Auto Care Tips

Inside our Car Care section you’ll find advice, articles, and vehicle maintenance tips and more.

What To Do When Your Car Breaks Down Having your vehicle break down can be a hassle to deal with, especially went it happens on a highway. Many people panic and do not know what to do in such a situation. Middle Country Automotive wants to make sure that you stay safe if this even happens to you. We are experts in all auto repair, auto inspection and brake repair services in Selden, NY 11784. Your safety is our #1 priority. Here we provide you with advice on what to do if you ever find yourself in this type of situation:   What's the first thing you should do? If your car breaks down on the highway, see if you can safely pull your car over on the shoulder lane or an emergency lane... Read More

Car Maintenance Ensures Your Safety You and your family are not safe unless your car is reliable and in good condition. To ensure that your vehicle is in good condition, perform or schedule car maintenance services. Be sure to consult your owner's manual on when or what parts need to maintained. Vehicle preventative maintenance not only ensures your safety, but also saves you money on future costly auto repairs, increase fuel efficiency and increases the longevity of your car. Different parts of your vehicle will need maintenance at different time intervals, be sure to check out our preventative maintenance page to learn when you should maintain or schedule maintenance services for different parts of your car... Read More

Prepare Your Car for Spring There is a plethora of articles on winter and summer maintenance, however, you rarely come across any articles on how to prepare your car for spring. Your vehicle takes a beating during the winter and it is essential to have to your car looked over before spring to ensure your vehicle is safe and road ready for the upcoming spring months. Middle Country Automotive wants to ensure that you are safe and that your vehicle operates at optimum driving conditions during all seasons of the year. Here is a list of things to do when preparing your vehicle for the spring months: Alignment - Potholes and other driving conditions due to winter can cause your car to mis-align... Read More

Preparing Your Vehicle For Long Term Storage Preparing Your Vehicle for Long Term Storage Do you have a car that you use only during the summer? Are your leaving for an extended vacation? Whatever the reason may be, you need to store your vehicle for a long period of time. Prepare your vehicle for long term storage to prevent any damage or issues such as a dead battery, and future costly repairs. By following the tips provided, you are ensuring that your car is road ready when you get back! We at Middle Country Automotive in Selden NY 11784 want to ensure that you are ready to get back to normal when you get back from vacation... Read More

What Happens When You Do Not Change Your Oil Regurlary Just like we need blood to survive, your car needs oil in order to function properly. Oil is a lubricant which allows all the metal parts of your engine to work efficiently. If your engine was devoid of oil, there would be extreme wear on your engine and it's part as well as increased friction. Your oil filter is also an essential part of your engine and should be changed with every oil change. Please refer to your owner's manual to find out when you should have your oil changed. Essentially, your oil should be changed every 3,000 miles. It is also important to practice preventative maintenance on your vehicle to ensure that it is in optimum shape to perform... Read More

Gas-Saving Tips for Your Auto While it is always wise to conserve natural resources, the recent price of gasoline has made even the most wasteful people think twice. Whatever your motivation, here are some gas saving tips from the pros at the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE). Monitor tires. Under inflated tires or poorly aligned wheels waste fuel by forcing the engine to work harder. (Let the tires cool down before checking the air pressure.) Out-of-line wheels, as evidenced by uneven tread wear, should be aligned by a professional. If you require tire services, call Middle Country Automotive in Selden, NY 11784... Read More

Every Tire Comes With An Autobiography Middle Country Automotive in Selden, NY 11784 wants to make sure that you keep your tires in proper shape. We are experts in auto repair, auto inspections and brake repair services. 1.Size matters. Your holy rollers list their size, just like a T-shirt. Look for a number like this: P225/45R17. The P stands for passenger (LT means "light truck"). The number 225 refers to the tire's width (the part that meets the pavement) in millimeters... Read More

26 Things Your Car Mechanic Is Not Telling You Here are a few tips on how to avoid getting ripped off at your next visit to your mechanic. You can trust that the technicians at Middle Country Automotive in Selden, NY 11784 won't try to scam you out of money. We are experts in aauto repair, auto inspections and brake repair services. 1. Watch out for scare tactics. Admonitions like #39: I wouldn't drive this another mile; should be viewed with suspicion... Read More

Brake Maintenance Tips Your vehicle's brakes consist of five main components: brake pads, rotors, calipers, lines, and a master cylinder. Here is what you can do to ensure that your car brakes are always in optimal shape. If you feel this sounds too complicated or you do not have time to maintain your brakes, Contact Middle Country Automotive today in Selden NY, our technicians are experts in all areas of brake repair, as well as auto repair and NYS auto inspections.   Master Cylinder and Brake Lines Your vehicle's brakes operate hydraulically... Read More

