Every fall we meet a bunch of students who have just figured out that the car is now entirely their problem. If that's you, welcome. It's not as complicated as it seems.
Find out what oil your car takes
Pop the hood and look at the oil cap, or check the owner's manual in the glove box. You're looking for something like 5W-30. Can't find it? Call us with the year, make and model and we'll look it up.
Change it more often than you'd think
Short trips around town in freezing weather are what car manuals call "severe service," and that's most of the driving people do in Rexburg. Plan on every 4,000 to 5,000 miles on regular oil, or 6,000 to 7,500 on synthetic. If you don't track miles, once a semester works.
Check the oil level once a month
Older cars burn oil, and running low will hurt an engine faster than old oil will. Park on flat ground, wait a few minutes after turning it off, then pull the dipstick, wipe it, dip it again and check the level.
Plan ahead for breaks
A long drive home is not the time to find out your battery is weak. The two weeks before a break are our busiest, so call a week or two before finals and we'll get your oil changed and look over the rest of the car.
Let your parents help if they want to
Lots of parents call us directly, especially from out of state. That's totally fine with us. Have them call (208) 555-0173 and we'll walk them through it.