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Archive for February 2017

Should Bloomington Soccer Moms Follow the Severe Service Schedule?

Posted February 26, 2017 1:49 AM

So you take your vehicle in for maintenance and the pro at AutoChoice Service Center Inc. tells you that you ought to change your oil more often. What? You followed the maintenance schedule – but you take a second look at that “severe service” schedule and see some of the following:


1. Most of your trips around Bloomington are less than four miles/six and a half kilometers.
2. Most of your trips are less than 10 miles/16 km when outside Indiana temperatures are below freezing.
3. You don't do a lot of Indiana freeway driving, so you drive at low speeds most of the time.
4. You drive in an area with a lot of pollution, dust, dirt, mud or slush.
5. You frequently tow a trailer, haul heavy loads around Bloomington or use a car-top carrier.
6. The weather in your area can get very hot or very cold.

Surprising, isn't it? Severe driving isn't quite what you'd envisioned.

Ask yourself: "Which auto service schedule should I follow?" For some of us, it's obvious. But for most of us, it's not an either/or question.

One way to decide how often to maintain your vehicle is to picture a line. On one end, imagine ideal driving conditions: year-round moderate Indiana temperatures, only freeway driving, all trips are longer than 4 miles/6.5 km and travel is always at a constant speed of 60 mph/97 kph. At the other end of the line, put the severe driving conditions. Now, stop and think about how you drive, where you live, where you go in Indiana and what you plan to do with your vehicle in the near future. Consider honestly where your driving fits on the line.

For example, if the regular maintenance schedule recommends an oil change every 5,000 miles/8,000 km, the severe schedule recommends 3,000 miles/5,000 km and you fall in the center of the driving conditions line, then 4,000 miles/6,600 km is a happy compromise. Just be honest. You don't want that happy compromise to turn into auto repairs.

Learning why our vehicles need more frequent service can also help us Bloomington drivers determine a maintenance schedule. For example, fluids in your vehicle are depleted more rapidly the more heat there is in their environment. That heat can come from air temperatures, but also from the extra heat generated in the engine and transmission from stop-and-go driving. Towing a trailer or carrying heavy loads also generates more heat. So under these conditions, fluids must be replaced more often in order to retain their effectiveness.

Moisture naturally builds up inside of an engine because of the heating and cooling it constantly undergoes. When the engine is hot, moisture evaporates; when the engine is cool, moisture condenses. As long as the engine is getting hot enough to evaporate all of the moisture, your vehicle will remain healthy. But short trips don't allow for this and moisture can build up inside the engine. This moisture can lead to the formation of oil sludge, which in turn leads to clogged engine parts and damage.

In dusty or polluted Bloomington area conditions, filters and fluids just get dirty more quickly. Talk with your service advisor at AutoChoice Service Center Inc. regarding service schedules and which one is right for you. Good car care means taking care of problems before they become problems. And in order to do that, you need to know how often to take your vehicle in to AutoChoice Service Center Inc. for service.

AutoChoice Service Center Inc.
2009 S. Yost Ave.
Bloomington, Indiana 47403
812-339-9898



Picking the Right Tires in Bloomington

Posted February 20, 2017 4:52 AM

Shopping for tires in Bloomington can be bewildering because there are many choices. Let's simplify. There are four main classifications of tires, each designed for different purposes.

First off, there are summer tires. Those who buy summer tires in Bloomington are looking for maximum summertime performance. The rubber is a little softer to help stick to the road on fast corners on Indiana roads. The tread has wide blocks at the shoulder to stiffen the tire in turns. The tread design can handle rain but really isn't set up for snow and ice.

Next comes winter tires. Bloomington people buy winter tires because they still like performance driving when it's cold and slippery on Indiana roads, so they need a tread design that'll really bite into ice and snow. The rubber compound is formulated to stay pliable when temperatures drop below 45 degrees F/7 degrees C so they get great traction even on dry roads. On the other end of the winter tire spectrum are tires designed to handle well in severe ice and snow conditions.

The third category is all-season tires. Most new cars in Bloomington showrooms come with all-season tires. This is a tire that is designed to be used all year round. The tread design and rubber compound is a compromise that won't give you the extreme capabilities of summer or winter tires; but if you're driving and weather conditions aren't at the extreme ends of the range, all-season tires might suit you just fine.

The last category is what you might have on your SUV or pickup. All-terrain or off-road tires are designed for both highway and off-road use – a tire that gets good traction in the dirt and on off-road obstacles, but still performs well on paved Bloomington roads.

Choosing the right tire is important for Bloomington car owners. Talk with your AutoChoice Service Center Inc. tire professional about your driving requirements and receive valuable guidance on tires that will meet your needs.

Give us a call.

