ALBERT LEA, MN - We're all trying to scrimp and save anywhere we can these days. You might be among several folks who are putting off car maintenance to save cash. Mechanics say it isn't a safe idea.
Every bolt is tight. The tires are topped off. And the oil is changed.
"They look for other things to make sure you don't have problems with them in the winter. Usually do this with every vehicle that I own," driver Dan Purdy said.
Dan Purdy's pick-up is getting a pre-winter season check-up.
"I don't like sitting on the side of the road when it's 20 degrees below zero. It gets a little chilly."
But some Albert Lea car mechanics are seeing a big drop in business. Several folks are saving money by avoiding regular maintenance and repairs for their vehicles.
"It was actually pretty big. It was scary there for awhile. I don't know...the election may have had something to do with it or lower gas prices for sure helped us a lot," Flaherty Auto Service Manager Larry Vosvurgh said.
Mechanics say it's important to have your brakes checked and oil changed year-round, but they say in the wintertime it's even more important because the roads can be icy and it could be even more dangerous behind the wheel. Mechanics say if needed work is avoided now, it could end up creating more hazards out on the roads.
"We look at the brake system and we go through and do battery checks, coolant checks and just make sure everything's ready to go for the colder weather," Vosvurgh said.
Purdy makes sure his pickup is cared for. He doesn't want any surprises in nasty weather.
"That is when you usually want your vehicle to be working the best is in the colder weather. If something's going to go wrong with it....that's the time it will," Purdy said.
Car mechanics tell us the most important thing you can do is take your car in for an oil change every three-thousand miles. Be sure to get any flashing warning lights on your dashboard checked out.
