuild shops in their country. You see when using higher quality synthetics engines don’t typically wear out like the most American made cars do when using inferior petroleum oil.

What does all this mean to someone in the oil change business here in the U.S’For starters you might ask yourself; why can’t we offer annual oil changes? If Europeans can achieve these types of intervals using higher quality synthetics then why can’t we.

Europeans are accustomed to having their vehicles serviced just once a year. This is why you don’t see any quick lubes, the car dealerships do all the work. Typically all the fluids are changed and any other maintenance items are attended to and out the door you go.

There may be times when a vehicle has to be seen more than once a year if a problem comes up, but Europeans don’t see the need to service a vehicle every 3,000 miles especially if all you’re doing is changing the oil.

So why can’t this same concept be adopted here in the U.S’There are synthetic oils made right here in the United States that exceed the specs of the oils used in Europe. You will be surprised just how good the specs are for these high quality synthetics.

Our shop converted over to a once a year oil change system and our customers love the time they saved and as an extra benefit their cars ran better and got better fuel mileage. We haven’t experience one problem since switching over and our profits have never been higher.

We even discovered the company we deal with has a system in place that not only allows us to make about a 30-35% profit on every oil change, but to also earn commissions directly from the parent company. We are making an additional $2000.00 a month in commissions alone on top of the profits we make on our oil changes.

This system works and we will never go back to offering 3,000 mile oil changes again. If someone ever comes in and wants a cheap oil change we just send them down to the quick lube because it isn’t worth our time anymore to make fifteen dollars on an oil change. And besides we are not comfortable with offering any of the motor oils currently available here in the U.S. none of them even come close to performing up to the standard of oil we now use.

This is a very interesting topic to start exploring and trust me since we made the switch we haven’t looked back. After testing some oils I was convinced they worked and I didn’t hesitate to start offering them to my customers. This is something every quick lube or garage service center should consider adding to their business.

How To Change The Front Disc Brakes Of A Toyota Highlander

Toyota cars are all made from high quality parts, but there are times when you need to change the parts of a car no matter what brand of car you have. This is important to maintain the performance of your car and to prevent further damage of the car in the near future. The front disc brakes are one of the most important parts of a car. As a car owner you need to observe if this part needs a replacement. If that is the case, here are several useful steps to help you change your front disc break.

First, you need to park the car on a flat surface. You need to place the parking brake on before starting. Also find wood wedges and place it behind the wheels to prevent the car from moving. This is important to ensure that the car will not make any unnecessary movement while replacing Toyota highlander parts such as the front disc brake. After placing your car in a safe position, you need to drain out the fluid from the master cylinder reservoir using a syringe. You have to drain at least 2/3 of the fluid from the master cylinder. If the level of the fluid inside the master cylinder is less halfway full, there is no need to drain the fluid.

Using a jack, you need to lift up the font of the vehicle and secure it using a jack stand. A jack is important to be able to remove the wheels safely. From the caliper you need to disengage the brake line hose. To prevent losing additional fluid, plug the end of the hose. With the use of an open ended wrench, clasp the caliper slide pins. Then, remove the mounting bolts.<

You will then want to raise the caliper and take it out of the mounting. By using a mechanical wire, suspend it from the frame. After that, remove the anti sequel shims, pads and the wear indicator right from the inner pad.

Do not forget to grease the caliper slides by using lithium grease or other similar products. You need to use a disc brake grease on the anti sequel shims. Then, install the shims and pads.

Install all the bolts and make sure to tighten the bolts. Make use of a torque wrench and torque the bolts to 25 pounds. Reconnect all the necessary parts such as the brake line hose and the negative battery cable on the battery. Add some brake fluid then carefully lower your car with the jack. Start the car and pump the brake pedal for 3 to 4 times to be able to seat the brake pad.

Test drive your Toyota highlander at a moderate speed in order to make sure that the procedure has been performed correctly. Once you are sure that the brakes are working correctly, you have finished the job and drive as normal.

Make sure that if you have any problems, you consult a certified mechanic that can help you through the process.

Defining The Suv With The Landrover Defender

Production of the Landrover Defender didn’t start with the Defender name right off the bat.  Between 1983 and 1990, the Rover Group Plc then under the Government before getting privatized when the British Aerospace bought it in 1988, came out with the Land Rover 90, 110 and 127/130 to reflect different wheelbase lengths in inches,  enhancing its Series III Land Rovers that started in 1948 and was about to end its production in 1985.  It was only in 1990 when, together with the new Discovery line started a year earlier, would break the company’s traditional naming convention over the last 40 years.  It now has the Discovery, Defender and the future Freelander series.

