Does Walmart Auto Center Do Tune Ups

  1. Walmart Auto Services sells basic auto-parts and provides some basic repair and maintenance services. If you don't have the time or know-how, you can turn to Walmart Auto Services to do it for you. Walmart focuses on three basic services. First, there is the tire change services at $12 per tire. Next, there's the battery change, with free.
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  1. Does Walmart Auto Center Do Tune Ups Near Me
  2. Does Walmart Auto Center Do Tune Ups
  3. Does Walmart Auto Center Do Tune Ups Prices
  4. Does Walmart Auto Center Do Tune Ups Service
  5. Does Walmart Auto Center Do Tune Ups Near Me

CARS.COM — A car tuneup is an outdated service consisting of replacing parts to bring the ignition and fuel systems up to spec for maximum engine performance and efficiency. A traditional tuneup hasn’t been available or necessary for years. Today’s remaining tuneup services include new spark plugs and cabin air filter replacement. Both are part of your vehicle’s maintenance schedule just as much as checking tire pressure or getting an oil change are — and today’s “tuneup” services are likely to be more like checkups for your car.

Regular tune-ups help maintain vehicle safety and performance by ensuring that worn or faulty parts are replaced promptly; Tune-ups can help you achieve maximum fuel efficiency and vehicle performance; When to get a tune-up. Tune-ups are an important part of regular vehicle maintenance and should be scheduled annually.

Related: More Maintenance Coverage

Spark plugs, for example, are typically replaced every 100,000 miles. And the federal EPA and Department of Energy say that replacing a clogged air filter will not improve gas mileage but can improve acceleration by roughly 6 to 11 percent. The agencies do not say what benefit can be derived from fresh spark plugs, but computers that control today’s engines adjust the air-fuel mixture and spark timing to compensate for wear, such as when the electrodes on spark plugs are worn down.

Even so, some car owners still dutifully take their vehicle in periodically to have it “tuned up.” Instead, what actually happens is that service technicians will inspect and perhaps test the fuel, ignition and emissions systems to look for faulty vacuum hoses, oxygen sensors and various other parts that can hurt the car’s performance. The federal government, for example, says a bad oxygen sensor can give engine computers false readings and reduce fuel economy by as much as 40 percent.

Don’t Ask for a Tuneup, Just Follow Your Car’s Maintenance Schedule

Having your vehicle serviced and inspected periodically is a good way to extend its life and keep it operating efficiently. (Here are some signs your car needs to be checked by a mechanic.) However, walking into a repair facility and asking for a tuneup is a bad idea because it indicates you’re still living in a previous century with no knowledge of what your car actually needs and have extra money to spend. Some in the auto repair business will take advantage of those opportunities.

Look in the owner’s manual for your vehicle (or separate maintenance schedule) to find what the manufacturer recommends, and see if you can even find the word “tuneup.” (Finding it with a hyphen counts; don’t worry, we’ll wait.) For example, we looked at the maintenance guide for the Ford Fiesta that also applies to other Ford vehicles. The first mention of anything related to a traditional tuneup was to replace the engine air filter every 30,000 miles. The only other related item was to replace the spark plugs every 100,000 miles.

Now, to find a mechanic you trust and get some proper maintenance done, check out the video below.

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Late-model cars don't require the same maintenance as older-model cars. miodrag ignjatovic/Getty Images

If you want to sound like you know what you're talking about the next time your car needs some work, don't tell your mechanic your car needs a 'tuneup.' That's because the term tuneup specifically refers to maintenance that modern cars generally don't require anymore.

Does Walmart Auto Center Do Tune Ups Near Me

Traditional tuneups on older cars help keep them in good shape, and enable maximum gas mileage. Getting your car tuned up means having necessary adjustments of certain engine components. At the same time regular parts that wear out over time — like spark plugs and condensers — are replaced.

But the engines in many newer-model cars don't even use these components any longer, and today's engine parts are designed to last much longer than those in years past. So what you might think is a tuneup on a new car probably isn't and that's because your car is much more advanced.

Consumerist says the cut-off year for whether or not your car needs a traditional tuneup is 1999, though there may be a little wiggle room on either side of that year depending on other factors. In general, though, if your car was built in the last 20 years, you should use the preferred phrasing 'routine maintenance' or 'scheduled maintenance,' rather than tuneup. You should opt to have routine maintenance completed about every 30,000 miles or as recommended by your car's owner's manual.

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Tuneup vs. Routine Maintenance

Tuneups actually involve 'tuning,' or physical checking and manipulating engine parts that regulate engine timing, idle and other functions for optimal performance. A tuneup requires a certain level of mechanical skill and an understanding of how an engine works.

Does Walmart Auto Center Do Tune Ups

Below are the parts and service work traditionally part of a tuneup on older cars. Remember, these generally don't apply to today's modern cars:

  • Cleaning the throttle body
  • Cleaning or replacing carburetor (obsolete thanks to electronic fuel injection)
  • Cap, rotor and spark plug wires (all replaced with ignition coil packs)
  • Fuel filter (obsolete thanks to return-less fuel systems)
  • Timing belt (replaced with more durable timing chain)
  • Inspecting oxygen sensors (modern sensors have longer lifespans)
  • Inspecting electronic control module components
  • Inspecting and adjusting engine timing and idle (both now controlled electronically)
  • Inspecting and adjusting (in manual transmission vehicles)

Does Walmart Auto Center Do Tune Ups Prices

Modern cars don't need most of this manual labor. Instead, they require routine maintenance that generally consists of replacing fluids and simple parts. Note that the newest cars on the market or certain types of cars (like electric cars) might have eliminated some of these parts, such as certain belts and hoses:

  • Change engine oil (often changed on its own interval)
  • Change transmission fluid, brake fluid and power steering fluid
  • Replace coolant
  • Inspect belts and replace when necessary (number and type depend on the age and type of car you drive)
  • Inspect hoses and replace when necessary (number and type depend on the age and type of car you drive)
  • Replace cabin air filter

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Does Walmart Auto Center Do Tune Ups Service

Does Walmart Auto Center Do Tune Ups

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Pricing for Routine Maintenance

Consumer Reports cautions that 'getting a tuneup' is a common upsell by mechanics, or a charge one might even tack on to your bill indiscriminately to make you pay more than necessary. In other words, if your mechanic or shop says your car needs a tuneup, be wary. Especially if it's a late-model car. That said, some mechanics or shops may still use that term (see 'Now That's Interesting' sidebar).

Does Walmart Auto Center Do Tune Ups Near Me

Does

Pricing for routine maintenance, on the other hand, totally varies based on several things. Those factors include everything from where you live and the type of car (some cars might use more expensive parts) to whether you're visiting a dealership, going to a chain or an independent shop, or performing the work yourself.

The recommended maintenance schedule for late-model cars takes a lot of the guesswork out of the equation. If you follow the schedule for your car, you should be in the clear, but there are always factors that can make a fluid go gunky or a part wear out earlier than expected.

In short, if you have a car built in the last 20 years or so, you don't need to worry about tuneups as they're traditionally defined. Just maintain your car according to the schedule laid out in your owner's manual and deal with problems as they arise.

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