Menu
Check and/or change your Air Filter every 6 months to improve fuel economy and keep your engine running smoothly.
It’s hard to give a specific time or mileage figure because the life of the filter depends on how much crud it ingests. A filter that lasts 20,000 or even 30,000 miles on a vehicle that’s driven mostly on expressways may last only a month or two in a rural setting where the vehicle is driven frequently on gravel roads. Changing it annually or every 15,000 miles for preventative maintenance may be a good recommendation for the city driver, but not its country cousin.
Regardless of the mileage or time, a filter should be replaced before it reaches the point where it creates a significant restriction to airflow. But when exactly that point is reached is subject to opinion.
A slightly dirty filter actually cleans more efficiently than a brand new filter. That’s because the debris trapped by the filter element helps screen out smaller particles that try to get through. But eventually every filter reaches the point where it causes enough of a pressure drop to restrict airflow. Fuel economy, performance and emissions begin to deteriorate and get progressively worse until the dirty filter is replaced.
Many heavy-duty trucks have a “restriction” meter on the air filter housing that signals when the filter is dirty enough to need replacing. But lacking such a device, the best you can do is guess.
Removing the filter and holding it up to a light will show you how dirty it is. If it’s really caked with dirt, it obviously needs to be replaced. Trying to shake or blow the dirt out is a waste of time because too much of it will be embedded in the filter fibers.
NOTE: Many filters that appear to be dirty are in fact still good and do not really need to be replaced. So it’s up to you. If you think it’s dirty, replace it. If you don’t think it’s dirty enough to need replacing, then don’t.
Check and/or change your Air Filter every 6 months to improve fuel economy and keep your engine running smoothly.
Most car batteries today are maintenance-free, sealed and can last more than three years. The first sign your battery should be replaced is often trouble starting the engine
Have your antifreeze fluid changed and Cooling System flushed every 30,000 miles or 2 years. Newer formulas, however, may last up to 50,000 miles.
Schedule a complete and Engine Diagnostics (Professional Maintenance) check every 15, 30, 60, and 90,000 miles.
Take 10 minutes and use our Monthly Checklist to do your own quick visual car inspection and fluid levels check.
Tire rotation or rotating tires is the the practice of moving automobile wheels and tires from one position on the car to another, to ensure even tire wear.
Have your Wheel Alignment checked every other tire rotation and always when installing new tires. Wheel alignment sometimes referred to as tracking, is part of standard automobile maintenance
Joe’s Tires proudly serves the local Berkeley, CA area. We understand that getting your car fixed or buying new tires can be overwhelming. Let us help you choose from our large selection of Tires.
Incredible service. Indeed, as others have said, Tito and his team went above and beyond. Tito explained everything in great detail, educated us about tires in general, gave us options,… read more zero pressure about anything, incredibly thorough, kind, respectful, competent, efficient, and more. Many thanks to Tito and Jose! I can't imagine going anywhere else.
carrie l.
Fantastic service, expert personnel, great prices… they charge too little! Bonus: They (rather than a phone hell recording) promptly answer the phone, and make it easy to get an appointment.
Marcy W.
Joe's Tires is EXCELLENT!! Honest, kind, efficient and with premium customer service. We are so satisfied I'd give more than five stars if I could!!
T K.
We got a flat tire in Berkeley and hobbled into Joe's Tires on a Saturday morning. Even without an appointment, they were able to look at our car immediately. It… read more was determined that we needed a new tire which they didn't have in stock since it was an uncommon type. They went out of their way to get one from their warehouse in Richmond and had us on our way within aa couple of hours. They were very helpful and knowledgeable. Tito was great!
Frances B.
I brought 2 cars in for tires and possible service. 2010 Scion Xb and 2002 MR2 Spyder. I am very impressed w this shop and staff. They're invested in you… read more and have interest and integrity in helping you drive safely. Prices are fairly priced snd within the range of other service shops.
The shop is busy so anticipate this in arranging time .
Pam S.
Unfortunately, I ended up with a flat tire about two weekends ago (definitely saw this coming, considering the tread on all four of my tires were worn down). I called… read more Joe's Tires and was quoted $532.99 for “out the door pricing, with EVERYTHING included” for four Falken tires. I was happy with the price, so I scheduled a next-day appointment. The morning of my appointment, I called to inquire about pricing for a different set of tires. Come to find that, while I was told the $532.99 quote was for a comprehensive service, she noted on her end that it was without alignment, which would cost an additional $120. Had this information been disclosed to me during my initial inquiry, I would have continued to shop around and consider other local shops. Being that street cleaning was scheduled for the upcoming Monday, it was important that I towed my car and resolved this before the weekend ended. I spoke to Carlos and expressed my dissatisfaction with the service I received over the phone – I felt as though the person I originally spoke to knew I was working on a tight timeline and took advantage of that fact by being dishonest about pricing. He was willing to remedy the situation by providing excellent customer service. Carlos offered me the alignment for $89 and gave me a $10 discount on each tire to match the pricing of the tire I was calling to inquire about. The total for this service was approximately $570 (including all four tires, a tire disposal fee, alignment, balancing, wheel weights, and a warranty) and it was quick and easy. All tires purchased from Joe's come with a warranty, which is a huge plus! I plan to return as a customer in the future and to recommend this business to my friends and family. Thank you for the excellent customer service Carlos and Joe's Tires!
Hena K.
My experiences with Joe's Tires have always been great. A few years ago I hit a bad pothole, resulting in damaged tires and two cracked shock absorbers. The repair quote… read more from my dealer made me cry. I'd gotten new tires from Joe's not that long before, and decided to call them for a second opinion. They fixed my car for significantly less and did great work. That made me a loyal customer. Recently hit another pot hole on a dark rural road, which put the car so badly out of alignment I had to pull the steering wheel to the left to keep the car straight. I was really lucky that nothing was truly broken, and the good folks at Joe's were able to correct the severe misalignment and get me up and running smoothly again. From tires, to new break pads, to car batteries, to alignments, and new windshield wipers, I've always felt treated fairly, and with kindness and respect. Thank you, Joe's Tires!
Jennifer F.
I came in for tires and was absolutely thrilled with the service and the quality of work. I highly recommend this place t
SJ N.
Came here twice for patches. Great price, fast service! What else can I say?
Jak G.
This is for great customer service. I pulled in this morning because my back tire was low. I can't bend to put air in it. Even though they were booked… read more with appointments, they were nice enough to check the air pressure in all my tires and adjust as needed. I will return when I need tires. Thank you, good customer service is hard to find.
Momma K.