How Do You Know When It's Time To Service Your Brakes?

Vehicle brakes are vital to safety when driving.
It makes sense to be sure that they are maintained properly. Brakes wear out as part of normal operation.

Your service technician has the knowledge and tools to tell you what’s needed. If you know what you are looking for, you can also check for wear by looking at the outside brake pad on the front wheel, which is visible on most cars.


Neglecting your brakes an lead to increased repair costs, or worse, no brakes at all. Paying attention to some of the signs of brake wear can keep you on top of stopping maintenance, saving you some money and keeping your car from bouncing off of the guy in front of you.



What signs indicate that they're wearing out?  How do you know when to bring your car in for service?


The most obvious indicator that your vehicle's brakes need attention is a high pitched squeal when you come to a stop. Brake pad manufacturers include a little piece of metal called an indicator on the pad itself. When the material wears down to the point where less than ¼ inch is left, the metal piece begins to touch the vehicle's rotor, doing a pretty good impression of fingernails on a chalkboard. Some disc brake pads have wear sensors that trigger a “service” light on the dash.


So how do you know when to bring your car in for service?

How Fast Do You Really Drive?

My car informs me that I've been averaging 30.3  mph over the last month.( This is a lot lower than I would have guessed.) It's low  because I don't drive on the highway much  and  because there's also a lot of time spent sitting still in traffic and at lights.


Below are the average driving speeds of several U.S Cities.

Baltimore, MD

25.8

Dallas, TX

26.1

Honolulu, HI

27.8

Las Vegas, NV

29.2

Memphis, TN

35.7

New York, NY

17.6

Phoenix, AZ

28.2

Raleigh, NC

34.3

San Diego, CA

31.0

San Francisco, CA

18.0

Virginia Beach, VA

30.5

Washington, DC

19.3

                                   How Fast Do You Drive ?

Why Should I Maintain My Vehicle?

A well maintained vehicle is likely to run well past the expected lifetime indicated by the manufacturer.

Keeping  tab on your vehicle’s maintenance and condition can not only give you peace of mind of knowing you’ve done your part to prevent breakdowns, it  can also significantly extend the lifetime of your vehicle.

It will most likely cost you more money to fix a broken part than maintain a working part ( not to mention the added stress that an unexpected breakdown adds to your busy life) .

The advantage of  regular  maintenance   it  that any small problems (and there will be problems with any car) are spotted before they become big problems.
                      
                                         This saves you time AND  money.

It's a good idea to keep a log of all repairs and services performed. Most technicians rely on this information to guide their maintenance and repair recommendations. Having this information ready is can help you receive more accurate service.     

                                                  Happy Motoring!

Are YOU ready?

You need to have a plan ! 

No one wants a tragedy to happen in their community but you may need to survive on your own after a disaster. This means having your own food, water, and other supplies in sufficient quantity to last for at least three days. Basic services such as electricity, gas, water, sewage treatment, and telephones may be cut off for days, or even a week or longer. You may have to evacuate at a moment’s notice and take essentials with you. You probably will not have the opportunity to shop or search for the supplies you need.


Determine what items you have on hand and in what quantities.

After doing an inventory, start tackling your shopping lists.

Develope your personal emergency plan.

Make sure you’ll be ready whether at home, work, or on the road.

Don't forget about the family pets!

For more information visit http://www.fema.gov/areyouready/assemble_disaster_supplies_kit.shtm.