tips

Key Scheduled Car Dealer Maintenance Intervals in Crestview, FL

July 27, 2019 By webmaster

For every car on the road, the manufacturer has a set maintenance schedule it advises for the longevity and performance of your vehicle. Known as “Factory Scheduled Maintenance” or “30/60/90K Maintenance,” many car owners think of it as optional, but that’s a costly mistake in Crestview, FL.

At Main Street Automotive, we want you to know which key scheduled dealer maintenance intervals you should have performed. Neglecting to have them done could lead to damage to your car which will cost much more than preventative maintenance that keeps your car in tip-top shape.

– Regular Car Maintenance

Changing the oil and oil filter in proper intervals is important, even when your car is brand new. Because most cars run on synthetic oils, it generally lasts around 5,000 miles, depending on your driving habits. Tire rotation and balancing are also part of routine maintenance, though they don’t need to be performed as often.

– Before 30,000 Miles

In addition to changing the oil, during this checkup for your car, changing the air filter and repla [Read more…]

5 Ways to Kill Your Car Faster

May 30, 2019 By webmaster

You rely on your car to get you to all the places you need to be. But are you giving it the proper care it needs? New or old, all cars need to be maintained to live up to their life expectancy. If you’re not looking after your car, you’re going to send it to an early grave. For most people, that’s a much more expensive option than simply taking proper care.

Be on the lookout for these 5 ways that kill your car faster and if you find yourself guilty of any of these, hurry in to Main Street Automotive so we can help you. No judgement, we promise! We just want you on the road running safe!

Neglecting oil changes and routine maintenance

While you don’t need to go every 3 months anymore as was the old standard, you do need to follow a routine maintenance schedule for your car. It might seem like a pain, but we get you in and out fast and make sure your car has enough oil and other important fluids to run efficiently. Putting it off when maintenance is required can lead to much more expensive repairs.

Not keeping tire pressure at optimum

When you don’t keep your tires filled up at the right levels, your tires build up heat from the extra flexing. So your car works harder and reduces your fuel economy. Tires that aren’t properly inflated can be harder to handle and compromise braking ability too.

Skipping the balancing and rotating of tires

Tires don’t just need to be filled up right. They also need to be balanced and rotated. This helps [Read more…]

Did the Electronic Audi E-Tron GT in Avengers: Endgame Have Engine Sounds Added?

April 30, 2019 By webmaster

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, you’re probably well-aware of the mega-blockbuster, Avengers: Endgame. Whether you’ve seen it or not, or are still planning to see it, there’s one thing that we can tell you without spoiling the show: engine sounds were added.

The car in question: the Audi E-Tron GT. In the movie, the car makes quite a bit of noise, especially considering it’s powered by batteries. This was all the doing of sound engineers. Interestingly, the sound was developed digitally with Audi experts to add drama for the scene.

When it comes to your car though, if you hear unusual engine sounds, it’s something you shouldn’t ignore. In fact, your mechanic uses those sounds to help diagnose the problem. Here are some of the sounds you might hear and what they mean.

– Whirring

Whirring sounds could mean several things. It’s either a power steering problem, bad water pump, or issue with the alternator. If you hear a whirring sound, bring it to us at Main Street Automotive immediately so we can fix it before it leads to worse damage.

– Knocking

If your car sounds like it’s knocking but can’t come in, you might be facing troubles with your spark plus, [Read more…]

8 Ways to Pack Your Car for Summer Road Trips

March 26, 2019 By webmaster

Spring and summer are the best times to go for broke and hit the open road. At Main Street Automotive, we want to make sure you stay safe and prepared before you drive off into the sunset. Here are some handy tips for packing your car up before those epic road trips with friends or family.

Take along a cooler

Snacks, drinks, and ice are all treasures to behold when you’re on the road. It will keep you from spending too much money at rest stops too. Put it in the back behind the driver’s seat or front passenger seat and entrust one of your passengers with the job of handing out drinks and snacks as needed.

Use the center console wisely

As the driver, your sole job is to pay attention to the road and keep everyone safe. Having a central point, like the center console for example, filled with necessities like paper towels, cleansing wipes, and hand sanitizer, is ideal for any mishaps and messes on the road.

Keep a dedicated trash bag

The longer the road trip, the more likely garbage [Read more…]

What Happens When You Don’t Change Your Oil on Time?

February 28, 2019 By webmaster

When you buy a car, you know the general rule about having the oil changed regularly. In fact, at Main Street Automotive, we put a helpful sticker on your windshield to help remind you. But generally speaking, the rules have changed since you likely owned your first car, especially if you were told to come in every 3,000 miles or 3 months, whichever came first.

