Summertime is a busy season with family holidays and lots of activities. But like many times of the year, it is important to continue supporting local charities and non-profit groups that are helping our community every day.

Small businesses like ours are vital to charities and community outreach programs because we are able to support a wide variety of groups based on your valued business. It’s important for us to give back to our local groups that are providing help with food and clothing programs, assistance to the elderly, youth programs, and many others including Auto Repair Shop-In-A-Box.

The old saying that “Charity Begins at Home” is important to us because it is generally grassroots efforts from local citizens and small businesses that provide both money and services to groups that rely on our support to provide assistance to those in need.

We are proud to support local charities like ChildFund Alliance, Breast Cancer, the Heart and Stroke Foundation, The Compass, Epilepsy, Whiteoaks Public School, Clarkson Sheridan Soccer Club and the Ontario Racquet Club. It’s an important part of our mission as a local business and we appreciate your support of Sil’s Complete Auto Care that allows us to be a community activist helping to make our community a better place to live and work! Learn more about the charities and organizations we support on our website at silsauto.com/community-outreach.

Our Charity of the Month is Auto Repair Shop-In-A-Box.

Sil’s Auto Care will continue to donate $5.00 to Auto Repair Shop-In-A-Box for every online appointment scheduled for the month of August. Book your Online Appointment Here.

When booking an appointment online, please select the charity you want to donate to from the Charity Drop-Down Box.

Visit our Outreach Page to learn more about Auto Repair Shop-In-A-Box.

Effective Immediately there are new procedures for our Loyal Customers to obtain Roadside Assistance Benefits.

• You will need to have your Sil’s Auto Care Rewards Card in order to obtain service.
• If you have a Rewards Card Window Sticker it will not be enough to obtain benefits.
• If you cannot locate your Sil’s Auto Care Rewards Card please visit the shop for a replacement.
• Our phone system will prompt you to enter your 8 digit pin number from the back of the Rewards Card.
• You will be prompted to enter your phone number including area code (10 digits) in case you need to be called back.
• The number you enter into the system must be the same as the number you give to the Roadside Assistance Dispatcher.
• Roadside Assistance Benefits expire after 1 year unless you have returned to the shop for service at least one additional time following activation of your benefits.
• Sil’s Auto Care reserves the right to modify or terminate benefits at any time following notification via email.

We hope you never need to use your Roadside Assistance Benefits, but if you do we are happy to be there for you!

Sincerely,
Sil’s Complete Auto Care Centre Team

Congratulations to Cynthia Harrison, our Spring Promotion Grand Prize BBQ winner!

Look for future promotions from Sil’s Complete Auto Care Centre!

Just wanted to let eveyone know that it’s been now over 6 months since starting our new Customer Care Program program here at Sil’s Complete Auto Care. Customers have really enjoyed the benefits in knowing that for every dollar they spend here they’ll earn 3% rewards dollars back and that they have peace of mind knowing they are covered for road side assistance if anything occurs.  Many clients are enjoying the benefits of our new referral card program with some  already over $200.00 in referral dollars accumlated! That’s  like having FREE oil changes for the rest of the year or a FREE brake repair.  How do you become part of the referral program, it’s easy just tell someone to come in and mention your name. If they have work performed on their vehicle will load your referral card up with $25.00 to $100.00 for your referral.

In addition our Fluid Maintenance Protection Plan Program has been another added success.   Recently a customers 2005 Toyota Camry required brake calipers to be replaced as they were malfunctioining. Since the customer had been on top of their fluid changes for their brake fluid system the needed parts were approved and covered as part of our protection plan saving the customer over $900.00.  That’s what I call peace of mind driving.

These programs that have been rolled out and implemented here at Sil’s are not only here to earn your business and build loyality, but to follow the vision of the company by reducing the worry and fear of vehicle  servicing and provide you and your family the safest , longest lasting transportation possible.

I appreciate your business and look forward to seeing the sucess of these programs and more in the coming year.

Carlo Sabucco

Sils Complete Auto Care

All our clients, Facebook fans and all others are invited to a No Charge vehicle maintenance / education clinic, along with training on child seat installation and information.   A certified individual from the CAA – Canadian Automobile Assocaition will be hear to review and discuss child seat safety and answer any questions.  

Individuals attending will become familiar with vehicle maintenance issues, become more familiar with warning lights and how systems function, and vehicle safety.  As vehicle costs rise and vehicle care becomes ever more important this clinic allows you the opportunity to ask questions and become more familiar with your vehicle.

Attendees will receive a gift bag and certain promotions for attending. Beverages and light food will be provided. 

SATURDAY MAY 15th, 2010.  9:00am to 11:00am.

@ Sils Complete Auto Care Centre, 2133 Royal Windsor Drive #29

Reserve @ info@silsauto.com or call (905) 823-2626 ask for Carlo

Did You Know?
Child Seat Safety

• A properly installed child safety seat can reduce the risk of serious injury or death by as much as 75%.
• Car crashes are the number one cause of death for Canadian children.
• Over 80% of child safety seats are not used properly. Common errors include not tightening the seat belt and harness enough, and not properly using a tether strap when required.

Thank You

Carlo Sabucco

Tires are not the same anymore!

