What is a cabin air filter? Is it:

A. A filter for your Upper Darby Media-Lima house?
B. A fresh, piney scent?
C. A filter for the passenger compartment of your car?

Clever you, it’s C.

A cabin air filter cleans the outside air before it comes into the passenger compartment. It filters out common Upper Darby Media-Lima air particles like dust, pollen, spores, bacteria, pollutants, exhaust gas, odors and even sparrows.

These high tech filters can block particles larger than 3 microns. By contrast, a grain of sand is about 200 microns.

Not all vehicles in Upper Darby Media-Lima have cabin air filters. They are fairly new on the scene. About forty percent of new vehicles sold in Upper Darby Media-Lima come with cabin air filters, but the number is growing every year.

Cabin air filters can make for a very nice driving environment. Your car can be a haven during our Upper Darby Media-Lima allergy season with very little dust and pollen getting into the cabin. However, the filter eventually gets clogged. When this happens, your heating and air conditioning flow can become restricted. The filter can even get kind of smelly.

Check your owner’s manual for recommended replacement intervals. Often, the owner’s manual forgets about the cabin air filter, so ask your service technician at Qyst Tire and Automotive Repair Service Centers for a recommendation. It’s usually every year or 12,000 miles / 19,000 kilometers. Change it sooner if you drive in dusty conditions around the Philadelphia area, or if you start to notice an odor from your ventilation system.

So keep your cabin air filter clean. It may not help with your brother-in-law in the backseat, but it will make your driving experience around Upper Darby Media-Lima more enjoyable.

Come by Qyst Tire and Automotive Repair Service Centers and we'll take a look at your cabin air filter for you.

Since 1977, Qyst Tire and Automotive Repair Service Centers' ASE Certified Technicians have provided Delaware County car, truck, SUV, Auto and Bus vehicle owners exceptional automotive service and products by carrying the widest variety and selection of discounted tires, rims and wheels.

Qyst Tire and Automotive Repair Service Centers provides coupons,specials and discounted service and for: Oil Change, oil and filter change , Towing, Transmissions, Engine replacement and repair, Tire , Tires, Tire rotation , Tire Repair, Air conditioning, PA State Inspection, PA Emission Testing, Wheel Alignment, Cooling Systems, Check engine light, Auto Repair, Auto repairs, wheel balancing, Brakes, Exhaust Systems, Electrical Systems, Radiators, Tune Up, Windshields & Glass and Car flash reprogramming, check engine light, tire sale, auto service interval, auto factory maintenance car maintenance, auto diagnostics, Quest Tire, Discounted and wholsale: Continental Tires, General Tire, GoodYear Tires, Dunlop Tires, Kelly Tires, Yokohama, Firestone, Bridgestone, Summit Tires and Michelin Tires. 

Qyst Tire and Automotive Repair Service Centers specializes in car, pick-up truck, trucks, SUV, bus, auto services and repairs for Delaware County, PA:  Ardmore, PA, 19003, Aston, PA 19014, Ba la Cynwyd, PA 19004, Berwyn, PA 19312, Boothwyn, PA 19424, Brookhaven, PA 19015, Broomall, PA 19008, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010, Chadds Ford, PA 19317, Chester County, PA 19013, 19014, 19015, 19016, 19022, Chester Heights, PA 19017, Collingdale, PA 19023, Concord Township, PA, Concordville, PA 19331, 19339, 19340, Conshohocken, PA 19339, Devon, PA 19333, Drexel Hill, PA 19026, Edgemont, PA 19028, Folcroft, PA 19032, Glen Mills, PA 19342, Haverford, PA 19041, Havertown, PA 19083, Landsdowne, PA 19050, Lenni, PA 19052, Lima, PA 19037, Marple Township, PA 19008, Media, PA 19063, Middle town Township, PA 19056, Morton, PA 19070, Nether Providence, PA 19086, Newtown Square, PA 19073, Ridley Park, PA 19078, Rose Tree, PA 19063, Rose Valley, PA 19063, 19086, Rosemont, PA 19010, Sharon Hill, PA 19079, Springfield, PA 19064, St. Davids, PA 19087, Swarthmore, PA 19081, Upper Chichester, PA 19013, 19014, 19060, 19061, Upper Darby, PA 19082, Wallingford, PA 19086, Wayne, PA 19080, 19087, 19088, 19089, West Chester, PA, 19380, 19381, 19382, 19383, 19388, 19383, Westtown, PA 19395, Wynnewood, PA, 19096

How do you know if an odometer is telling the truth?

