Harvesters Update - I would like to thank everyone that made a donation for our S&S / Harvester's Food Drive. We collected a full barrel of food, plus cash and checks totaling $535, which S&S is matching, for a grand total of $1070. Thank you all so much! It will be much appreciated.

Deferred Maintenance Can Lead to Higher Repair Costs

Over the past eighteen months or so we have noticed that many people are putting off maintenance because of economic concerns. Sometimes it is a decision of whether you eat and pay bills, or whether you flush the fluid in your transmission, and I can understand that eating and paying the bills usually wins. However, we are also seeing an ever-increasing number of major repairs, many of which are a result of lack of maintenance.

A great example is a Ford Explorer that was towed in because the engine would not start. What we found was that not only would the engine not start, it would not even spin over when the starter was engaged. When we checked the oil level, none showed on the dipstick. The lube sticker showed it had been 6500 miles since the last oil change. What had happened was the engine had run out of oil and seized up, necessitating the need for a replacement engine. So for the lack of a $35 oil change, this nice Explorer now needs a replacement engine, which is going to cost $7500 to purchase and install.

Automatic transmissions are one of the many other components that are really important to maintain. The friction modifiers in the fluid wear out and the transmission slips slightly every time it shifts, and before you know it the clutches and bands are worn out, requiring a complete overhaul of the transmission.

The real tip here is to definitely keep up with your vehicle maintenance in the hard economic times. If we recommend a certain service, it is either because it is due according to time or mileage, or because we have visually seen a degradation in the fluid or seals of a component. At that point, we will be glad to help you prioritize which services are needed NOW and which may be postponed for a time. We do it every day, so just let us know if we can help you plan for your vehicle maintenance.

Also, don't forget we can pre-schedule your next appointment and make a call to remind you a week before. Just let us know you want to be notified.

Don't let this happen for lack of an oil change!