Why Mechanics No Longer Do Automotive Tune Ups

Mechanics in Fort Collins don’t do tune ups anymore because modern cars are so computerized, that the many adjustments and tweaks that comprised the majority of an auto tune up are simply not necessary. Valves don’t need adjusting, ignition timing on modern cars is regulated and controlled by your cars computer, and, there are no more carburetors to tweak.

Your modern car is actually very good at self regulating and correcting many of the problems that may occur. If a problem should arise, your auto technician will be using computer diagnostics to correctly identify and adjust the problem.

The majority of mechanical components in a your car will need maintenance, especially parts that tend to wear out with overuse or improper lubrication. But for modern cars, when a part goes bad, it needs to be replaced, not “tuned up.”

Fort Collins automotive services and repair focus on maintenance, and this is for a very good reason. Keeping the various elements that comprise your car well lubricated, clean and optimally tweaked for top performance will prevent engine damage and breakdown of parts. There are several mechanical elements of any vehicle that still need watching, however. Your cars computer can’t regulate spark plugs for example. They simply do their job, and once worn out, need to be replaced. Spark plugs do tend to last about 100,000 miles. This is not an item that needs to be changed out very often, perhaps not even in the time period in which you own your car.

Spark plugs are also best changed when complementary components need to be replaced. At 60,000 and 12,000 mile maintenance services, the spark plugs, timing belt and coolant are all generally due for replacement, and these items are usually all replaced together.

You can still take your car to your Fort Collins Automotive shop and ask for a “tune up.” What the auto technician will do however, is a maintenance check. If anything idsdue for replacement, she will remove parts which are no longer functional. She will then check fluids, hoses, and other elements of the car manually. Then its time for her to hook up your car to a computer and run some diagnostics.

Maintenance of your car is highly recommended by your auto manufacturers as well as your Fort Collins automotive center. It generally involves numerous small things that together add up to keeping your car running at optimal performance. This insures the lifespan of your car will be a good one, as well as helping to avoid disrepair, for example, if your air filter is a clogged up dirty mess, it won’t be doing its job of keeping grime and dirt out of the engine. Once dirt infiltrates your engine, it can damage it, leading to a serious repair that is completely avoidable. Regular auto maintenance is really the best thing anyone can do to insure their car from falling into disrepair, as well as extend its healthy life span.

The point is, when a part goes into failure in a modern car, it can’t be “tuned up.” It has lost its ability to perform and needs to be replaced. Instead of tuning up cars, mechanics in Fort Collins engage in auto maintenance.

All parts do eventually fail, however. No mechanical element of your car will last forever, each has a limited life span. That span is affected by numerous factors, including the type of vehicle, the quality of the part, and the conditions under which it is used. A tire, for example, will wear out and need to be replaced within a shorter time span for a car that engages in a lot of off-road and 4×4 driving than a car which is primarily driven on highways.

Additionally, manufacturers seem to be pretty consistent at installing faulty components in new cars, and thats why we see so many recalls.

Any car owner can increase the lifespan of individual mechanical components of any vehicle however, simply by keeping the car in optimal condition. This leads us back to regular car maintenance. For example, changing your oil, and oil filters is the best thing anyone can have done to prolong the lifespan of an engine. Dirty oil, or oil that has lost its ability to lubricate can cause systemic failure to a cars engine. When metal parts are not lubricated, they will grind on each other, leading to ware and ultimately, failure. Dirty motor oil will leave residue on everything it is actually intended to wipe free of contaminants. This leads to “gunky” build up, and this will also damage mechanical parts of an engine. It will also eventually lead to parts becoming so damaged that they have to be replaced.

So no, tune ups are obsolete. But yes, every car needs solid and regular maintenance to stay healthy and keep from falling into disrepair. If your car is due for maintenance, the best thing you can do right now is schedule a service with your Fort Collins Automotive provider.