Performing an Essential Service In today’s society, there is a lot of discussion as to what constitutes an “essential” vs. “non-essential” business. Barber shops, gyms, and retail stores make up a portion of the latest closures around the country, while grocery stores, pharmacies, and gas stations remain open. As more and more businesses around the country are temporarily shuttered due to COVID-19 concerns, all Mr. Transmission and Milex Complete Auto Care stores remain open for business to serve our customers in need. On March 19, The Department of Homeland Security issued a memorandum to state and local governments to include the vehicle service and repair industry in the definition of essential services for the purposes of emergency ... read more

Warning Signs that Your Car Needs Service By safely driving your vehicle and performing routine maintenance on it, you may feel that you it could drive forever. But do you really know how healthy your vehicle is at any given time? Are you financially prepared for the costs of repairs that aren’t covered by insurance? If you experience any of these warning signs, it is important to contact the mechanics at your local Milex Complete Auto Care and get them inspected. Otherwise, you might be in for some unexpected surprises. Bad Vibrations If you’re driving and start to feel vibrations, that is an immediate reason for concern. Vibrations can signify multiple issues with your vehicle, including unbalanced or flat tires, worn brake bads, a failing engine joint, or a lack of oil, resulting in metal engine components scraping against one another. The vibrations might only be felt in the steering co ... read more

What You Should Know About Gasoline Each day in America, 360 million gallons of gasoline are used. A majority of vehicles on the road today need gasoline to run, but when you’re filling up at the pump, do you really know about the liquid you’re putting in your vehicle that makes it “go?” The Different “Levels” of Gasoline When you arrive at a gas pump, you’re often greeted by several gasoline options to fuel your vehicle. There’s “regular” gasoline, which will be the cheapest, the most-expensive “premium” gasoline, often with a “middle” option, both in rating and price, in between. Above these fuel types, there is a corresponding number, typically 87 for regular, 89 for the middle level, and 91 or 93 for premium. These numbers represent octane ratings. Octane ratings refer to the fuel’s type’s res ... read more

Caring for A Car Battery One of the most integral features of an automobile’s anatomy is the car battery. Simply put, without a battery, your car will not start, so it is important to keep your battery as healthy as possible. But you might have some questions about the battery inside your vehicle. What is the Lifespan of a Car Battery? While the lifespan of a battery truly varies from vehicle to vehicle, and is dependent on many outside factors, the average life of a car battery is approximately four years. The two main factors that cause excessive wear on a battery are volatile weather and poor driving habits. Excessive heat can cause the mixture of water and acid inside a vehicle battery to evaporate and cause harm to a battery’s internal components. This will result in a shorter lifespan for the battery. While you might not ... read more

What You Need to Know About Spark Plugs If you’ve ever spent any time around automobiles, you’ve likely heard the phrase “spark plug,” mentioned. No, this isn’t referring to a person with a fiesty attitude, it is actually a very integral piece of an automobile’s internal combustion system, that helps your vehicle start – and without one, it won’t start at all. While that is the most basic function of a spark plug, there is actually much more to know about how it works, its life span and when you know it is time for a replacement. What is a Spark Plug? A spark plug dates back to the mid 1800s, and has been credited to several inventors who created various versions of “spark ignition” in an internal combustion engine. At its mos ... read more

Getting into the Groove with Winter Tires When purchasing new tires for your vehicle, it may be very tempting to just buy a set of quality all-season tires. Surely, they’ll work in all conditions, right? They literally have all-season in the name! What you might not realize, is that depending on where you live, owning two full sets of tires, both an “all-season” set, and a set of “winter” tires, may be very beneficial for your vehicle in the long run. What are Winter Tires? How do they Differ from All-Season Tires? There are several key differences between a winter tire and an all-season tire, the first of which is the rubber compound that the tire is made. As winter temperatures begin to dip below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, the rubber in an “all-season” tire begins to stiffen, which reduces overall grip on the road. Winter tires are made of a different rubber which can withstand colder temperatures, maintai ... read more

The Effects Freezing Temperatures Have on Your Car’s Fluids Depending on the area of the country in which you live, winter weather and frigid temperatures have the potential to wreak havoc on your vehicle. We often think about the dangers of snow and ice on the road or any problems of starting the car in the cold.  But people don’t always consider the impact freezing temperatures have on their vehicle’s fluids. Here is some information to know about your car’s fluids and what to monitor during the coldest points of the winter. Regular Gasoline Fortunately, with gasoline, there’s an extremely high probability that your tank will not freeze solid. Due to its chemical makeup, gasoline has a significantly lower freezing point than water. Different fuels have different chemical balances, but the estimated point of freezing for gasoline is approximately  ... read more

What Those Lights on Your Car Dashboard Mean Often, lights are a good thing. They can brighten a room and we often talk about the light at the end of the tunnel or shining light on a situation. But lights on your car’s dashboard often aren’t so comforting. They are helpful, of course, and it’s a good thing that car manufacturers have them there. But they’re definitely not to be ignored. When those lights turn on, it’s often a cry for help from your car, and a sign that something is amiss. We wanted to mention a few of the common lights that cars – especially newer ones – often have. Keep in mind that if all of your lights turn on, as you start your car, that’s normal. It’s when one of those lights stays on, that it can be problematic. Here are a few rules of the road. Think of those lights as traffic lights. The analogy almost works. If you see any icon light up on your car dashboard, and the co ... read more

Why Speeding is Bad for Your Car Not only is speeding against the law but it is also a grave safety risk for yourself as a driver, others driving around you and your vehicle. Whether you have a need for speed or are running late, take a minute to educate yourself on the negative consequences speeding can have on your car. You lose fuel. There is a price to pay at the gas pump when you speed. Generally, once you go over 50 miles an hour and for every five miles an hour faster that you drive, you’re basically ensuring that you’ll be spending an additional 18 cents per gallon for gas.  If you rapidly accelerate, you can lower your gas mileage by 15 to 30 percent at highway speeds and 10 to 40 percent in regular traffic. You can damage your vehicle. Driving 85 in a 70-mile speed limit on the freeway doesn’t mean that you’re destroying your engine b ... read more

Preparing Cars for Winter WeatherIf You Haven’t Done So Yet, It’s Time to Prepare Your Car for Winter We have finally reached the point on the calendar in which it is winter, although depending on where you live in the country, it may feel like it’s the middle of winter. Winter has only just begun, and so we thought it might be a good time to remind everyone of some tips that may help you keep your car safer when you’re driving in the snow and ice. Remove snow and ice from your car before driving. Maybe it isn’t practical to get it all off, but you should make an effort to not drive what looks to other people like a giant snowball. After all, that snow and ice will come off, and it could come sloshing down your windows, making it difficult to see.  It becomes very dangerous when that snow or ice could go flying onto another car, causing another driver to swerve their vehicle. In fact ... read more