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

Recently, the kitchen tap at home starting leaking. Clearly all that dripping water was a waste, and not at all environmentally friendly. As I’m a little handy around the house I started replacing the current one (builder installed). So being a little handy I started sourcing out faucets to replace the current one the builder installed.  Low and behold a deal at the hardware store for around $80.00 a nice shiny pull out faucet. “Wow” I thought and it’s like $50.00 less then the next closet faucet but not a recognized brand. So my wife Melanie reminded me about what I preach in my business “Remember Carlo, you get what you pay for”. I should have listened!   Instead of spending a little more money for a quality device (after all it will be used on a daily basis) that would have lasted many years I opted to save money.  After all, it looked nice, packaged well and when I opened the box it still looked good. Once I attempted installation that was when things changed.   Extension pipes were not included, which required another trip to the hardware store. The faucet was missing an important nut. After 2 hours I was still unable to install this faucet. Ok, now I realized Melanie was right.   I opted for a lesser price on something that looked the same but was clearly not the same.  Cheap assembly, lead to difficult installation and because other parts were not included, it was costing me time to run around. The extras were all adding up! I did some more research online and read reviews and blogs about this product learned many others had the same installation difficulties and the reviews were poor.  After a short visit to another hardware store I picked up another faucet by a large brand company with roots in the industry. Yes, it cost me twice as much but what a difference. I learned that not all faucets are built the same.  This one felt smooth and easy, installation was completed in under 20 minutes, included extension pipes, and all miscellaneous hardware.  

Our automotive industry has the same issues as the plumbing fixtures industry.  Yes the box might look the same, the part is to function the same but when it comes down to it, there is always something missing or different when the price changes.  The globalization of our business has brought in a flood of “offshore” parts which may not meet manufacturer expectations for quality and longevity.  I call it “fit, form, function” issues.  Suspension, brake and ignition parts can be at times 50% costlier for premium quality components that have lifetime warranties in some cases, exceed OEM specification or have corrected OEM faults and install perfectly with ease. Economy parts may have pieces missing, parts traditionally may not last as long and in same cases fail within a short period of time.  In the short term the cost of the repair is the major benefit, the budget (if any) is still in tact and the car is up and running again. OR is it?   What if the part fails again, where will it fail, and who will warranty an economy part? Who will ensure your safety when that part fails at the wrong place and time?  If the part fails and damages other components what is the true cost then?  What is your time worth to deal with these problems?

In the end, I was reminded that it’s always better to purchase a quality part, which has a reputable warranty and will endure the test of time. Like dad always said “You get what you paid for Carlo”

Carlo Sabucco

Winter Maintenance Special includes:

• Oil and filter service
• Multi-point inspection, including brakes
• Coolant Flush Service
• Inspection of all heater and radiator hoses
• Tire inspection, rotation and balance (if needed)
• Check and top off all underhood and vital fluids
• And more!

And while you’re out there on the roads, keep these following tips in mind:

• Make certain your tires are properly inflated.
• Drive with your headlights on.
• Avoid using cruise control or overdrive. Don’t let your car make a bad decision for you.
• Keep your gas tank at least half full to avoid gas line freeze-up.
• If you lose traction and your vehicle feels like it’s floating, gradually slow down. Don’t slam on the brakes.
• Use caution when driving on bridges or concrete highways. These surfaces are the first to freeze and become slippery when the temperature drops.
• Slow down in advance of shaded areas, especially on curves. Shaded areas are cooler and may have ice that is difficult to see.
• Don’t pass snowplows or sanders, and don’t follow them too closely.
• Don’t get overconfident with four-wheel drive. It won’t help you stop any faster.
• Winter road conditions often result in longer stopping distances. Give yourself room. If you have anti-lock brakes, press the pedal down firmly and hold it. If you don’t have anti-lock brakes, gently pump the pedal.
• Slow down when approaching intersections, off-ramps, bridges or shady spots. These all have potential to develop black ice.
• Avoid abrupt actions while steering, braking or accelerating to lessen your chance of losing control.
• Look farther ahead in traffic. Actions by other drivers will alert you to problems and give you extra reaction time.
• Trucks take longer to stop. Don’t cut in front of them.

And just in case, make sure you pack an emergency kit in your trunk with the following items:

• Rechargeable flashlight
• Cell phone and car adapter
• Extra food and water
• Flares
• Tools: jack, lug wrench, shovel
• Road maps
• Blanket/sleeping bag(s)
• Extra warm clothes, boots, hat and gloves
• First aid kit (if you take prescription medicines, keep a few handy in your kit)
• Pocket knife
• Matches or lighter
• Battery jumper cables
• Ice scraper and snow brush
• Paper towels
• Extra washer fluid

Be safe and be warm out there!
Carlo

Look for the peaked mountain with snowflake symbol when you purchase your winter tires. Tires marked with this symbol meet specific snow traction performance requirements and have been designed specifically for use in severe snow conditions.

Tires marked “M + S” (Mud and Snow), or “all season” tires that do not have the peaked mountain with snowflake symbol, may provide safe performance in most weather conditions, but are not designed for snow and ice-covered roads.

At temperatures below 7°C, standard tires begin to lose elasticity, resulting in reduced traction. Winter tires retain their elasticity to grip at much lower temperatures.

Wide, high-performance tires, other than those specifically designed as winter tires, are not suitable for use on snow-covered roads. As a tire wears, traction is reduced. Tires that are worn close to the tread wear indicators should not be used on snow-covered roads.

We carry a wide selection of tires. Call us today to find out which tires are best for your vehicle and driving needs.

Cheers,
Carlo

A person’s vehicle is a tremendous investment and is a necessity in today’s life. We understand the need for service and also for peace of mind. Our Protection Plan has been designed to give each owner a confidence from vehicle maintenance. Click here for full details of our Lifetime Protection Plan.

Follow our shop-recommended service intervals to protect your vehicle for its lifetime (per service interval):

• Engine: Up to $4,000
• Engine & Fuel: Up to $4,000
• Drive Line: Up to $4,000
• Brake System: Up to $4,000
• Power Steering: Up to $4,000
• Cooling System: Up to $4,000
• Transmission: Up to $2,000

The next time you come in to Sil’s, ask us about whether your vehicle qualifies for the Lifetime Protection Plan.

Cheers,
Carlo