Well, back in '86, Congress passed the Truth-in-Mileage Act to protect Pennsylvania consumers against mileage fraud. It says a Pennsylvania seller must certify the mileage reported is the Actual Mileage.

To have your odometer checked in Upper Darby Media-Lima Pennsylvania, stop by Qyst Tire and Automotive Repair Service Centers:

Qyst Tire and Automotive Repair Service Centers
8607 W. Chester Pike
Upper Darby Media-Lima, Pennsylvania 19082
610-449-6360

If it isn't, the seller must say why; like maybe the odometer is past its mechanical limits. Some older odometers only go to 99,999 miles and then start over at 0. Or, the odometer has been tampered with, broken or replaced.

If the seller tells you the mileage isn’t accurate, there’s not much chance of putting a good number to it; And there’s the unscrupulous seller who claims the reading is true, but it’s not so. What can you do?

First, you can go to www.CarFax.com, where for a small fee, they’ll give you a comprehensive vehicle history search on your car, mini van, SUV, showing local Upper Darby Media-Lima Pennsylvania ownership history, accident reports, total-loss events, Manufacturer buybacks, Lemon reports and warranty status.

You can get a mileage history by checking with the local Upper Darby Media-Lima Pennsylvania DMV (or wherever you happen to be) and other verified sources looking for inconsistencies in the mileage reported when the car’s bought and sold. If there are signs odometer rollback, now you’ll now.

If so, proceed with caution. Or, negotiate a lower price. Or just walk away. There’s always another.

Since 1977, Qyst Tire and Automotive Repair Service Centers' ASE Certified Technicians have provided Delaware County car, truck, SUV, Auto and Bus vehicle owners exceptional automotive service and products by carrying the widest variety and selection of discounted tires, rims and wheels.

Qyst Tire and Automotive Repair Service Centers provides coupons,specials and discounted service and for: Oil Change, oil and filter change , Towing, Transmissions, Engine replacement and repair, Tire , Tires, Tire rotation , Tire Repair, Air conditioning, PA State Inspection, PA Emission Testing, Wheel Alignment, Cooling Systems, Check engine light, Auto Repair, Auto repairs, wheel balancing, Brakes, Exhaust Systems, Electrical Systems, Radiators, Tune Up, Windshields & Glass and Car flash reprogramming, check engine light, tire sale, auto service interval, auto factory maintenance car maintenance, auto diagnostics, Quest Tire, Discounted and wholsale: Continental Tires, General Tire, GoodYear Tires, Dunlop Tires, Kelly Tires, Yokohama, Firestone, Bridgestone, Summit Tires and Michelin Tires. 

Qyst Tire and Automotive Repair Service Centers specializes in car, pick-up truck, trucks, SUV, bus, auto services and repairs for Delaware County, PA:  Ardmore, PA, 19003, Aston, PA 19014, Ba la Cynwyd, PA 19004, Berwyn, PA 19312, Boothwyn, PA 19424, Brookhaven, PA 19015, Broomall, PA 19008, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010, Chadds Ford, PA 19317, Chester County, PA 19013, 19014, 19015, 19016, 19022, Chester Heights, PA 19017, Collingdale, PA 19023, Concord Township, PA, Concordville, PA 19331, 19339, 19340, Conshohocken, PA 19339, Devon, PA 19333, Drexel Hill, PA 19026, Edgemont, PA 19028, Folcroft, PA 19032, Glen Mills, PA 19342, Haverford, PA 19041, Havertown, PA 19083, Landsdowne, PA 19050, Lenni, PA 19052, Lima, PA 19037, Marple Township, PA 19008, Media, PA 19063, Middle town Township, PA 19056, Morton, PA 19070, Nether Providence, PA 19086, Newtown Square, PA 19073, Ridley Park, PA 19078, Rose Tree, PA 19063, Rose Valley, PA 19063, 19086, Rosemont, PA 19010, Sharon Hill, PA 19079, Springfield, PA 19064, St. Davids, PA 19087, Swarthmore, PA 19081, Upper Chichester, PA 19013, 19014, 19060, 19061, Upper Darby, PA 19082, Wallingford, PA 19086, Wayne, PA 19080, 19087, 19088, 19089, West Chester, PA, 19380, 19381, 19382, 19383, 19388, 19383, Westtown, PA 19395, Wynnewood, PA, 19096

