Auto Repair Shop in Kalamata

As with all car functions, maintenance should best follow the instructions of the manufacturer.

Manufacturers work out the maintenance schedule for each model, with millions of miles “running” and under all conditions.
They are expected to be the ones in charge of setting the optimal timing of oil changes and other service parameters.
The evolution of synthetic oils has dramatically increased the change intervals.

Depending on the manufacturer and model, the distance can be even longer, even up to 20,000 km.

However, it is important to have at least one check at 15,000 km or per year. It is not bad to trust the manufacturer and your senses.

Nor is it bad to be cautious.

Keep an indicative schedule in mind:

10-15,000 km for fully synthetic oils
5-10 for synthetic base
5-7.5 for mineral oils (mineral, on very old used cars)

The fuel filter was developed to clean the fuel before it enters the combustion chamber. When the driver pushes the gas, the filter controls the flow, both in the fuel and in the engine air. The composition of the fuel and air must be of the highest possible quality so that the process during mixing, ignition and combustion is excellent. There is no exact period when replacing the fuel filter.

Μanufacturers have their own requirements for the frequency of the fuel filter replacement process. Some models can be replaced once every 60 thousand kilometres, others consider that this procedure should be performed once a year. In fact, the more often you change fuel filters, the better the engine operating conditions in your car.

The mileage we have travelled with the tyres indicates a lot about their condition. An average set of tyres has a life of about 40,000 kilometres, with normal driving. So, take note of the odometer reading when you replace them, so you know when you’re getting close to the next set!

The years of fitting also indicates a lot. Even if we’ve covered 10,000 miles or less, if our tyres are 10 years old they won’t perform as well as a new four. So when you look at their date of manufacture and see that they are 5 or more years out of date, it’s a good idea to consider changing them.

In very simple terms, an alignment is needed when a vehicle feels like “pulling” (it deviates from its course), meaning the steering wheel is twisted and the vehicle is going straight.

Let’s take a closer look at the 4 most common signs of misalignment:

Tendency to drive to the left or right. There is a simple test you can try to check if your wheels are misaligned. Find a straight line on a flat road surface and make sure that there is no one around. Bring the steering wheel to the straight-ahead position and release it while the vehicle is in motion. If the car continues to go straight then there is no issue. But if it turns too far to either the right or left then that means the wheels need aligning.

Shaking in the steering wheel: Wheel alignment is inextricably linked to the rolling quality of the vehicle. If you feel vibration in the steering wheel while driving then most likely this is a signal of poor wheel alignment. It may not seem at first glance to have much of a connection but this is not the case. It is an initial “sign” from your vehicle that something is wrong and you need to address it before it gets worse.

The car “hesitates” to turn: The problem with wheel alignment as you might expect affects the steering system first and foremost. Most importantly, it will be the “hesitation” of the wheels to “obey” when you try to turn the car. For example, you may turn the steering wheel to turn into a corner but the vehicle may not immediately take the turn and it may take a number of seconds before it does. As you can understand this particular malfunction is quite dangerous as it can cause an accident.

Bald tyre treads. This is the sign which is visually visible just by looking at your car. If the tyres are worn out and you notice that the grooves have almost disappeared then you know that something is wrong. Don’t neglect to change the tyres immediately and also align the wheels because your driving ability will be reduced.