VOTED #1 Place For Auto Service  - Thanks Northville!

 (248)349-5115  807 Doheny Dr. Northville, MI 48167

 Hours:  7am - 6pm  Monday - Friday

Call Today - Routine Maintenance Saves Money!

Key Benefits

Maintenance Services

Here is a list of the most common routine maintenance items and the standard service intervals.  If you have questions specific to your vehicle we have all of the major manufacture's maintenance schedules available at Davis Auto Care.  Just e-mail us your request or give us a call and we will be happy to review what services your car may need to keep it running problem free.

Oil & Filter Change - 3,000 Mile Intervals

 

You have likely heard this phrase before—but please allow us to reiterate.  Oil is the life’s blood of your engine!  Changing the engine oil and filter on a regular basis is the most important, yet is the least expensive maintenance your car needs.   As you drive, the additives in the engine oil that are designed to lubricate and protect the internal workings of your engine are depleted.  During normal operation, as your engine burns gasoline, gallons of water are generated. The water along with other byproducts of combustion and temperature changes work to degrade the oil’s protective properties.  Keeping engine oil that is worn or dirty in your engine can and will lead to major trouble—even complete engine failure.    Our complete oil change service includes changing your engine’s oil and filter along with performing a “mini-maintenance” check of  all your vehicle’s vital fluids, belts, hoses, lights, battery, and tires.  We also perform a complete chassis lube including lubricating hood and door hinges.

Tire Rotation - 12,000 Mile Intervals

 

New tires are expensive!  Rotating your tires on a regular basis is an easy and inexpensive way to maximize the life of your tires and prevent having to replace those tires prematurely. Since the weight of most newer vehicles is concentrated up front where the engine and transmission are located, the front tires will tend to wear faster.  If left on the front axle for too long without consistent rotation, the front tires will often wear out twice as fast (sometimes even faster!) as they should. The mileage longevity estimates that accompany new tires are based on the assumption that tires are being regularly rotated.  Averaging  $70-115 each for replacement tires—you are much better off investing the minimal time and expense of rotating your tires often!  To make this service even easier, rotations can be performed while you wait, and we suggest coordinating your tire rotations with your regular oil change intervals. When the tires are off for the rotation, our staff can get a full view of the tires’ condition—and keep you advised of the tread wear.  Close inspection of the tires can reveal the beginnings of uneven wear which is an early sign of alignment trouble.    

Engine Tune Up - 30,000 Mile Intervals (standard service spark plugs)

 

Tune-ups in the new millennium are not the same as days gone by– but they are still quite important.  Our records indicate that your engine has copper-core or “standard service” spark plugs with a life expectancy of approx. 30,000 miles.  Spark plugs must fire properly to maintain proper engine performance.  Worn spark plugs will inflict undue stress on other ignition system components and left un-serviced will often lead to a “domino effect” of other needed repairs.  Along with replacing the full set of spark plugs, a significant part of today’s tune up involves cleaning carbon build up that occurs as a normal byproduct of the combustion engine. As carbon builds up it can lead to a number of adverse conditions including poor engine performance, reduced fuel economy, and even stalling. Davis Auto Care technicians replace your spark plugs, clean carbon deposits from the throttle body, corrosion off the battery, and perform an electronic stress test of the secondary ignition system components to ensure optimum engine performance.

 

Engine Tune Up - 60,000 Mile Intervals (platinum spark plugs)

 

Tune-ups in the new millennium are not the same as days gone by– but they are still quite important.  Our records indicate that your engine has platinum-tipped spark plugs.  The design and implementation of these platinum spark plugs is a great advancement which definitely results in improved performance, durability, and cost savings to the consumer. Platinum tipped spark plugs have varying life expectancy ranging from 60,000-100,000 miles. It is our experience and suggestion that platinum plugs be replaced sooner than later.  We’ve seen that waiting until the far end of the service interval can result in running problems, damage to expensive electronic parts, and occasionally spark plugs seized in place due to the long length of time between replacement intervals. Spark plugs must fire properly to maintain proper engine performance.  Worn spark plugs will inflict undue stress on other ignition system components and left un-serviced will often lead to a “domino effect” of other needed repairs.  Along with replacing the full set of spark plugs, a significant part of today’s tune up involves cleaning carbon build up that occurs as a normal byproduct of the combustion engine. As carbon builds up it can lead to a number of adverse conditions including poor engine performance, reduced fuel economy, and even stalling. Davis Auto Care technicians replace your spark plugs, clean carbon deposits from the throttle body, corrosion off the battery, and perform an electronic stress test of the secondary ignition system components to ensure optimum engine performance.