Today in our Qyst Tire and Automotive Repair Service Centers blog, we’re going to talk about following recommended service intervals. Your car, mini van, SUV isn’t the only aspect of your life in Upper Darby Media-Lima with recommended intervals: Let’s start with twice yearly dental cleaning. And physical exams. How about laundry, mowing the lawn and paying the bills?

Now, what would happen if you didn’t follow these intervals? Well, you’d get more cavities. You’d probably not become aware of health issues that benefit from early detection and treatment. And you’d have to wear dirty clothes, be embarrassed by your overgrown lawn and have your utilities shut off.

We all realize there are some things in life that we have to take care of regularly. If we don’t, there are negative consequences. Our quality of life takes a hit and it inevitably costs more money.

So why is it so hard to remember to follow regular preventive maintenance on our car, mini van, SUVs? Probably a couple of reasons. One is that automotive maintenance items just don’t seem that urgent. Everyone in Upper Darby Media-Lima can see our dirty shirt, but no one knows how dirty our transmission fluid is. It’s easy to put off. The other reason is that we’re just not as familiar with automotive maintenance, so it’s a bit intimidating.

From a practical standpoint, Upper Darby Media-Lima people don’t need to memorize their car, mini van, SUV owner’s manuals. You can let your Qyst Tire and Automotive Repair Service Centers advisor remind you of the manufacturer’s recommendations: he has checklists of what the manufacturer recommends and can find potential problems when he inspects your car, mini van, SUV. You really can rely on Qyst Tire and Automotive Repair Service Centers professionals to help you make good car care decisions.

For Upper Darby Media-Lima drivers who want to be more proactive with their car, mini van, SUV care, here are some simple ways to remember what has a maintenance interval.

First: Fluids. If it’s liquid, it’s got a replacement schedule. Oil, transmission fluid, coolant, power steering fluid, brake fluid, differential fluid, etc.

Then think tires. They need air, rotation, balancing, and alignment. And while you’re thinking tires, think brakes and shock absorbers.

And what makes your car, mini van, SUV go? Air and fuel. Air filter replacement, fuel filters and fuel system cleaning. Of course there are more items, but if Upper Darby Media-Lima car owners remember to take their car or truck in to Qyst Tire and Automotive Repair Service Centers for these things, their service advisor will help them with the rest.

And if you don’t follow recommended service intervals? You use more gas, your car, mini van, SUV doesn’t perform as well, your safety is compromised and you’ll spend more money in the long run. So it’s the same as everything else: The quality of your motoring life takes a hit and it ends up costing you more.

Reason enough for me to follow recommended service intervals.

Since 1977, Qyst Tire and Automotive Repair Service Centers' ASE Certified Technicians have provided Delaware County car, truck, SUV, Auto and Bus vehicle owners exceptional automotive service and products by carrying the widest variety and selection of discounted tires, rims and wheels.

Qyst Tire and Automotive Repair Service Centers provides coupons,specials and discounted service and for: Oil Change, oil and filter change , Towing, Transmissions, Engine replacement and repair, Tire , Tires, Tire rotation , Tire Repair, Air conditioning, PA State Inspection, PA Emission Testing, Wheel Alignment, Cooling Systems, Check engine light, Auto Repair, Auto repairs, wheel balancing, Brakes, Exhaust Systems, Electrical Systems, Radiators, Tune Up, Windshields & Glass and Car flash reprogramming, check engine light, tire sale, auto service interval, auto factory maintenance car maintenance, auto diagnostics, Quest Tire, Discounted and wholsale: Continental Tires, General Tire, GoodYear Tires, Dunlop Tires, Kelly Tires, Yokohama, Firestone, Bridgestone, Summit Tires and Michelin Tires. 

