Before you head out for your summer road trip, Mr. Transmission/Milex Complete Auto Care recommends making sure your tires are ready to hit the pavement.   Prior to packing your bags and stocking up on road trip snacks, it’s important to make sure your tires are ready for the trip. The condition of your tires will impact your car's performance and safety. The experts at Mr. Transmission/Milex Complete Auto Care compiled a checklist you can use to get your tires ready to travel.   All-Weather Tires. If you put snow tires on to provide traction during the winter months, replace them with all-season tires that will handle well during a summer downpour.   Tire Pressure. Check the PSI on your tires. As the temperature goes up, the PSI in your tires increase. For every 10-degree rise in temperature, the tire pressure goes up by one PSI. Over-inflated tires can cause blowouts or overheat.   Tread. Do a vi ... read more

What People Should Know About Brake Systems   Brakes are the unsung hero of the car. Stepping on the accelerator and moving down the road is the fun part and gets all the glory, but even more important is the ability to stop or slow down. Effective braking is something we take for granted—until it’s too late. Thankfully, brakes are good about giving warning signs when they are wearing, indicating that it’s time for a refresh. Understanding how different types of braking systems work is a good foundation for knowing when it’s time. Each braking system comprises different parts that work together to brake safely.   How Do Braking Systems Work? When you press the brake pedal, you activate a cylinder, which sends brake fluid to your brake calipers, to engage your brake pads. The brake pads apply pressure to your rotors. The resulting friction is what slows ... read more

The Importance of Changing Transmission Fluid The transmission is one of the key components of a car’s engine. Whether automatic or manual, the transmission’s important duty is for shifting gears, giving the engine power and the appropriate level to drive at a given speed. An automatic transmission shifts automatically for you as you accelerate or de-accelerate, while a manual transmission relies on the driver to shift. Because of its integral role in the operation of your vehicle, replacing or repairing a transmission is an expensive proposition. To avoid finding yourself on the bad end of a big bill, changing the transmission at appropriate intervals is essential.   What is Transmission Fluid? Transmission fluid is, in part, a lubricant that makes the parts inside your transmission move smoothly. If you have an au ... read more

What Happens If I Don’t Drive My Car? If you haven’t been driving your car as much recently, you’re not alone. A large majority of Americans have been under “stay at home” restrictions for several weeks, and a majority support the orders continuing for the near future to fight the spread of COVID-19. While people are staying at home, the “need” to drive a vehicle has evaporated for more people who aren’t employees of an essential business. However, just because you’re supposed to stay home, doesn’t mean that your vehicle should be left in your garage or driveway for days, if not weeks, without moving. Driving your car for several miles is a great way to keep it healthy and running well. A short drive will wake up all aspects of your vehicle, including the engine, brakes ... read more

Don’t Put Off Regular Maintenance Most of us have been guilty of at least one of the following while driving a vehicle: Driving past your recommended allotted mileage between tire rotations or oil changes. Having an indicator light illuminate your dashboard, hoping that it just goes away. Maybe there are unfamiliar sounds coming from your car or it doesn’t just feel right.  You feel you can hold off on any repairs when you get back out on the road more often or some of the current stay-at-home restrictions are lifted.  We get it. You will eventually get around to it because, relatively speaking, it doesn’t seem as important right now. While fewer people are on the roads these days, that may feel like another excuse to put off routine maintenance to your vehicle. You shouldn’t be waiting until “things get back to normal” in order to service your vehicle. By putting those things off, you a ... read more

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

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

Four Ways You Can Damage Your Transmission Just like any other part of your vehicle, your car’s transmission system need its owner’s care and attention.  It may not require frequent maintenance like oil changes, but there are some things people should know to make sure their transmission is running properly.  Here are some common practices car owners can do to ensure they are not damaging their vehicle’s transmission. Never having the transmission fluid changed. Luckily, this is not something that needs to be changed very often.  For many cars, the manufacturer may suggest not needing to get fresh transmission fluid until 100,000 miles.  In some cars, that can even be extended to 150,000 miles while other car experts suggest every 50,000 miles.  Although the specifics may vary by vehicle, if your car has a lot of years and miles on it or may not be running smoothly, it may be time to take your car in and have ... 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