As we say goodbye to summer, drivers need to ask themselves some important questions in preparation for the fall and winter. Does your car have enough juice in its battery for starts on cold mornings? Do your tires have enough grip for increasingly wet and icy roads? Will the heating system be able to do its job?The shop has five bays and employs four new mechanics with about 80 years of combined experience. The new manager, Steve Colwell, started his job this month and said he brought his 30 years of experience to Auto-Lab because it’s a “great company.”
“We’ve got the best pricing, the best service available. They do phenomenal work here,” said Colwell, who has lived and worked in Livingston County for more than 20 years.
Preparing for Fall
Now is the time to have your vehicle tuned up for the fall. One of the most important things to get checked is the battery.
Lane compares a vehicle’s battery to a light bulb — you don’t pay attention to it until the day it doesn’t work.
“The only way to get ahead of that is to check the battery and see if it’s getting weaker. It may be starting the car every day right now, but it may not start it tomorrow morning,” he said.
“It’s one thing if your battery dies on you in July and you’re stranded. But if it dies on you in the middle of January and you can’t run your heater, you’re out of luck,” he added.
Lane said vehicles idle higher in cooler weather, and running the heater is more taxing on the motor. That makes getting regular oil changes even more important.
“We still recommend oil changes every 3,000 miles or three months, because in Michigan, you have severe driving conditions all the time,” said Lane, adding that those severe conditions include stop-and-go traffic, high speeds on the freeways and drivers towing boats and campers. He said Auto-Lab uses a synthetic blended oil.
“It’s a higher-grade oil that has more detergents in it and helps keep your motor cleaner,” Lane explained. “It has a lower waxing point, so in cooler weather, it doesn’t thicken up as quickly.”
Clean oil is also important for those who begin to use remote starters in the fall, he said, noting that the extra idle time can build up carbon in the motor.
If you want to keep your vehicle on the road this fall — literally — don’t forget to get your tires checked out by a professional.
“You want to have good tires coming into the bad-weather season,” Lane said. “The fall brings more rain. A lot of people don’t think they need new tires until it snows, but you get that light film of rain on the road, it brings that oil to the surface and makes it very slick.”
Finally, fresh wiper blades for the fall will help keep your windshield clear of rain, ice melt and snow.
Other Changes
Auto-Lab customers may notice other changes at the Genoa Township shop. To make things more comfortable, the lobby features a big-screen television, an electronic menu board that offers car-care tips and pricing information about different services, and a Keurig coffee maker that allows customers to brew individual cups of the coffee of their choice.
“It’s the small details that we’re trying to pay attention to,” Lane said.
To celebrate the new ownership, the shop will host Customer Appreciation Days on Sept. 20-21. For $14.99, customers can have their oil changed and tires rotated. There will also be food and giveaways, Lane said.
Lane is proud of Auto-Lab’s 12-month, 12,000-mile nationwide warranty and its Michigan roots. “We have 26 locations across Michigan, from Canton to Gaylord to Mount Pleasant,” Lane said. “If you’re on the road and have a problem, you can find an Auto-Lab."
The shop in Genoa Township is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. For more information about Auto-Lab Car Care Centers, visit http://www.autolabusa.com.
Written by:
Mike Lammi
Daily Press & Argus