Qyst Tire and Automotive Repair Service Centers specializes in car, pick-up truck, trucks, SUV, bus, auto services and repairs for Delaware County, PA:  Ardmore, PA, 19003, Aston, PA 19014, Ba la Cynwyd, PA 19004, Berwyn, PA 19312, Boothwyn, PA 19424, Brookhaven, PA 19015, Broomall, PA 19008, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010, Chadds Ford, PA 19317, Chester County, PA 19013, 19014, 19015, 19016, 19022, Chester Heights, PA 19017, Collingdale, PA 19023, Concord Township, PA, Concordville, PA 19331, 19339, 19340, Conshohocken, PA 19339, Devon, PA 19333, Drexel Hill, PA 19026, Edgemont, PA 19028, Folcroft, PA 19032, Glen Mills, PA 19342, Haverford, PA 19041, Havertown, PA 19083, Landsdowne, PA 19050, Lenni, PA 19052, Lima, PA 19037, Marple Township, PA 19008, Media, PA 19063, Middle town Township, PA 19056, Morton, PA 19070, Nether Providence, PA 19086, Newtown Square, PA 19073, Ridley Park, PA 19078, Rose Tree, PA 19063, Rose Valley, PA 19063, 19086, Rosemont, PA 19010, Sharon Hill, PA 19079, Springfield, PA 19064, St. Davids, PA 19087, Swarthmore, PA 19081, Upper Chichester, PA 19013, 19014, 19060, 19061, Upper Darby, PA 19082, Wallingford, PA 19086, Wayne, PA 19080, 19087, 19088, 19089, West Chester, PA, 19380, 19381, 19382, 19383, 19388, 19383, Westtown, PA 19395, Wynnewood, PA, 19096

There’s a segment of the Upper Darby population that’s not committed to proper vehicle maintenance. Mistaken perceptions have crept into the Pennsylvania area over time. Many Upper Darby motorists think the root lies in the fact that modern cars are so reliable. Reliability has improved dramatically in recent years. Quality surveys report fewer problems with new cars than ever before.

Back when cars spent more time in the repair shop, Upper Darby drivers were more mindful of routine service. Now, it’s much easier to put it off.

Take tune-ups for example. In the days of mechanical ignition systems, an engine needed to be tuned-up every couple of years. The ignition points had to be replaced, spark plugs and coils replaced and the timing adjusted. If your engine was out of tune, you knew it. It ran poorly and got bad fuel economy.

Now, the ignition system in your car, mini van, SUV is electronic and controlled by the engine management computer. Spark plugs rarely get fouled and will last for as much as a hundred thousand miles. So tune-ups used to force you in to Qyst Tire and Automotive Repair Service Centers for service and while you were there you just took care of whatever else was on the list.

Also, in recent years, a large percentage of new cars in Upper Darby have been leased. These folks plan on turning the car in after two or three years, so they haven’t focused on the maintenance that helps your car last longer.

Given all that, what’s the benefit to keeping up with factory scheduled maintenance? Well, your car, mini van, SUV will perform better and return better fuel economy.

Those benefits pay for themselves as they go along. The big plus is that major repairs are prevented. And these aren’t just repairs that are a long ways off. Modern car, mini van, SUV engines are far more sophisticated and have many parts that are in critical need of proper lubrication. Missing just one oil change can allow oil sludge to start forming. Sludge clogs small engine passages, robbing parts of the lubrication they need. An expensive failure could easily occur within two or three years.

And modern engines require more sophisticated fluids. Because of the different types of materials that are used to make auto parts, things like aluminum, plastics and steel, different types of additives are required to protect automotive components from corrosion. These additives deplete with time as well as with use.

For example, your car, mini van, SUV engine coolant could actually become so corrosive that it eats holes in your radiator or other cooling system parts. Of course, that could lead to massive engine damage, all for the want of replacing the coolant on schedule.

Taking care of the little things now prevents big problems later. At Qyst Tire and Automotive Repair Service Centers, we have been taking care of all those little things for 34 years. Your car, mini van, SUV still needs to be taken care of – it’s just that some of those points of care have changed with automotive advancements. The need for proper maintenance in Upper Darby did not go away.

Since 1977, Qyst Tire and Automotive Repair Service Centers' ASE Certified Technicians have provided Delaware County car, truck, SUV, Auto and Bus vehicle owners exceptional automotive service and products by carrying the widest variety and selection of discounted tires, rims and wheels.

