Car & Truck Service

Maintenance is the act of servicing your car on a regular schedule.  The purpose of maintenance is to prevent your car from unexpectedly breaking down.  Maintenance is not intended to correct existing problems, but rather to prevent them.

Repair is the act of correcting a malfunction with your vehicle and is often due to lack of maintenance. 

The benefit of preventive maintenance is a secure feeling, knowing your car will safely get you to your destination.  Preventive maintenance pays off over time, like a good investment.  Also, professional, well-kept records can increase the resale value of your car.

At New Concept Auto Service:

• Our work is 100 percent guaranteed.
  
• All parts and labor are covered for 24 months or 24,000 miles.
  
• Services meet or exceed factory warranty/lease vehicle service requirements.
  
• Personal follow-up is made after each visit.

Following are the most common areas of scheduled maintenance.

Tune-up.  A tune-up affects the performance of the engine, mainly the ignition system.  Common parts involved with a tune-up are spark plugs, air and fuel filters.  Spark plugs should be changed every 30,000 miles (standard), or 60,000 miles for platinum and iridium types.  Air filters for the Kansas City area usually last approximately 15,000 miles.  External fuel filters should be changed every 30,000 miles to prolong the life of your fuel pump.

Fuel injection service.  Fuel injection service, which includes cleaning the fuel injectors and removing the excessive carbon buildup from the intake system, should be performed every 45,000 miles. Over time, carbon naturally builds up in the air intake and fuel systems causing intake and fuel injector restriction, resulting in hesitations and hard starts.  The benefits of the fuel injection service include better fuel mileage, easier cold starting and a smoother idle.

Brake inspection.  Brakes naturally wear every time you stop and are designed to last approximately 30,000 to 60,000 miles depending on many variables.  Brake inspections, adjusting, cleaning and lubricating the brake system should be performed every 30,000 miles.  The longevity of your brake system depends on the quality of the brake friction material, the surface of the rotors and drums, the quality of the labor performed and a little on your driving style.  Quality brake work makes for safe stopping ability and prevents annoying squeaks.  Brake fluid wears out due mainly to heat and time.  Dirty brake fluid can be detrimental to the brake hydraulic system.  Brake fluid should be flushed every 30,000 miles to prevent costly replacement of calipers, wheel cylinders and master cylinder.

Coolant flush.  A coolant flush consists of flushing the old antifreeze from the engine cooling system.  Coolant should be flushed every 60,000 miles or four years.  Coolant naturally wears out over time and becomes acidic.  The acidity eats away at the inside of the hoses, water pump, radiator, thermostat, and head gaskets.

Transmission service.  Automatic transmissions last the longest if the fluid is completely flushed (not drained and refilled) every 30,000 miles.  Heat is the number one cause of premature transmission failure and occurs naturally.  Transmission fluid breaks down and wears out just like engine oil.

Tires.  Tires are designed to last from 30,000 to 60,000 miles depending on the quality of tire and the frequency of tire rotation, balance, vehicle alignment and driving style.  Worn shocks, struts and suspension parts also cause tires to wear out sooner than designed.  Tires will last much longer when they are rotated every 6,000 miles and balanced every 12,000 miles.

Battery.  Batteries are designed to last from three to five years depending on the quality of the battery and the condition of the car's electrical system.

Check engine light.  The check engine light will come on, most commonly because the vehicle's computer has determined something is abnormal with the way the engine is performing.  The main purpose of the check engine light is to protect the catalytic converter (or CAT), which cleans the vehicle's exhaust.  Common causes of check engine lights are weak ignition systems and worn or sluggish oxygen sensors.  Scheduled maintenance tune-ups and fuel injection service help protect the CAT and keep the check engine light off.