Federal Automotive Service & Towing

Most Danbury motorists know that their owner’s manuals have schedules for preventive maintenance. Things like oil changes, transmission service and so on. They say you should change your oil every so many miles or after so many months. Danbury people understand this very well. What they may not know is that there are actually two service schedules: the regular schedule and the severe service schedule. The mileage and time intervals are lower on the severe service schedule.

Now when you hear “severe service”, you may think it doesn’t apply to you because you don’t feel your driving conditions are severe or extreme – it’s just normal everyday driving around Danbury. At Federal Automotive Service & Towing, we discuss the conditions that manufacturers classify as severe so that you can make the judgment on your own driving.

• Most trips are less than four miles
• Most trips are less than ten miles and outside temperatures are below freezing in Danbury
• You drive in very hot CT weather
• Driving at low speed most of the time (under 55 mph)
• Stop and go driving
• Operating your vehicle in dusty, polluted or muddy conditions
• You tow a trailer, regularly carry heavy loads or carry a car-top carrier on your SUV

Most Danbury drivers operate under severe driving conditions at least some of the time. How do you know which schedule to follow for your SUV?

Carefully think about your driving conditions and decide if you should do your preventive maintenance closer to the severe service recommendation or the regular recommendation. Of course, your Federal Automotive Service & Towing advisor can help you with your decision.

At Federal Automotive Service & Towing in Danbury CT (06810) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 203.794.9475. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

Some of our customers at Federal Automotive Service & Towing are surprised to learn that there are actually two service schedules for their vehicles. One is the regular schedule and the other is the severe service schedule.

Let’s look at what the manufacturers say constitutes severe driving conditions, and let you draw your own conclusions:

• Most of your trips are less than four miles
• Most of your trips are less than ten miles and outside temperatures are below freezing
• The engine is at low speed most of the time – not on the highway
• You operate your vehicle in dusty areas
• You regularly tow a trailer, carry heavy loads or a car-top carrier
• Stop and go driving
• Driving in very hot or very cold weather

So you can see that a lot has to do with how you drive, but some has to do with where you drive. Some areas of the country will be more or less severe than it is here in Danbury, CT.

For many, normal driving includes elements of severe service driving. So how do you know? Picture a line with ‘regular’ on one end and ‘severe’ on the other, and make a judgment on where you fall.

If your regular oil change recommendation is 5,000 miles and the severe service recommendation is 3,000 – when should you change your oil? For some, it’s closer to 3,000 miles. For others, it’s closer to 5,000 miles. Your service advisor will be happy to have this discussion with you and help you sort it out.

If you drive where the air is dusty or polluted, fluids will become contaminated and filters will get dirtier more quickly.

So make an honest evaluation of your driving conditions in and around Danbury. You’ve made the commitment to take care of your vehicles, so it only makes sense to follow the right schedule.

Give us a call for advice for your car based on our local Danbury driving conditions:

Federal Automotive Service & Towing
272 White Street
Danbury, CT 06810
203.794.9475

At Federal Automotive Service & Towing we install quality NAPA replacement parts. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.