Qyst Tire and Automotive Repair Service Centers provides coupons,specials and discounted service and for: Oil Change, oil and filter change , Towing, Transmissions, Engine replacement and repair, Tire , Tires, Tire rotation , Tire Repair, Air conditioning, PA State Inspection, PA Emission Testing, Wheel Alignment, Cooling Systems, Check engine light, Auto Repair, Auto repairs, wheel balancing, Brakes, Exhaust Systems, Electrical Systems, Radiators, Tune Up, Windshields & Glass and Car flash reprogramming, check engine light, tire sale, auto service interval, auto factory maintenance car maintenance, auto diagnostics, Quest Tire, Discounted and wholsale: Continental Tires, General Tire, GoodYear Tires, Dunlop Tires, Kelly Tires, Yokohama, Firestone, Bridgestone, Summit Tires and Michelin Tires. 

Qyst Tire and Automotive Repair Service Centers specializes in car, pick-up truck, trucks, SUV, bus, auto services and repairs for Delaware County, PA:  Ardmore, PA, 19003, Aston, PA 19014, Ba la Cynwyd, PA 19004, Berwyn, PA 19312, Boothwyn, PA 19424, Brookhaven, PA 19015, Broomall, PA 19008, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010, Chadds Ford, PA 19317, Chester County, PA 19013, 19014, 19015, 19016, 19022, Chester Heights, PA 19017, Collingdale, PA 19023, Concord Township, PA, Concordville, PA 19331, 19339, 19340, Conshohocken, PA 19339, Devon, PA 19333, Drexel Hill, PA 19026, Edgemont, PA 19028, Folcroft, PA 19032, Glen Mills, PA 19342, Haverford, PA 19041, Havertown, PA 19083, Landsdowne, PA 19050, Lenni, PA 19052, Lima, PA 19037, Marple Township, PA 19008, Media, PA 19063, Middle town Township, PA 19056, Morton, PA 19070, Nether Providence, PA 19086, Newtown Square, PA 19073, Ridley Park, PA 19078, Rose Tree, PA 19063, Rose Valley, PA 19063, 19086, Rosemont, PA 19010, Sharon Hill, PA 19079, Springfield, PA 19064, St. Davids, PA 19087, Swarthmore, PA 19081, Upper Chichester, PA 19013, 19014, 19060, 19061, Upper Darby, PA 19082, Wallingford, PA 19086, Wayne, PA 19080, 19087, 19088, 19089, West Chester, PA, 19380, 19381, 19382, 19383, 19388, 19383, Westtown, PA 19395, Wynnewood, PA, 19096

At Qyst Tire and Automotive Repair Service Centers we’ve had a lot of people asking how they can make their vehicles last longer. These questions are actually a reflection of a trend that’s been building for several years. The median age of personal vehicles is now over nine years. And 33 percent of all vehicles on the road have over 75,000 miles on them. It looks like it’s going to keep heading in that direction for a while. With high fuel prices a lot of folks are putting off buying a new car. Thanks to AutoNetTV, we can provide you with a video answer to this question.

So let’s say you’re one of the average people in the Philadelphia area; you’ve got a nine year old car with 80,000 miles on the odometer. What can you to do make it last another year or two?

Let’s start with the premise that there’s no reason that a modern car can’t run for 200,000 miles with proper care. The engineering and manufacturing quality is there.

Of course, some parts will wear out along the way, but there’s no reason for a catastrophic meltdown if you stay on top of your recommended maintenance. The maintenance schedule in some owner’s manuals runs out at 60,000 miles or so: how do we know what to do when we’re way past that?

It is a challenge, for example: If a service is recommended every 15,000 miles for the first 60,000 miles you can just keep getting it done at least every 15,000 miles after you hit 60,000 miles. But, it gets more complicated because older engines lose some efficiency, are dirtier inside and are just more stressed. That means it’s very important to not miss any scheduled services. Skipping just one oil change, for example, leaves an opportunity for harmful sludge to build up.

So all the usual things like oil changes, transmission service, coolant service, brakes, power steering, fuel system cleaning – all that stuff need to be maintained. People responsible for fleet vehicles around Philadelphia are positively religious about scheduled maintenance. They know that money spent on maintenance saves them three ways:

1. it saves fuel;
2. it prevents costly repairs, an;
3. they can postpone purchasing new vehicles.