So you find out you need new tires for that car of yours. No big deal, last car you had several years ago prices were around $100.00 each and you had lots of options to choose from. Wait – let’s take another look again at those tires. Consumers like you are being met with a surprise about the replacement cost of their tires and the complexity that goes into tires.

Many cars come from the factory with what’s considered to be a performance tire. Now your average family sedan or compact car comes equipped a performance rated tire. Why is that?  Significant advances in vehicle designs require tires to have better road control, reduced tire noise, while ensuring safe braking distances are met along with maintaining proper fuel efficiency. That’s a lot of technology that goes into the rubber that connects your car to the road.

Tire Size

For most purchases make sure they are the same size.  For example P205/60R16.  The exception may be when modifying the vehicle from the manufacturer specifications by lowering the vehicle and adding larger wheels as seen on some Honda Civics out there.
Tire Weight and Speed Rating

This is important! This is where I see many people not comparing “apples to apples” when pricing out tires. After your tire size, you will see several other characters. Example P205/60R16 91H.   The 91 number is the load index (how much weight tire can support), which in most cases should be the same or higher number when replacing tires.  The “H” is the speed rating of the tire. Consequently people may purchase a less expensive tire in the same size but with a lower speed rating. Consumers must be aware that it’s not a question of how fast they drive, but rather how the manufacturer designed the vehicle for how safe it must remain.

Recently we had  a vehicle in the shop for a road handling diagnostic and the customer complained that they had a sloppy feeling, and it didn’t feel right on highway or lane changing. Upon initial inspection, we noticed new tires had been installed on the vehicle, which lead to some questioning. The tires were much cheaper than most other places the customer said. After reviewing his P225/60R16 tires, what was installed were economy “S” rated tires but the vehicle called for an “H” rated tire.  Same tire size, same weight rating but different speed rating. It wasn’t speed the customer had an issue with, it was the handling. The H rated tire has a firmer side wall, more technology in the development of the tire which provides a firmer more responsive handle.  It was what the car was designed for.  After a trip back to the original tire shop and a different tire set was being installed, voila! Problem solved – nice ride, nice feeling, higher price!

Brand and Quality

There are so many options to tires now because we live in a global economy. Korea, China and several other countries now supply to the North American market with often lower priced tires with varying quality levels some that are at best a basic tire and others that are competitive with brands that consumers are familiar with like Goodyear and Michelin

Ask your service advisor for some information on the tires and in some cases check the online reviews on those tires.  Comparing a P225/60R16 91H from one imported brand to lets say a Michelin tire can see almost be a 50% jump in price.  The tire should match not only your budget but the manufactures requirements of the vehicle and ultimately your safety. As a tire installer I’ll ask myself these questions when selling a tire. 1) What is their budget 2) What are the specifications for the tire 3) Are they name brand purchasers 4) What mileage are they wanting from a tire and then slow down and educate the customer on a good, better best option for replacement.

Performance tires are now becoming the industry standard for many vehicles, but motorists are just starting to realize it. When you’re buying a vehicle, be aware of the tire that is equipped with the vehicle and its replacement cost. Also in many cases the requirement of winter tires as those performance tires are not sufficient enough for premium traction and safety during winter driving.

There is a science behind tires, there is a significant amount of technology going into that tire and no tire is 100% perfect. For every application make sure you do your homework and trust your tire advisor.

As an added note as I finish this blog, I just received an email discussing a new Michelin product out from Michelin that may be coming to a vehicle near you some day soon. Check it out.

Look No Air

These tires are airless and are scheduled to be out on the market very soon.
The bad news for law enforcement is that spike strips will not work on these.
Just think of the impact on existing technology: 
A. No more air valves…
B. No more air compressors at gas stations…
C. No more repair kits… 
D. No more flats… 
These are actual pictures taken at the South Carolina plant of Michelin

Carlo Sabucco

Sils Complete Auto Care

 I started thinking some time ago that we spend so much time on maintaining the health, longevity and care of a person’s vehicle, why don’t we try to help do so with the vehicle owner too? Sils has teamed up with the Ontario Racquet Club in a effort to maintain your vehicle and maintain your body.

When it comes to cars, we know that neglecting routine maintenance eventually catches up with you and it becomes costlier to correct problems down the road. Like that “check engine” light that’s been on for who knows how long because you’ve ignored it, when a year later it builds from one undiagnosed problem to maybe 2 or more that your didn’t even realize until it was too late or led up to your drive clean failure.

So too is the human body, might poor eating, lack of exercise and stress in our daily lives slowly accumulate. Today I feel fine, strong, with lots of energy what’s the big deal if I live a fast food lifestyle. This sedentary lifestyle will catch up with a lack of energy, strength, vitality and perhaps medical issues start coming out of the wood work that could have been controlled with proper maintenance and care (diet and exercise).

We know we can replace parts on a car when they are old and worn out, but you can’t replace all body parts so easily when they’re worn out.

The ORC is providing a special promotion to Sil’s Complete Auto Care Centre clients for One Complimentary week trial pass including a 20 minute training session / fitness orientation along with a $35.00 discount on enrollment and 35 days free with annual membership.

If you’re interested in maintaining your body in addition  to maintaining your car pass by and pick up our special ORC offer or call us to email you it.

Carlo Sabucco