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Before heading out on your next summer trip, ensure your ride is ready for the road. Follow these simple maintenance tips and get your Chevy checked out by your Chevy service center to make your summer a breeze. more 1. Inspect Your Tires Before Your Trip Make sure to inspect your tires every month and before hitting the road for a long trip. While inspecting your tires, look for the built-in wear bar indicators to determine if it is time for a replacement. Be on the lookout for uneven wear across the tire treads. This could mean your tires need rotation or alignment before your trip. Regardless of use, make sure to replace your tires every six years. 2. Have Your Chevy Service Center Top Off Your Fluids Have a mechanic check your vehicle's fluid levels to keep your vehicle safe. A mechanic can test your cooling system for leaks, test the coolant, and drain or replace the old coolant. While they are under the hood, the mechanic can check fluid levels for your brakes, automatic transmission or clutch, power steering, and windshield washer. Make sure to keep each reservoir full during the summer and have them serviced if you notice any signs of leakage. 3. Get Your Air Conditioning Serviced To keep cool while on your road trip, have your mechanic diagnose any issues with your Chevy's air conditioning system. They can also replace the cabin filter to keep the system running ​without issues. 4. Check Your Belts and Hoses Your drive belts should be on your summer checklist. They power your vehicle's engine water pump and other accessories like your alternator and air conditioning compressor. If your belts look cracked, glazed, or frayed, have them replaced. However, modern belts may not show signs of wear and tear, so replace them every 60,000 miles. You should also check for leaks around hose clamps and the radiator or water pump. Replace them if they are worn, brittle, bulging, or excessively soft. 5. Get Your Wiper Blades Replaced The winter and spring weather can cause heavy wear to your wiper blades. Before hitting the road, get your wiper blades replaced. The summer heat can cause them to deform and fail to work properly. By following these simple tips, you can keep your Chevy running smoothly all summer long. Contact us today at Hank Graff Chevrolet in Davison, MI to schedule your summer checkup. Image via

As a proud owner of a new Chevy, you want it to look great and run optimally. One way to keep it chugging along smoothly is to get an oil change with your local dealership for every 5,000 to 7,000 miles traveled. These are reasons why it's important to do this regularly. more Keeps the Engine Properly Lubricated The engine inside your 2024 Chevy must be continuously lubricated to run properly. Changing your oil regularly ensures that all the moving parts can continue functioning. When the engine is properly lubricated, it allows every component to move so you can drive without any issues. By contrast, skipping this regular maintenance step can dry out your engine and cause your car to fail. Improves Gas Mileage When you regularly change your Chevy's oil, it improves your overall gas mileage. It ensures your engine is clean and allows you to save anywhere from 1% to 2% on your gas consumption. Even though this seems minuscule, it adds up; you can save as much as a gallon in gas each year. Cools Engine Parts Changing the oil in your vehicle helps to cool the engine parts. If you keep driving with old oil, it can cause too much friction, overheating, and damage to the components. Maintaining the right oil level by regularly changing it minimizes this issue, so your engine stays cool. Reduces Harmful Emissions You can also reduce harmful emissions when you change your oil regularly. When your engine is clean, it limits the risk of dirty particles getting into the air. Changing the oil eliminates the buildup of grime and sludge that can cause pollution. Keeps Your Vehicle Running Better Getting the oil in your Chevy changed regularly keeps your vehicle running better. You might consider skipping this step to save money, but ensuring this regular maintenance is performed is worth it in the long run. Changing the oil ensures your car can work optimally so you can travel to work, school, and other places and back home. Improves the Value of Your Car If you ever plan to sell your Chevy at some point, regularly changing its oil can significantly improve its value. When the engine works properly, the car can run smoothly, and you can entice buyers when selling to upgrade to a new set of wheels. Are you ready to take a new Chevy for a test ride? Contact us at Hank Graff Chevrolet in Davidson, MI so we can get you started. Image via

