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If you've been a driver for decades, you've probably owned quite a few cars in your lifetime. Back in the day, a tune-up was a straightforward service that was needed for cars still using a carburetor. Nowadays, vehicles no longer have carburetors, yet the term tune-up is still prevalent. So, what does it mean in today's terms?
While the definition of a tune-up has changed over the years, it still loosely refers to vehicle maintenance or sprucing up your vehicle. The original term "tune-up" was actually coined by Henry Ford while he was still working on his first automobile prototype. In order vehicles, there was a separate ignition coil for every spark plug. When the coils sparked, they would make a humming or buzzing noise. Over time, they would get "out of tune", and would need a mechanic to properly adjust them so that they would be in tune again, hence the term "tune-up" was born!
While this service requirement has changed, many still use the term tune-up when referring to vehicle maintenance. It is usually needed when getting a major service for your vehicle, which is typically recommended every 30,000 miles. A tune-up these days typically includes a timing and idle adjustment, spark plug replacement, timing belt replacement, and fluid services if needed. However, what your vehicle will need during a tune-up will vary based on what it actually needs.
So the next time you hear tune-up, just know that it essentially just means that your vehicle is due for a revamp. It needs to have certain parts or fluids changed so that it can run like new again. A tune-up will boost your vehicle's performance and give you back that fuel efficiency you had when you first drove your car off the lot. We typically follow your vehicle's manufacturer recommendations based on mileage, and those are the inspections and services that we will perform. A full list of recommended services is always provided to you before we begin any work, rest assured.
If your car needs a tune-up, bring your vehicle to Westside Transmission today.