Expert Auto Repair & Maintenance Services for Golden Area Drivers

Regular oil change service is a very important part of your vehicle’s overall performance, and the key to its longevity. Our experienced technicians understand what it takes to keep your vehicle running at peak performance, including how often you should get your oil changed (factors include the age of your vehicle and how often you drive) and the type of oil your vehicle needs (many customers have come to us with the wrong type of oil in their cars). With oil change service you’ll also get a complete 48-point inspection to advise you of any existing or potential problems with your car, truck, or SUV.

At ADVANCED AUTOMOTIVE, we always tell our customers, “Guessing is easy. Arriving at an accurate diagnosis is time consuming and requires knowledge and specialized equipment.” The best thing to do if your check engine light comes on, or another service light, is to bring your vehicle in for a complete diagnostic, so we can check all the systems, and find the exact issue affecting your vehicle. Identifying the real problem means you’ll get your vehicle repaired correctly the first time, and that service light isn’t going to come on again a few miles down the road.

If your timing belt fails, so does your engine, and your car shuts down. So, when a reputable mechanic tells you that your car’s timing belt needs replacement, you’d be wise to listen and get a new timing belt. However, there aren’t very many obvious signs a timing belt is ready to break, which is why many drivers get a new timing belt as a preventive maintenance service. Replacing a timing belt for preventive reasons costs much less than replacing a broken timing belt. Let us know how long you’ve owned your car, and whether you’ve ever had the timing belt replaced, and we’ll do and inspection and let you know—honestly—if it’s time for a new timing belt.

The brakes are your vehicle’s most critical safety system, so you should have your brakes checked immediately if you expect any problems. Brakes are a normal wear item for any car, and eventually they will need to be replaced. (Factors affecting wear include driving habits, operating conditions, vehicle type, and the quality of brake lining material.) However, avoid letting your brakes get to the “metal-to-metal” point, which usually means accelerating expensive rotor or drum replacement. Symptoms of a brake issue include pulling to one side during braking, a shaky steering wheel when brakes are applied, a pulsating brake pedal, a “mushy”-feeling brake pedal, noise when you brake, and the need to repeatedly add brake fluid to the master cylinder.

Many drivers don’t realize steering ability is closely tied to the vehicle’s suspension system, which means a rough, jolty ride isn’t just uncomfortable, it can be dangerous. Your steering may become inexact and unpredictable if something isn’t right with your suspension system. Suspension parts that require periodic inspection include ball joints, control arms, control arm bushings, sway bar bushings and end links, trailing arms, lateral links, tie rods, idler arms, and pitman arms. These parts commonly wear out and need replacing at some point over a vehicle’s lifetime to ensure smooth driving and accurate steering.

Scheduled maintenance, as prescribed by your vehicle’s manufacturer, is designed to ensure your vehicle’s trouble-free performance. Every car or truck has its own unique maintenance schedule planned out by its manufacturer to help the vehicle achieve its life expectancy. By regularly maintaining your vehicle, you can avoid costly repairs and/or having to replace major vehicle components. At ADVANCED AUTOMOTIVE, we can keep your vehicle maintained to stay in compliance with the factory warranty—there’s no reason you have to depend on the dealership.