Keeping the interior of your car, truck, or SUV clean and in good shape is an important part of making your vehicle last. Martel Automotive Service Inc in Belleview has some tips on keeping your car clean inside, and why keeping it clean matters.

If you’ve ever been in an emergency braking situation, you’re probably all too aware that the brakes are the most important safety system on your vehicle. And like many other systems in a vehicle, the brakes need regular upkeep to continue functioning properly. One way to preserve the integrity of the braking system is through brake bleeding, and while it may not be as well known as certain services like oil changes, it is a key maintenance item for a vehicle.

At Martel Automotive Service Inc in Belleview, we know that keeping up with required maintenance schedules is the difference between a truck that lasts a few years and a truck that stays strong for decades.

At Martel Automotive Service Inc in Belleview, FL, we know that over the past decade, depending on what type of car, truck, or SUV you drive, it may seem like oil changes have gotten more expensive, and there are more options from synthetic to standard 10w/30 oil.  What kind is best for your vehicle and is the higher price worth the cost? 

You’ve known someone at some point that has a seemingly impossible amount of keys, keychains, and other accessories hanging from their key ring. You might even be guilty of that yourself. At [BUSINESS_ NAME] in Belleview, FL, we’ve seen our fair share of these loaded down car keys, and also the damage it can cause. Here’s what you need to know.

At Martel Automotive Service Inc in Belleview, FL, we’ve witnessed our fair share of burnt out and broken clutches. While clutch failure is an inevitability, there are a variety of ways to make sure yours lasts as long as possible.

It’s easier than ever to keep your fleet running smoothly for thousands of miles. If a vehicle has less than 50,000 miles on it today, chances are it still has 75 percent of its driving life ahead of it. That’s good news if you’re a company managing a fleet of vehicles. It wasn’t that long ago that hitting the 100,000-mile mark on the odometer was a major milestone. Today, vehicles are built to last. With the proper maintenance and attention, there’s no reason you shouldn’t expect to see that 50,000-mile reading on the odometer one day roll right past 200,000 and keep ongoing. Here at Martel Automotive Service Inc, we're going to give you some tips on how to make that happen!

At Martel Automotive Service Inc in Belleview, we know that the first and most important step toward keeping your car, truck, or SUV reliably on the road, is knowing how to properly care for it. Here are a few tips on how to keep your vehicle in shape.

Judging by the number of near-rear-endings we witness on our morning commutes, the typical attitude toward brake maintenance appears to be, “Brakes: Don’t let them stop you!” This puzzles us because monitoring your braking system’s health is one of the most straightforward aspects of car ownership. You do have to know what to look for, though, or rather, what to listen and feel for. So let us, uh, break it down for you. Here are the top three signs that your brakes need fixing.

Fluid levels, tire condition, dashboard lights, and a variety of other items typically are briefly explored whenever you bring your vehicle in for maintenance here at Martel Automotive Service Inc in Belleview, FL, where we are good at noticing things that need repair, but the fact of the matter is that only you know your car. You know when your car feels off when it's been serviced last (or that it hasn't been serviced at all,) and have at least some vague idea of what’s going on with your vehicle day to day. Here are some questions you can ask us next time you come by the shop;

Travelling can be difficult, and traveling can be fun. The difference usually comes down to how much preparation you do in advance, and how many unplanned obstacles you meet along the way. A great way to avoid setbacks, mishaps, and stressful situations is to make sure your car, truck, or SUV is ready to hit the road. Here are some important points to check before travelling, from Martel Automotive Service Inc in Belleview, FL.

Manual transmissions require far less maintenance than automatics. However, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t need a fluid check from time to time. Here’s what you should know about checking and adding fluid to your manual transmission, from Martel Automotive Service Inc in Belleview, FL.

If you drive a performance or luxury vehicle, you know that your precision engineered equipment demands precision tuning. At Martel Automotive Service Inc in Belleview, FL, we specialize in high-end imports and performance vehicles and keep them up to par.

Gauges are your first, and often only, line of defense in catching a major problem before it’s too late. At Martel Automotive Service Inc in Belleview, we know that sometimes a faulty gauge is overlooked when the truck is still running fine and there’s a busy day ahead. However, gauges are extremely important, and are typically easy to repair.

A huge part of what the hydraulic system in your transmission does is tell the mechanical components what to do and when to do it. Even if you don't understand how that works, our technicians at Martel Automotive Service Inc in Belleview, FL have trained with the best to make sure they understand all the ins and outs of your system. We want you to understand what we're talking about when we talk to you about your vehicle so we'll break down some aspects of your hydraulic system. 

Have you always wondered what a spark plug does? Our team here at Martel Automotive Service Inc is here to help you out. It's simple in theory but does quite a lot of work for such a small piece of equipment. Your spark plug forces electricity to arc across a gap like a bolt of lightning at high voltage and fits into your engine's cylinder head, where it “sparks” to ignite the fuel and creates combustion within your engine. Without it, you wouldn't be able to drive your car or truck. 

It’s a busy morning, you’ve finally gotten everyone where they need to be and you’re just pulling into the parking lot at work when your dash light starts glaring at you. Your check engine light shines bright, but you have no idea why. Whether you can tell a difference in the way your car, truck, or SUV is running, your car is trying to tell you something. At Martel Automotive Service Inc in Belleview, FL, we can help!

At Martel Automotive Service Inc in Belleview, FL, we recommend always making it a priority to change your oil on time. Here’s a look into why it’s so important, and what happens if you don’t keep up with oil changes.

Sludge - If oil stays in an engine too long, sludge begins to build up anywhere oil can go. The oil absorbs tiny debris and contaminants, kind of like a liquid sponge - once it’s at capacity, that oil begins to stick, clog, and build up throughout the engine. Small veins that carry oil to components like actuators, turbos, and bearings will become blocked, starving critical components of oil and causing component or engine failure.

Do you hear a funny clicking sound when you turn the wheels of your vehicle? It could be your car or truck's CV or Drive Axle, and it may be in need of repair. Safety is the number one priority for our customers here at Martel Automotive Service Inc, and it is our goal to keep your vehicle running smoothly. Driving around with a damaged CV Joint or Drive Axle problem can be extremely dangerous. The axle is a structural component that bears the weight of the vehicle, any cargo, and the acceleration forces between you and the ground. It is so important to have your vehicle inspected regularly by a trained automotive repair professional here at Martel Automotive Service Inc to ensure its safety.

Sometimes your car, truck, or SUV stops performing quite like it used to. At Martel Automotive Service Inc in Belleview, we can fix that. A simple but common issue on vehicles equipped with a manual transmission is shifter bushing issues. Your shifter has a bushing on the end of it, where it connects to the actual transmission. Its purpose is to provide tight, smooth shifting.