Friendly Ford service advisers recommend scheduled maintenance

“General maintenance, including oil levels, tires, belts and hoses, are very important,” said native Las Vegan Jim Olive, who has been around the car business for about 40 years. “There is nothing worse than having car troubles, especially in the summer when you’re 200 miles from nowhere.

“A lot of those concerns can be addressed by having a vehicle checked sometime in April or May. We have a service called ‘The Works’ that takes only about 90 minutes and that will save you a lot of headaches and a lot of money, too.”

Olive also said that the old days of servicing two or three belts have been replaced by a single serpentine belt, which is vitally important to keep the battery charged and the fluids working properly.

“The maintenance checkups should be conducted every 3,000 to 5,000 miles,” Olive said. “Friendly Ford encourages its customers to pay special attention to the service, and the dealership sends reminders to its customers both in email and snail mail.

“Our technicians also keep notes regarding the vehicle, so they’re very aware of its needs. In fact, our technicians and service advisers are just about as important as a physician.”

Fellow adviser Mike Johnson hails from Portland and said problems differ depending on the logistics of the vehicle.

“We really must remember that a car is part of a person’s family,” Johnson said. “When you’re dealing with people who are stressed, we must remember how vitally important a vehicle is to them. Oftentimes, problems with a vehicle can also affect an entire family, so we really must understand their wants and needs and have compassion.”

Interestingly, necessary service can vary depending on the location.

“In Portland, the biggest concern was tires, along with other front-end issues because of the roads, the hills and the fact that it’s constantly wet there,” Johnson said, adding that steering issues were also commonplace in the Northwest. “The heat here is very hard on an engine and a battery. The heat will cause a battery to die instantly, but then again, you don’t have to worry about rust here.”

George Handal said yet another big concern is the usage of engine air filters and cabin air filters.

“Air filters are often overlooked,” said Handal, a 10-year resident of Las Vegas. “The air filters cleanse the air that your engine is breathing. They keep the dirt and debris out of your engine and prevents against engine issues such as poor fuel mileage. In addition, a restricted air filter does not allow an engine to receive the necessary air flow.

“In some cases, a clogged air filter will also cause the check engine light to appear.”

Handal said the air cleaner should be checked every 5,000 miles.

“The average air filter costs about $25, and that’s much less than the damages that can take place by not changing it,” he said. “They’re so simple to replace.”

Handal also recommended that old air filters not be reused even after blowing them out or shaking on the pavement.

“Once an air filter is bad, it should not be used again,” he said.

The same thing applies for cabin air filters.

“The cabin filters treat the air you breathe in a vehicle,” Handal said. “That’s especially important when the air conditioning is running.”

Situated at 660 N. Decatur Blvd., Friendly Ford opened in 1970. The dealership is a 17-time winner of the prestigious President’s Award, Ford’s highest single honor for customer satisfaction.

Further information can be found by calling 702-870-7221 or by visiting www.friendlyfordlv.com.