Oct 04

With so much economic uncertainty, many people are looking for ways to reduce their monthly expenses.  One way to reduce expenses that you may otherwise be paying is to routine car maintenance yourself.  With these DIY car maintenance tips you could be well on your way to saving a bit of hard earned cash every month.  If you’re hesitant to do car maintenance yourself, don’t be!  There are several things that you can quickly and easily do yourself.  It can save you time and money in the long run.  Plus, you can tell your friends and family how smart you are by knowing how to do auto maintenance yourself.

One of the easiest maintenance duties you can perform is replacing your dirty, old air filter with a clean, fresh one.  The average cost is minimal and it takes only minutes to do.  It’s recommended to replace the air filter every 12,000 miles, or once per year, whichever is first.  Rather than sending the car to the shop for the day, you can get the filter at a local auto parts store and do it yourself in about 10 minutes.

Another favorite of the DIY car maintenance tips is replacing windshield wipers.  Sometimes a shop that changes the oil in your vehicle will offer to do this service for you, but beware!  You may be paying a premium for them to do it instead of doing it yourself.  Again, this is a 10-15 minute project, and something that you can easily do yourself.  Find the right wiper blades at the auto parts store and follow the manufacturer’s directions.

Some may be leery when hearing about DIY car maintenance tips that suggest replacing spark plugs yourself, but really it’s not rocket science here.  With the right tools, a little time, and a few dollars for parts you can do it yourself.  Spark plugs need to be replaced every 30,000 miles.

You can save a considerable sum of money if you have the determination to do some simple car maintenance work yourself.  It might take a little time, but it would be worth it when you can pocket the money instead of paying for the work to be done by someone else.

Looking for new or used cars in Peterborough? Bancroft Motors, offers a large selection of both new and used vehicles. Visit us today at, www.bancroftmotors.ca, your premier GMC Dealer in Bancroft

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May 08

If you have recently bought a used truck in Hastings or are thinking about buying a used truck from us, there are a few things that you can do in order to ensure that your used truck stays in pristine working condition for years to come. By properly caring for your used truck, you can not only have a more enjoyable driving experience, but you’ll also be able to have your used truck in excellent condition for longer.

Here are a few tips that we would like to share to help you properly care for your used truck in Bancroft:

Check the oil and change it regularly

One of the biggest mistakes people make when it comes to their used trucks is that they do not properly care for the oil. Your oil should always be clean and your oil tank should always have the appropriate amount of oil in it. In addition to the oil, you also need to be sure that you have a clean oil filter in your car so that the oil works properly and you get the best fuel efficiency possible.

Check the tires

Make sure that your tires are always evenly inflated and rotated regularly. If you have imbalanced or unevenly inflated tires, you run the risk of hurting your axel and wearing your tires down unnecessarily soon. We recommend checking your tire pressure every other fill-up or at least every other month.

Headlights should work

You may get a ticket if your headlights do not work properly, but more importantly, you may also cause and accident or be in an accident if you cannot see properly out of your car. Therefore, we always recommend that you check your headlights regularly to ensure that they are working and that all of the bulbs are in full strength.

Listen for noises

If there is a problem with your engine, you will sometimes hear about it from the engine itself. Therefore, we always recommend that you check the engine for unusual noises, particularly squeals or cracking sounds. Turn the radio off and listen to the engine idle, turn, and go fast in order to determine if there are any unusual noises coming from it that you may need to look into further.

At Bancroft Motors, your GM Dealer in Bancroft we look forward to ensuring that you have a reliable truck for years to come when you buy it from us. Contact us today to learn more about our used trucks in Pembrooke or to get started with your shopping experience.

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Jan 09

 

No matter what used car in Peterborough you decide to purchase you want to make sure it fits in within your lifestyle. You’ll want to feel comfortable in the car and feel like you can accomplish your daily tasks while having reliable transportation. You need to ask yourself some questions before deciding on what car is best for you. How often do you drive your car? How many people do you transport? Do you travel far often? How many hours a day do you spend in your car? For example, if you need to transport a lot of people you’ll need a bigger car than a sedan, and quite possibly a SUV could fit your needs. If you travel long distances in your car, you’ll want a car with low mileage that’s good on conserving gas.

Next, do you want to lease or buy your used car in Peterborough? You’ll have to consider this carefully because each option has its own advantages and disadvantages. If interest rates are low it may save you more money to buy the car rather than lease it. However, if you lease you can get a different car every couple of years and may be able to get a used car that would otherwise be out of your price range if you decided to buy. You can also find resources online that will allow you to calculate and compare your monthly loan payment to your monthly lease payment. Consider the cost of the specific car you wish to own. If it’s a little pricey you also have the option to research other cars in a similar market.

You want to create your own checklist and although you may not get everything you want in a specific car, you may be able to check more things off that list when you compare cars against each other. You’ll be able to compare price, mileage, warranty and various “bells and whistles,” so that when you line up certain cars against each other you’ll know which car tops the list in each area. Before even stepping foot on a dealership you should research the cars that interest you. You’ll want to come into the dealership with background information on the cars that you wish to test drive or inspect.

After visiting Bancroft Motors, your GM Dealer in Bancroft and test driving a car you need to allow yourself time to think. Don’t get wrapped into the sales pitch that is given to you or the “one day only” deal. Car dealerships are always in need of business and will do almost anything to get you to come back. You need to step away from the dealership and weigh your options. It’s also helpful to find out the specific car’s vehicle identification number, or VIN number. This way you can trace the car’s history and find out about any former accidents or previous issues with the car. Usually the dealership will provide you with a background report on the car and if they don’t that’s also something to take into consideration.

When figuring out the perfect used car in Peterborough it’s most important to remember the car is ultimately for you. It’s always good to get other people’s opinions on what they think of their own cars, but don’t let them influence your checklist or top priorities for the car that best fits you.

 

 

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