Automatic Transmission Diagnosis There are a few words in the language of auto repair that make car owners want to crawl back into bed, and "transmission" is at the top of the list. There's something about that mysterious box underneath your car that incites fear. Before you hand over your keys, brush up on the simple end of automatic transmissions. If something is seriously wrong, at least you'll be armed with enough knowledge to avoid being ripped off... Read More

Buying A Back To School Car What to Look For Well, it's almost that time of year again. School will be open very soon and there will be a lot of brand new drivers out there. With parents working and busy schedules, it's not really practical to let students drive the family car to school. If they are off to college they will need a car of their own. The obvious answer is to get another car. "Let The Buyer Beware." A new car would be nice, but not too many of us can afford that. So the answer is a used car. When buying a used car the catch word is "Let the buyer beware... Read More

How Your Smartphone Can Help You Care For Your Car You can get so much car care information and vehicle maintenance direction from your smartphone. These days the internet is a viable source for any information, including auto issues! A smartphone possesses the technology that can help to give you instructions for maintenance procedures while you are under the hood, help you find a part that needs fixing and get you to a trusted mechanic quicker and easier than ever before. (ARA) Whether you're a weekend mechanic or simply enjoy being able to keep a handy and accessible maintenance log, here are few ways your smartphone can help you take better care of your car:   How-to Videos YouTube isn't just a great place to check out the latest hilarious viral video, it's a great resource for finding videos that can lead you through common car maintenance procedures... Read More

Keep Your Vehicle Safe and Looking Great Do your brakes squeal when you push on the pedal to stop? Have them checked at Middle Country Automotive, we provide superb brake repair services. Have your been ignoring that unsightly puddle of liquid that keeps appearing under your car?  Small inconveniences can become much larger problems if not taken care of early,  and unfortunately, many drivers fail to address vehicle problem signs until it's too late.  Frequent checks and proper maintenance can make all the difference between a safe, attractive vehicle and an unreliable eyesore... Read More

10 Things Every Car Owner Should Keep In Their Car You never know when you may be in an emergency situation with your vehicle especially on long trips on the road. A proper way to make sure that your car is in shape for the road and/or long trips, make sure your inspection sticker is up to date. During an auto inspection we will check for necesarry issues with your vehicle. Also make sure your brakes are in optimum condition on long trips. We also provide brake repair services. Here we have put together a list of 10 things you should always keep in your car in the off chance you are in any type of situation... Read More

What Happens During A New York State Vehicle Inspection? You must make sure that you have your vehicle inspected in a DMV approved site, repair shop, or inspection center annually. Middle Country Automotive is certified to conduct all auto inspections in Selden 11784 as well as motorcycle inspections. You can perform perventative maintenance on your vehicle to make sure your inspection goes by smoothly. Everyone who owns and drives a vehicle that is registered in New York State is required by law to undergo a safety and emissions inspection... Read More

How To Shop For A Fuel-Efficient Car If you're shopping for a more fuel-efficient car, you need to get a handle on what poor fuel economy really costs you. And you'll need to take a hard look at what you actually need in a vehicle. If fuel economy is important to you, you'll need to keep it in mind early in your decision process. Once you've settled on a specific make and model, most choices you make will have only a slight effect on fuel economy. You might want to consider a gas-electric hybrid vehicle. If you do, you should make that choice for reasons other than saving money. A hybrid car or SUV will burn considerably less fuel than a non-hybrid version... Read More

How to Avoid Getting Ripped Off On Repairs And Maintenance Few things in life are filled with as much mystery and anxiety as automotive service. Any number of questions can arise when something is wrong with your car or even when you just bring it to the dealer for its scheduled maintenance: "My car only has 12,000 miles on it, so why do the brakes shudder?" "When I brought my car to the dealership for its 15,000-mile maintenance, the service adviser showed me a list of things to be done that was a lot more than my owner's manual called for... Read More

Maintenance Basics for Teens So you're going to have a new driver in the family. Standard driver's ed courses may have already taught your son or daughter the basics of how to drive, but they seldom teach teens what they really need to know to keep a car running right, so as to avoid costly repairs and keep safe from roadside breakdowns and other mishaps. Trouble is, many young drivers don't know -- or even care -- how a car works, or what they need to do to keep it working. There are some, admittedly, who are real gearheads, but most teens have other concerns, like clubs, sports, or their image to the opposite sex. They may be fascinated with the car as a symbol of independence, and as an appliance, but that's it... Read More

Prepare Your Car For Colder Weather It's getting cooler and the leaves are falling, which means that autumn is really settling in. While the end of the warmer weather may leave some folks feeling down, what people may not realize is that your car could use come cheering up too. If you have any questions or issues dealing with preparing your car for winter, come visit us in Selden NY 11784, we are experts in auto repair, nys auto inspection, and brake repair services! While you may be traveling a little less during autumn and winter, its still a good idea to exercise preventative maintenance and prepare your car for the months ahead... Read More