JAX Quickfit - Victoria

As with all preventative maintenance performed on a car, major services can prevent a myriad of problems from occurring on a vehicle.

The filters can clog with use and prevent flow, starving the engine of fuel or air affecting fuel economy.

Spark plugs have a recommended service lifetime and old spark plugs may cause engine misfire.

As an engine accumulates miles over time, the oil is diluted. This causes the oil to break down. If the oil is not changed often enough, you can end up with accelerated wear and all the engine problems that come with it (loss of performance and fuel economy, and increased emissions and oil consumption).

A major service includes:

• Checking fluid levels and topping up if required
• Replacing worn out parts such as spark plugs, fuel, oil and air filters
• Draining and replacing the engine oil
• A thorough inspection of all moving parts to check for wear and tear.

The minor service is designed for vehicles between major services, and is even more useful for people doing a lot of miles. During the minor service you will receive oil and oil filter change plus a range of checks over the main elements of the car.

Alignment is one of the key maintenance factors in getting the most wear and performance from your tyres. In addition, wheel alignment provides safe, predictable vehicle control as well as a smooth and comfortable ride free of pulling or vibration, and can also improve fuel economy.

When combined, wheels and tyres will be slightly out of balance; that is, there may be a fraction more weight around one part of the wheel, which leads to annoying vibrations at speed.

Tyres can also be thrown out of balance if you hit a decent pothole or kerb due to rim or tyre damage.

It is recommended that the brakes are inspected at routine intervals and manual adjustment/service be performed at that time, too.

Tyre rotation is vital to achieving even tread wear and long tread life. Rotation is necessary because of the uneven wear characteristics of each wheel position on the vehicle. A good example is front wheel drive vehicles which places braking, steering and driving forces on the front axle tyres. Rear axle tyres only receive braking forces resulting in a much faster wear rate for the front axle tyres. Tyre rotation for these vehicles therefore becomes very important for optimum tyre life.

Rotation should be undertaken every 5,000 to 8,000 kilometres, EVEN IF THERE IS NO SIGN OF UNEVEN WEAR.

20 point safety inspection is a report that outlines the key safety areas of your vehicle - the engine, driveline, battery, exhaust, cooling system, brakes, suspension, steering and tyres. It covers all aspects of your car’s general health, and our qualified professionals will advise if there is any part of your vehicle that requires further attention or servicing.

Brake fluid is one of the most neglected fluids in vehicles today, yet is vitally important for safe driving. Consequently, professional technicians should be checking the fluid and recommending that the brake fluid be changed if it is contaminated. The issue is old brake fluid may not be safe if moisture contamination is above a certain level.

All vehicles need periodic inspection, adjustment and replacement of certain key suspension components.

Regular exhaust system maintenance requires the inspection and, in some instances, various other procedures to occur at selected kilometre and/or monthly intervals.

If regular exhaust system maintenance is not adhered to, additional engine noise, poor fuel economy and serious personal injury can result. A leaking exhaust system can result in carbon monoxide (CO) to enter the vehicle interior.

Depending on the area of the tyre where the puncture occurs will determine if the tyre is repairable. Generally tyres with punctures in the tread area are repairable.

A puncture repair usually takes around 30 minutes to complete. It involves deflating and removing the flat tyre from the rim, assessing and repairing the puncture before re-fitting it to the rim and balancing the tyre on the wheel. It is then fitted to your vehicle and your spare placed back into storage.