AutoChoice Service Center Inc.
2009 S. Yost Ave.
Bloomington, Indiana 47403
812-339-9898



Ask AutoChoice Service Center Inc. About the Importance of Service Intervals

Posted February 13, 2017 11:06 AM

Today in our AutoChoice Service Center Inc. blog, we're going to talk about following recommended service intervals. Your vehicle isn't the only aspect of your life with recommended intervals: What about six-month dental cleanings and regular physical exams? Then there's laundry, mowing the lawn, paying your electric bill, changing your furnace filter - you get the idea.

Now, what would happen if you didn't follow these intervals? For one thing, your teeth may get more cavities. You might not discover health issues that benefit from early detection and treatment. And you'd have to wear dirty clothes, be embarrassed by your overgrown lawn and have your power shut off.

We all realize there are some things in life that we have to take care of regularly. If we don't, there are negative consequences. Our quality of life diminishes and it inevitably costs more money.

Have you ever wondered, "How often should I bring my car in for scheduled maintenance?" You can let your friendly and knowledgeable AutoChoice Service Center Inc. technician remind you of the manufacturer's recommendations. He has checklists of what the manufacturer recommends and can find potential problems when he inspects your vehicle. Rely on AutoChoice Service Center Inc. professionals to help you make good car care decisions, that's our job.

For those in Bloomington who want to be more proactive with their vehicle care, here are some simple ways to remember what has a maintenance interval:

First: fluids. If it's liquid, it's got a replacement schedule. Oil, transmission fluid, coolant, power steering fluid, brake fluid, differential fluid, etc.
Then think tires. They need air, rotation, balancing, and alignment. And while you're thinking tires, think brakes and shocks.
And what makes your car go? Air and fuel. Air filter replacement, fuel filters and fuel system cleaning.

Of course there are more items, but if you remember to take your vehicle into AutoChoice Service Center Inc. for these things, your friendly and knowledgeable service advisor will help you with the rest.

AutoChoice Service Center Inc.
2009 S. Yost Ave.
Bloomington, Indiana 47403
812-339-9898



Odometer Rollback on Your Bloomington, Indiana Vehicle

Posted February 6, 2017 12:16 PM

 

How do Bloomington drivers know if an odometer is telling the truth?

Well, back in '86, Congress passed the Truth-in-Mileage Act to protect Indiana consumers against mileage fraud. It says a Indiana seller must certify the mileage reported is the actual mileage.

To have your odometer checked in Bloomington, Indiana , stop by AutoChoice Service Center Inc.:

AutoChoice Service Center Inc.
2009 S. Yost Ave.
Bloomington, Indiana 47403

 

If it isn't, the seller must say why; for example, maybe the odometer is past its mechanical limits. Some older odometers only go to 99,999 and then start over at 0. Or, the odometer has been tampered with, broken or replaced.

If the seller tells you the mileage isn't accurate, there's not much chance of putting a good number to it. And there's the unscrupulous seller who claims the reading is true, but it isn't. What can Bloomington vehicle owners do?

You can go to www.CarFax.com, where, for a small fee, they'll give you a comprehensive vehicle history search on your vehicle, showing local Bloomington, Indiana , ownership history, accident reports, total-loss events, manufacturer buybacks, Lemon reports and warranty status.

You can get a mileage history by checking with the local Indiana DMV (or wherever you happen to be) and other verified sources looking for inconsistencies in the mileage reported when the car was bought and sold. If there are signs of odometer rollback, now you'll know.

If so, proceed with caution. Or, negotiate a lower price. Or just walk away. There's always another vehicle.

AutoChoice Service Center Inc.
2009 S. Yost Ave.
Bloomington, Indiana 47403
812-339-9898



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Reviews

I had engine issues with one of my cars, and decided to give these guys the job to figure it out. They were very thorough and honest. I figured what some of the issues were to begin with, but didn't say anything just to see how they (AutoChoice) ran. Long story short, those guys are honest, extremely knowledgeable, I believe fair in their prices, and I wouldn't have a second thought of taking another vehicle to them. Now unfortunately for the motor...yep, it was toast!!!

, 03/14/2024

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Fast and friendly service, my pontiac died on me they got it in that day and it was fixed very quickly just a couple days so I didn't have to miss work and great prices.

, 03/01/2024

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Lloyd and the guys are great! My wife and I were unsure about finding a repair shop, and after reading the reviews, we decided to give AutoChoice a try. We took a car we were thinking of buying for a pre-purchase inspection and already liked the service from the start: fair prices, transparency, and clear communication. You don't feel like you're being taken advantage of at any point (unlike many other shops). Today, we brought in another car for some inspections and repairs and once again received excellent service! It's our go-to place in Bloomington for repair services! They really deserve the high reviews they have everywhere. We highly recommend it!!!

, 02/24/2024

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