Nothing can ruin a road trip quicker than having your Chevrolet break down miles from home with no help in sight. Before departing, you should ensure your vehicle is in optimal condition and road trip ready. Let's look at the top car maintenance tips that will prime your Chevy for smooth travels and prevent untimely roadside emergencies. more 1. Check and Top Up Fluids Before your extended drive, check your engine oil, transmission fluid, brake fluid, and coolant levels and top up as needed. If your Chevy's oil service is due, change the oil to make sure it lubricates and cools the engine components properly. Check whether the other fluids are due for a flush and get it done. Starting the trip with fresh fluids will prevent mechanical issues during the long drive. 2. Inflate and Rotate the Tires No road trip prep is complete without proper tire care. Start by checking the tire pressure and inflating to the recommended PSI in your Chevy's owner's manual. Driving on underinflated tires causes wear and tear and makes blowouts more likely. Inspect the tires for uneven tread wear or severe damage, and replace the sets if they are too worn out. With all tires properly inflated and in great condition, you will have better handling and braking and a reduced risk of flat tires. 3. Inspect Suspension Components Your Chevy's suspension bears the brunt of potholes, bumps, and cargo loads. Inspect the shocks, struts, ball joints, tie rods, and other suspension components. Check for any leaking fluid or loose parts and replace excessively worn components that could fail during the trip. 4. Check Belts, Hoses, and Drivetrain Components Inspect all belts and hoses under the hood for any glaring cracks, fraying, or leaks. Replace damaged ones to prevent engine overheating, loss of power, and other serious performance issues. Remember to lubricate key drivetrain parts like the CV joints and driveshaft. If your CV joints are worn out, replace them to prevent the loud clicking during turns. 5. Inspect All Lights Functional lights will keep you visible to other road users at night and increase your safety. So inspect the headlights, brake lights, turn signals, and hazard lights and replace any burned-out bulbs. Clean the headlights to increase visibility at night, and make sure the high and low beams work properly. Don't forget to also check the license plate lights. 6. Resolve Illuminated Dashboard Lights Don't ignore lingering dashboard warning lights before your trip. Even minor issues can escalate into major problems while you're on the road. Pay attention to the check engine light, engine temperature warning, charging system or battery indicator, and service reminder indicator. Preventing car trouble during a road trip requires diligent preparation. Call Hank Graff Chevrolet today and schedule comprehensive maintenance to prepare your Chevy for the long drive ahead. Image via

Winter can take a toll on your Chevy, especially in extreme conditions. Below, we've complied a list of winter car maintenance tips to help you take the necessary precautions and prepare your vehicle for the harsh conditions ahead. more 1. Change the Oil To keep your engine protected and running optimally during the winter months, change the oil before the winter hits full force. As the cold weather sets in, the fluid in your car will begin to move slower, causing your engine to work harder. If you haven't changed the oil recently and it's old and dirty, it can put even more stress on the engine and cause damage. 2. Check and Test the Battery Cold weather strains car batteries, and if your battery is not in good condition, it might fail to start your car in freezing temperatures. Check that the terminals are free of corrosion and ask your Chevy technician to perform an inspection and test to determine if the battery is still strong and if it's necessary to replace it. 3. Ensure the Braking System Works Don't wait for a winter storm to hit before checking your brakes. Instead, have them inspected and serviced early in the season. Replacing worn brake pads and checking the brake fluid is a small price to pay for your safety on snow and ice-covered roads. 4. Test Your Defroster and Heater Before the onset of freezing temperatures, check whether your car's heating and defrosting system works effectively to keep your vehicle warm and comfortable and to ensure you can see the road ahead. In case of any issues, get them repaired by your Chevy technician. 5. Make Sure You Have Proper Visibility It's imperative to have proper visibility in harsh winter conditions. Check your brake lights and turn signals to see if they function properly, and switch on your headlights and high beams to ensure they work correctly. 6. Check the Wipers and Replace the Washer Fluid Wiper blades have a limited lifespan of about a year or two. If the blades leave streaks or are damaged, replace them to guarantee a clear view. Also, replace the washer fluid with a winter blend that can withstand freezing temperatures. 7. Mount Winter Tires When driving on roads covered in ice and sleet, it's essential to have the necessary traction. Mount a set of winter tires for extra grip and improved handling to navigate safely through extreme winter conditions. Winterize your Chevy and hit snow and ice-covered roads with confidence this winter. Call Hank Graff Chevrolet today to schedule a maintenance service and ensure you are safe behind the wheel in the harshest winter conditions. Image via