Today’s cars can go a lot further, especially if they’re running on synthetic oils. As a general rule of thumb, you can go about 5,000 miles or 6 months before it’s time to change the oil. Most cars today have computerized systems that will remind you when it is time to make an appointment for your oil change.

But what if you don’t? What if you ignore it and keep on driving? Cars are certainly designed to give you fair warning. For example, when your gas light comes on, you’ve got about 40 miles left on that tank to get to a gas station. But that doesn’t mean you should push your luck.

If you don’t change your oil in your vehicle on time, you’re not lubricating your engine properly and carrying the heat away from it. There are thousands of components in your engine and that oil helps keep it going. But as it does, it picks up dirt and other little bits of debris from your engine. This is food for keeping those particles out of your engine, but with time, the oil becomes dirty and needs to be changed. [Read more…]

Newly-Renovated Mainstreet Automotive Aims to Make You Feel Right at Home

November 17, 2017 By webmaster

When you go to a friend or family member’s home, you feel comfortable. You sit down and make yourself at home. You feel completely at ease. Why? Because you trust these people. That’s exactly how Mainstreet Automotive has been doing business since it opened in 2003, and how they intend to always keep things.

Honest and affordable are very important qualities to uphold that owner Mike Starr strongly holds dear. You can feel it from the moment you walk in for service, whether it’s routine maintenance or you’ve got a problem with your vehicle. As part of caring for the customer, Mainstreet Automotive is like a good neighbor in Crestview. One that makes you feel comfortable from the start. [Read more…]

8 Tips to Prepare your Vehicle for a Hurricane

September 5, 2017 By webmaster

When a hurricane is headed your direction it’s not just your home you need to worry about. How prepared is your vehicle if you need to evacuate at the last minute? Here are 8 things to keep in mind before it’s down to the wire and you have to leave.

Windshield Wipers – Every hurricane brings large amounts of rain with it. If your windshield wipers are streaking and not cleaning the window well you are compromising your vision and the safety of you and your family. It’s a quick and easy fix from your local automotive store. We also recommend using rain-x on the windows to give you improved visibility even in a downpour.
Tire Pressure – Make sure your tires aren’t under-inflated or over inflated. This affects the traction of your tires and also can harm your gas mileage. Most people don’t bother to check their tires and I bet 95% of you have under-inflated tires if you were to check right now. Most local gas stations have an outside air pump that takes quarters. Just drop by and check and inflate each to the recommended pressure inside of the doorjamb,
Spare Tire – Have you checked it lately? Is it properly inflated? Do you have the proper tools if you need to change a tire. Some people buy used cars and don’t even realize they are missing a tire jack or lug nut tool. If any of those things is missing or defective you can’t change your tire. As your trying to escape a natural disaster is not the time you want to figure this out.
Basic Maintenance – Oil changes and recommended maintenance are important to keeping your reliable and running where you can count on it.
Burnt Out Lights – Do you only have one headlight working? Are your blinker lights, brake lights, and flashers all working properly? It’s easy to have someone in your car testing brakes and indicators while you walk around and check. If a light isn’t working get an easy bulb replacement from your local automotive shop and replace. Usually pretty easy and prevents you from getting a ticket too.
Car Insurance – As of today most insurance companies will still let you modify your insurance in the Florida Panhandle. But as the storm gets closer, they prevent you from making any changes. I just added comprehensive and collision to my personal car today in the Geico app just for safety and in case I need to drive extra among a bunch of other stressed out drivers on the interstate. I even added rental car coverage too. If you do this for only a week it usually only costs about an extra $10 – $15 for a week. Just make sure once the hurricane passes to remove the coverage. Your car insurance company will NEVER tell you this.
Fill Up on Gas Early – As the storm gets closer more and more people start running to the gas pumps. Going late at night can help you avoid long lines since most gas stations are 24/7 in today’s world. If you have an extra 2.5 or 5 gallon plastic gas dispenser this is your chance to fill it up now. Worst case scenario, the hurricane misses us and you just use that gas the very next time you vehicle needs it. You don’t want to leave gas with ethanol stored for very long.
Emergency Tool Kit in Your Vehicle – “Must-have” emergency items include: an automotive toolkit, a pocket knife, extra fuses, road flares, emergency tire sealant, extra quarts of motor oil, power steering fluid and antifreeze, sandpaper, electrical and duct tape, a tire jack, jumper cables, a flashlight, extra batteries, a battery-powered radio, pen and paper, a blanket, a can opener, a first aid kit, and extra reserves of water and food.

BONUS – Get cash from the bank – When electrical problems happen, credit card processing machines can stop working but businesses will still take cash. It never hurts to have an extra $200-$300 on you in cash if you can.

Drop by or call us today to get tires checked or replaced, routine maintenance, or a even simple oil change in Crestview, FL at (850) 689-1728.