Cooling System Flush - 30,0000 Mile Intervals (standard service "green" antifreeze)

 

Coolant/Antifreeze not only protects your engine from damage which could result from temperature extremes (freezing & overheating), but it lubricates the water pump, inhibits rust, and prevents corrosion build up.  Over time the properties that provide this protection become depleted and the coolant turns acidic.  Corrosive, dirty, or rusty coolant will erode vital engine components like the water pump, radiator, and heater core, and can lead to gasket and coolant hose failure.  Our records indicate that your vehicle is equipped with traditional, green ethylene glycol coolant/antifreeze which is normally suggested for replacement at 24,000 mile intervals, or every two years whichever occurs first.  We drain, flush, and refill your engine’s cooling system with fresh coolant—carefully inspecting coolant hoses for soft, spongy spots that may indicate eminent failure, and pressure testing the system for any leaks. 

 

Cooling System Flush - 50,000 Mile Intervals (extended life "pink" antifreeze)

 

Coolant/Antifreeze not only protects your engine from damage which could result from temperature extremes (freezing & overheating), but it lubricates the water pump, inhibits rust, and prevents corrosion build up.  Over time the properties that provide this protection become depleted and the coolant turns acidic.  Corrosive, dirty, or rusty coolant will erode vital engine components like the water pump, radiator, and heater core, and can lead to gasket and coolant hose failure.  Our records indicate that your vehicle is equipped with extended-life coolant (pinkish-red in color, also know as Dexcool). Replacement suggestions  for extended life coolant range from 3 years or 50,000 miles (whichever occurs first) to 5 years or 150,000 miles (whichever occurs first).  Our suggestion is to err on the side of caution. We have seen extended life coolant degrade and develop a rusty-sludge–like consistency long before the life expectancy has elapsed.  The expensive repairs that can result from leaving dirty, rusty coolant in your engine will well exceed the cost of replacing the coolant sooner rather than later.  We drain, flush, and refill your engine’s cooling system with fresh coolant—carefully inspecting coolant hoses for soft, spongy spots that may indicate eminent failure, and pressure testing the system for any leaks. 

Transmission Fluid Service -  45,000 Mile Intervals

 

Transmission fluid acts not only as a lubricant but as a detergent to keep your transmission clean and operating smoothly.  Most vehicles are equipped with a transmission filter or screen to collect small dirt and metal particles that are generated during normal vehicle operation.   Transmission fluid must be changed regularly to prevent debris from building up and clogging or damaging internal transmission components.  We remove the transmission pan to access and replace the transmission filter or screen, and drain the fluid. The pan is carefully inspected for any abnormal particles or debris which may indicate accelerated wear or potential failure.  We are also able to perform a complete fluid exchange which insures that all of the old transmission fluid has been removed and replaced with fresh clean fluid.

Wheel Alignment - Once a Year

 

Proper wheel alignment not only ensures maximum life from your tires, but a properly aligned vehicle maximizes fuel economy!  Poor road conditions are the primary cause of an “out of alignment” problem, but worn suspension components can also cause misalignment.  Not only that, out-of-alignment symptoms such as pulling, excessive steering effort and adverse handling are a safety hazard.  We thoroughly inspect the suspension and steering components that have an effect on alignment, and carefully inspect your tires for unusual or accelerated wear patterns that could lead to premature failure.  Then we correct the wheel alignment (most front wheel drive vehicles have adjustments on all four wheels) making corrections to all three alignment angles—camber, caster, and toe. (All adjustments are not available on all vehicles.) 

Brake Inspection - 24,000 Mile Intervals

 

The brake system may be the single most important safety system on your vehicle.  Proper braking performance is vital to safe and dependable vehicle operation. Brake material (pads & shoes) wears as a normal result of driving.  Dependant greatly upon your driving habits, the life expectancy of brakes will vary dramatically.  Routine inspection of the brake system will assure dependable and safe braking performance and can greatly reduce the cost of brake system repairs that often result from waiting until a problem develops.  Our technicians thoroughly inspect your entire brake system for wear and any signs of potential failure.  We don’t just “take a peek” at the brake pads.  We conscientiously inspect the entire brake system.  The pad and shoe wear is carefully evaluated for remaining life expectancy—we check for signs of crumbling, glazing or uneven wear—any of which may indicate an underlying problem.  Brake rotors and drums are measured for safe thickness, and inspected for hot spots or excess rust that can cause reduced braking performance and/or premature brake wear.  Finally the brake fluid and hydraulic components (calipers, wheel cylinders, brake hoses, lines, and master cylinder) are checked to ensure their proper operation and all are inspected for signs of leakage, and/or wear that may lead to failure.   

 

Thank you for visiting the Davis Auto Care website!

Copyright © 2003 [Davis Auto Care, Inc.]. All rights reserved.
Revised: 03/26/20