Hermansader’s Garage & Auto Sales FAQs

There are two answers: Bring it in for regularly scheduled maintenance to preserve performance and extend the road life of your car. Our ASE master technicians will always let you know when you should bring your car back in.

Also bring your vehicle in whenever you notice changes in the way your car responds, handles, and drives. You know your car better than anyone – when something starts to go wrong, a wait-and-see approach will only cost you money. Don’t wait for a quick repair to turn into a major overhaul.

You should get your oil changed every 3,000 miles or as recommended in your vehicle’s owner’s manual.

Milky brown engine oil is an indication of coolant in the oil. This can be caused by a blown head gasket (other gasket), a failed transmission cooler, or cracked casings. This condition is very serious and needs service immediately.

Synthetic motor oils can be a good choice for high output, turbocharged or supercharged engines, vehicles that are used for towing (especially during hot weather), or vehicles that are operated in extremely cold or hot climates.

Synthetic motor oils, though several times more expensive than mineral-based motor oils, can improve fuel economy and provide longer intervals between changes. They also provide instant lubrication on start-up.

Battery cables and terminals should also be cleaned and inspected to make sure they provide a good electrical connection.

Your tires should be rotated every other oil change, or every 6,000 miles. Neglecting to rotate tires is a major cause of premature tire wear.

YES. The failure of a timing belt in many cars can result in major engine damage. The cost of repairing an engine with a broken timing belt is much greater than the cost of a timing belt replacement.

There are many sensors and computerized components that manage your vehicle’s engine performance and emissions. When one of these fails, the "check engine" light is illuminated. Although your car may seem to run fine, it is important to address it to prevent long-term problems.

This is a very serious problem – if your car overheats for too long, you can damage your engine. As soon as possible, find a safe place to pull off the road and shut the engine off! Do not attempt to check the fluid level in the radiator as it can burn you. Get your car towed to a repair shop immediately.

To help ensure dependable, trouble-free performance, replace your car's fuel filter approximately every 30,000 miles or as recommended in your vehicle's owner's manual.

For maximum fuel economy and peak engine performance, your spark plugs should be replaced every 30 months or 30,000 miles, unless your vehicle is equipped with 100,000-mile platinum tipped spark plugs.

Always replace burned-out fuses with ones of the same amperage (printed on the fuse) and note that if a fuse continues to "blow," you should have the circuit checked professionally by one of our technicians for defects.