Larry's AutoWorks Frequently Asked Questions

(650) 450-8924
2526 Leghorn Street
Mountain View, CA 94043
The crew at Larry’s AutoWorks has more than 100 years of combined industry experience.
Q: Why don’t you recommend oil changes at 3,000 miles?
A: "We’ve been recommending oil changes at 6,000 miles for more than 25 years. There are several reasons. First, most cars simply don’t need oil changes more often than that; we have scientific tests that prove it. Second, it increases costs for the consumer. Finally, environmentally speaking, the single largest source of waste in California is waste oil. Doing oil changes at 6,000 miles instead of 3,000 not only saves money, it helps the environment. You’ll be fine as long as you use quality oil and a quality filter, the kind that’s recommended by the manufacturer."
Q: How can I get better mileage?
A: "The most important thing you can do is maintain proper air pressure in your tires. Also, keep the car in proper alignment and running right."
Q: I’m trying to keep my costs down. Do I need to bring my car in for routine maintenance?
A: "Yes, because not taking care of problems ahead of time can raise the cost of repair over the life of the car. It’s always more expensive to fix a car after it’s broken than when its problem are just beginning."
Q: I go to quickie oil-change shops. Is that OK?
A: "It can be. The problem is, those places often employ people who don’t know much about cars, like high school kids or people with no real experience working on vehicles. They have no ability to look at a car and see problem areas or predict what’s going to fail next. Everybody in my shop is a Master technician and a Specialist on the cars they service. They know the cars’ probable failure points and weak areas"