Oil Changes & Scheduled Maintenance on the Key Peninsula

We drain the old oil with your car up on the lift, install a new filter, and refill with oil that matches your manufacturer's viscosity and specification. That matters more than it used to. Many newer engines, and most European ones, call for oil that carries a specific approval, such as GM dexos or a Mercedes-Benz or Volkswagen spec, and the wrong oil can lead to extra engine wear.

While your car is in the air, we do a multi-point inspection. It's a good chance to spot a cracked belt or a seeping hose before it leaves you stranded. Here's the kind of thing we look at:

Your manufacturer publishes a schedule of what to service and when. Beyond oil changes, it typically includes some mix of engine and cabin air filters, brake fluid, coolant, transmission and differential fluid, spark plugs and, on engines that have one, the timing belt. Items and intervals vary a lot by make and engine, so we work from your vehicle's own schedule.

Some items are due by time as well as mileage, especially brake fluid and coolant. That catches a lot of cars that don't get driven much. Don't stretch a timing belt interval, either. On many engines, a broken timing belt lets the pistons and valves collide, causing serious internal damage. We track your service history and remind you when the next interval is coming up.

Hybrids still have a gas engine that needs regular oil changes. Fully electric cars skip the oil, but they still need brake fluid, cabin air filters and tire care, and most have a coolant system with its own service schedule.

Many owner's manuals list two schedules: normal and severe, sometimes called special operating conditions. Despite the name, severe service describes a lot of everyday driving. If it fits how you drive, the shorter intervals are the ones to follow.

Plenty of Key Peninsula driving fits the list below. Tell us how you use your car and we'll recommend the schedule that matches, not simply the shortest one.

You don't have to use the dealer for maintenance to keep your factory warranty. As the Federal Trade Commission explains, under federal law a manufacturer or dealer generally can't void your warranty or deny coverage simply because routine maintenance was done somewhere else. A claim can still be denied if improper maintenance or the wrong part actually caused the problem.

So what counts is that the maintenance gets done on schedule, with the right fluids and parts, and that you can show it. We use manufacturer-recommended oils and filters and OEM or OE-equivalent parts. Keep your invoices, and we keep your service history on file too. For questions about your specific coverage, your warranty booklet has the final word.

Request an appointment online or call (253) 884-3431. We're open Monday through Friday, 6:00 AM to 2:30 PM, so you can drop your car off early on your way off the Key Peninsula. After hours, keys go in the key drop to the left of the customer lounge door. If you'd rather wait, there's a customer waiting area.

If the inspection turns up anything, we explain what we found, why it matters and what can wait. No work beyond what you came in for gets done without your approval, and every repair we make is backed by our 2-year/24,000-mile warranty. Learn more on our warranty page.