December 2023: New Year, New Mindset!

The cold season is here, and it seems that Old Man Winter is eager to keep it mild going into the new year. With 2024 only a few days away, it's time for us to share moments with those that we hold dear and look back at the year prior in retrospective. No matter what you did or how you did it, you got to the end of another year - and make sure to give yourself a big pat on the back for doing as such.

While one of the biggest things that would hold any automotive nerds attention was the U.A.W Strike that lingered for several months, so much has happened in the last year! From electrical vehicles spiking to massive recalls on some of your favorite makes and models, owning a car seems to be a fulltime job now of days.

Thankfully you have your favorite shop in Oak Forest there to help, right?

Even with winter being more mild, this January and February can always take a turn for the worst. Coldsnaps and blizzards can happen every other week here in Illinois with rarely a notice, and if you are a true Chicagoan (be it the city or the burbs!) you'll find yourself prepared with a jacket or a scarf. But, always remember to have an emergency kit at the ready in case your car decides to stall when Mother Nature is doing her worse.

Having a roadside kit is actually something to take pretty seriously - much like a bug out bag for an extreme weather scenario that could happen at your home. Flashlights, batteries, flares, duct tape, a first aid kit, some water, blankets, a shovel: these are all prime examples of what you should have in an emergency kit. Always make sure that you also have an ice scrapper or snowbrush; just in case you find yourself getting off work to a lovely layer of snow covering your windshield.

Hindsight is 2024!

While vehicles are still a bit pricey and with the automotive industry still reeling from the effects of the U.A.W Strike, now is the time to think smart about your car. If you plan to keep the vehicle, now is the time to get the car checked up on and confirm any major issues so that you can begin allocating the funds for those fixes! Prices have been steady, and while some more specialty parts are still expensive, if you catch the problem early you may not need it!

Remember, bad brakes can turn into bad calipers or hubs! Small leaks can become larger, and as the weather turns cold those weaker batteries and alternators will finally die out. By bringing the car into the shop, we can give you a detailed breakdown of the coming expenses that your vehicle will need. Remember, while our diagnostic fee is consistent based on the time spent on the car, if you do the work it will most likely be covered!

Develop a habit of bringing in your vehicle for an oil change at least once every three or so months (or, based on the oil put in your car, the miles put on it) and while here we can make sure to check over it all with a twenty one point inspection. By staying on top of the work needed, this can increase the lifespan of your car so that you can keep up with everything else going on in your life.

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That's going to be a wrap up on Fullserv for 2023! It's been an absolutely amazing year, and with all the ups and downs, we are so glad to be here as your preferred automotive shop in Oak Forest and the south suburbs. Please call us if you have need of anything with your car so that you can get in as soon as possible to save yourself any future headaches.

Be well, and have a safe New Year. We'll see you in 2024!

Ron