Having the oil changed may be the most important thing. A full service oil change means that all of your other fluids get topped off so they are never low enough to cause damage. It also gives your technician a chance to spot problems in the early stages so that you can fix them before they get expensive. And it gives you a touch point with a professional along the way to remind you of things that aren’t scheduled as often – things like differential service and timing belt replacement.

If you live in the Philadelphia area and have an older vehicle, you may need to follow the severe service maintenance schedule. Check your owner’s manual and talk with your service advisor at Qyst Tire and Automotive Repair Service Centers. Conditions inside an older engine, transmission and cooling system can arguably be considered severe – so shorter intervals could well be called for.

And, we would strongly encourage you to consider using high mileage formulation fluids. They’re fluids like engine oil, transmission fluid and coolant that are formulated for older engines. They have special additives to clean deposits, and to condition and restore seals and gaskets that dry out with age. Some people start using higher mileage formulations at around 50,000 miles as a preventive measure.

Of course you also want to still look marvelous in your older car. Salt and road grime wreak havoc on your paint job and can lead to body rust – so regular washing is very important. Also, a good quality waxing is recommended at least twice a year.

Give us a call for more information:

Qyst Tire and Automotive Repair Service Centers
8607 W. Chester Pike
Upper Darby Media-Lima, Pennsylvania 19082
610-449-6360

Since 1977, Qyst Tire and Automotive Repair Service Centers' ASE Certified Technicians have provided Delaware County car, truck, SUV, Auto and Bus vehicle owners exceptional automotive service and products by carrying the widest variety and selection of discounted tires, rims and wheels.

Qyst Tire and Automotive Repair Service Centers provides coupons,specials and discounted service and for: Oil Change, oil and filter change , Towing, Transmissions, Engine replacement and repair, Tire , Tires, Tire rotation , Tire Repair, Air conditioning, PA State Inspection, PA Emission Testing, Wheel Alignment, Cooling Systems, Check engine light, Auto Repair, Auto repairs, wheel balancing, Brakes, Exhaust Systems, Electrical Systems, Radiators, Tune Up, Windshields & Glass and Car flash reprogramming, check engine light, tire sale, auto service interval, auto factory maintenance car maintenance, auto diagnostics, Quest Tire, Discounted and wholsale: Continental Tires, General Tire, GoodYear Tires, Dunlop Tires, Kelly Tires, Yokohama, Firestone, Bridgestone, Summit Tires and Michelin Tires. 

Qyst Tire and Automotive Repair Service Centers specializes in car, pick-up truck, trucks, SUV, bus, auto services and repairs for Delaware County, PA:  Ardmore, PA, 19003, Aston, PA 19014, Ba la Cynwyd, PA 19004, Berwyn, PA 19312, Boothwyn, PA 19424, Brookhaven, PA 19015, Broomall, PA 19008, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010, Chadds Ford, PA 19317, Chester County, PA 19013, 19014, 19015, 19016, 19022, Chester Heights, PA 19017, Collingdale, PA 19023, Concord Township, PA, Concordville, PA 19331, 19339, 19340, Conshohocken, PA 19339, Devon, PA 19333, Drexel Hill, PA 19026, Edgemont, PA 19028, Folcroft, PA 19032, Glen Mills, PA 19342, Haverford, PA 19041, Havertown, PA 19083, Landsdowne, PA 19050, Lenni, PA 19052, Lima, PA 19037, Marple Township, PA 19008, Media, PA 19063, Middle town Township, PA 19056, Morton, PA 19070, Nether Providence, PA 19086, Newtown Square, PA 19073, Ridley Park, PA 19078, Rose Tree, PA 19063, Rose Valley, PA 19063, 19086, Rosemont, PA 19010, Sharon Hill, PA 19079, Springfield, PA 19064, St. Davids, PA 19087, Swarthmore, PA 19081, Upper Chichester, PA 19013, 19014, 19060, 19061, Upper Darby, PA 19082, Wallingford, PA 19086, Wayne, PA 19080, 19087, 19088, 19089, West Chester, PA, 19380, 19381, 19382, 19383, 19388, 19383, Westtown, PA 19395, Wynnewood, PA, 19096