Distinguishing Features

From the exterior, the Land Rovers of the 80s had little to distinguish them from the Series III Land Rovers, other than a full bonnet, a slightly revised grille and a wheel well arches covering wider tires from wider axles.

The engines however showed significant improvements that included a 3.2 liter V8 petrol engine with 5-speed transmission before getting subsequent upgrading to 3.5 as well as the introduction of 68 hp 2.5 liter diesel engine.   Coil springs replaced leaf springs on all fours to improve axle articulation and ride comfort.

Its all-wheel drive system comes from the upscale Range Rover line with 2-speed gearboxes and a locking center differential.  Cosmetically, you have a more modern interior and a one-piece windscreen that took out the center post.

The early 90 and 110 models had sliding windows and subsequent models from 1984 onwards used the standard wind-up windows.  The basic pick-up and station wagon models continued to be marketed as utility multi-purpose working vehicles aimed at families and it was not until later when it started to get accessory options that progressively started its position as a private recreational vehicle ‘“ the precursor of your sports luxury SUVs.

At about the same time, a new 127 and 130 wheelbase was introduced as a more rugged utility Defender for larger heavier payloads.  This longer wheelbase was a stock station wagon out of the factory and was an instant hit and became popular with after-market conversion kits for an ambulance, fire engine, flat bed trucks and a van that can seat 15 persons.

Introducing the Defender

It was in 1990 that the Defender name was introduced and has been evolving ever since to the present despite changing ownership hands from BMW in 1994, Ford Motor in 2000 and the Tata Motors of India in 2008.  With the Defender’s introduction came a new 2.5 liter turbo charged diesel engine, the 200Tdi that produced 111 hp, a 25% improvement over the engine it replaced and was also used in the Discovery series.

This allowed the Defender to cruise with the highest level of comfort for a Land Rover until that time.  The various wheelbase models also got a name change and were now known as the Defender 90, Defender 110 and the 127 became the Defender 130.

Throughout the 90s, the Landrover Defender fulfilled two product positioning niches ‘“ one is the basic all-terrain all purpose family utility vehicle if bought without the optional extras.  Otherwise, with the accessories, the Defender becomes an up-market utility that can be used everyday on city streets and highways with the same driving luxuries and comforts found in regular sedans and SUV’s.

The Best Way To Keep Your Vehicle Reliable

When you get a new car from your Fort Worth ford dealer there is something important you should have in your mind. The car will need regular maintenance to ensure that it is always reliable. Just like your body needs a regular health check-up from your doctor, so does your car. History has taught us that prevention is always better than having a cure. Hence maintaining your car will protect it from regular breakdowns. Even with hard economic times, there are certain areas regarding vehicle maintenance that you cannot ignore.

The first thing you should do to ensure your vehicle stays in good condition is by changing the engine oil at the appropriate time. How long the oil will last for depends on the oil type you are using. There are three oil types available in the market namely synthetic, conventional and full-synthetic. If you are using conventional oil, you need to replace it after 3,000 miles. For a synthetic oil blend, you have to change your oil after 5,000 miles and in the case of full-synthetic oil, you can go for 10,000 miles. Failure to change the oil when the threshold is reached can lead to complex problems such as oil seal problems and engine sludge. Oil sludge is the main cause of engine damage that leads to leakages. It will also add extra costs for having your engine flushed. Sometimes a problem that could have been prevented with a simple oil change will lead to complex problems that require the vehicle to be tied down in the auto repair shop for weeks.

Another area that should be properly monitored is the fuel system. Although newer Ford vehicles do not rely on in-line fuel filters, older models still use this system. If your car uses this system, you should replace it after 19,000 to 29,000 miles. Replacing the fuel filter in time ensures the fuel pump lasts longer. There are also fuel injector cleaners available in the market that you can use to clean your filters. For better results, replace the filter before using the cleaners. You should also check the fuel type you use since fuel injectors usually clog due to regular use of cheap gasoline. Cheap gasoline contains waxy oilfins which, when accumulated, leads to clogging. Good quality gasoline contains detergents that prevent deposition of the oilfins.

Another area that should be properly maintained is the cooling system. Before going for a cooling system service, be sure of the type of anti-freeze your vehicle uses. Most of the new cars in Fort Worth have long lasting anti freeze compounds that last up to five years if the vehicle is used only for normal driving. However, these compounds are expensive compared to the ordinary anti-freeze compounds. Your car manual should indicate when it is best to go for the replacement.

Finally, the belts and hoses should be replaced at least once every two years. This however does not mean you have to wait until the two years are over and they are showing signs of wear. The best time to replace them is every 100,000 miles regardless of their condition since most belts start fail at this time. If you keep these points in mind, your car will remain in a good condition for years.