Come to Meineke for your car maintenance services, critical services designed to prevent problems and keep your vehicle in top shape!  The links below will take you directly to the areas of service you're interested in.

(**Please note:  some of the links below will take you to different pages on our site that will give you fuller detail of specific services.  On those pages, we have provided a link back to this page.)

Oil and Lube Service Fluids & Flushes Fuel Injection Cleaning Transmission Fluid & Flush Filter Changes Wheel Alignment 4 Wheel Alignment Tire Balancing Tire Rotation Tune Ups Head Lamps, Lights & Fuses

Battery Replacement Air Conditioning & Cooling System Service Cooling Systems Flush Hoses Thermostats & Radiator Caps Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement Belts & Hoses Replacement Fuel Economy

What are all these maintenance services for?

It is very important to maintain your vehicle in order to ensure proper running condition and to maximize the life of your vehicle.  Below is a list of auto maintenance services and explanations of what each service entails and why it is necessary for your vehicle.  For more information about the auto maintenance services required for your specific vehicle, consult your owner's manual.

Tune Ups

A tune-up is the process of checking and adjusting all of the systems in your vehicle that contribute to the efficient combustion of fuel.

How do I know when I need a tune-up?
Keep a log of your gas mileage.  When the average falls by 10% - 15%, your vehicle needs a tune up.  As always, check your vehicle's owner's manual for manufacturer recommendations.

Some facts about tune-ups...
Tune up can improve your fuel economy by 4 to 12%.
A too rich fuel to air mixture will lower fuel efficiency.
A too lean fuel to air mixture can cause misfiring or engine damage.
Spark plug timing must be set to specifications.
Clean and properly adjusted points will produce fuel efficient firing.
One spark plug misfiring half of the time reduces fuel economy by 7% and two can reduce it by 20%.
Too high an idle speed wastes gas.

Before doing a tune up or thinking or getting one, you should first refer to your owners manual.  Many cars today are made to go up to and beyond 100,000 miles before a tune up is needed.  A well kept vehicle will deliver the best balance of power and more importantly fuel economy.  Today's engines compensate for worn out parts to some degree, and at the same time giving you a false sense of "everything is fine with my vehicle". 

Typical tune up (replacement parts):
Spark plugs
Wires or boots/coils (depending on vehicle)
Fuel filter
Air filter
If applicable:
PC Valve

In addition we always recommend a fuel injection flush.  You are already going thru the trouble of repalcing worn out parts to help your vehicle run better.  What gets forgotten is the bad fuel and grime gets into your injectors and this wil cause a car to "feel" like it is running rough.  When you replace these parts flush out the injectors so you car has a better chance of runing like it should.

One thing to keep in mind...cars aren't like they used to be or like the days of your father and grandfather.  Tune ups are more labor intensive because cars are smaller or the engine compartments are smaller.  Therefore, what used to take maybe an hour or two, now may take 3-4 hours because there is less room to work in.

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Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement

Good Windshield Wiper function is vital to maintaining your driving safety.  Worn windshield wipers can seriously compromise driver vision whenever road conditions become wet or icy which is exactly when you need to see your best.  With the winter driving season just around the corner, now is the time to make sure your windshield wiper blades are in top condition.

A good rule of thumb is to replace your windshield wiper blades every six months, especially in climates where there are temperature extremes.  In between wiper blade changes, it is also good maintenance to clean the rubber part of the windshield wipers at least once a month to keep the blades in good condition.  While you are cleaning the blades, it is a good idea to inspect your windshield wipers and look for trouble in any of the three main components: the arm, the blade, or the wiping element.
Poor visibility may cause accidents!

Is the rubber element warped, hardened, split or contaminated with foreign substances?  Are there bends or twists in the wiper element's backing strip, frame, or wiper arm?  A bent arm, no spring tension in the arm, or other damage to the wiper assembly also requires replacement.  Such damage isn't rare.  Windshield wiper superstructure can be damaged by automatic vehicle washes, by scraping ice off the windshield during the wintertime, or by vandalism.
 

New wiperblades give better visibility!

If you are experiencing any of the windshield wiper blade conditions described in the chart below, it is time to change those wiper blades.

Streaking: May be caused by dry rubber that becomes hard and cracked, or by tree sap, road tar, or other foreign substances adhering to the rubber surface.  Sometimes this can be corrected by simply cleaning the rubber wiper.
Chattering: Loss of flexibility due to hardened rubber element caused by exposure to sunlight and extreme temperatures.
Worn Rubber: Indicated by a general rounded or ragged wiper blade edge.  Usually caused by wintery conditions or from long wiper service without changing the rubber.
Bent / Damaged: Bent superstructure, blade, arm, spline, or refill are often caused by automatic vehicle wash machines, vandalism, or ice scrapers.
Torn / Split: Obvious effect of hard wiper lift and/or damage due to ultraviolet rays and ozone deterioration.  Rubber that has pulled away from the assembly may slip or slap against the glass.

 

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Fuel Economy

Gas prices got you down?  Even economy cars can guzzle more than their share if their engines have been neglected.  Beyond squandering fuel, poorly maintained engines are notorious for corrupting the environment.  Fixing a car that is noticeably out of tune or has failed an emissions test can improve its gas mileage by over 4%.   Fuel economy saves you money every time you fill up.  The owner of a 40 mpg vehicle will spend $562 less each year on gasoline than the owner of a 20 mpg vehicle.  If you own your car for 4 years, the 40 mpg vehicle will save $2,250, assuming 15,000 miles of driving annually and a fuel cost of $1.50.

• Drive Sensibly:  Aggressive driving (speed, rapid acceleration and braking) wastes gas.  It can lower your gas mileage by 33% at highway speeds and by 5% around town.  Sensible driving is also safer for you and others, so you may save more than gas money!
• Observe the Speed Limit:  Gas mileage decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph.  Each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.10 per gallon for gas.  Observing the speed limit not only improves fuel economy, but it is also safer.
• Avoid Excessive Idling: Idling gets 0 miles per gallon.  Cars with larger engines typically waste more gas at idle than do cars with smaller engines.
• Use Cruise Control: Using cruise control on the highway helps you maintain a constant speed and, in most cases, will save gas.
• Use Overdrive Gears: When you use overdrive gearing, your car's engine speed goes down.  This saves gas and reduces engine wear.
• Keep Your Engine Properly Tuned:  Fixing a car that is noticeably out of tune or has failed an emissions test can improve its gas mileage by an average of 4.1 per cent, though results vary based on the kind of repair and how well it is done.  If your car has a faulty oxygen sensor, your gas mileage may improve as much as 40 per cent.
• Check & Replace Air Filters Regularly:  Replacing a clogged air filter can improve your car's gas mileage by as much as 10 per cent.  Your car's air filter keeps impurities from damaging the inside of your engine.  Not only will replacing a dirty air filter save gas, it will protect your engine.
• Keep Tires Properly Inflated:  You can improve your gas mileage by around 3.3 per cent by keeping your tires inflated to the proper pressure.  Under-inflated tires can lower gas mileage by 0.4 per cent for every 1 psi drop in pressure of all four tires.  Properly inflated tires are safer and last longer.
• Use the Recommended Grade of Motor Oil:  You can improve your gas mileage by 1 - 2 per cent by using the manufacturer's recommended grade of motor oil.  For example, using 10W-30 motor oil in an engine designed to use 5W-30 can lower your gas mileage by 1-2 per cent.  Using 5W-30 in an engine designed for 5W-20 can lower your gas mileage by 1-1.5 per cent.  Also, look for motor oil that says, "Energy Conserving" on the API performance symbol to be sure it contains friction-reducing additives.