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Grease Monkey mechanics work on a vehicle.

Courtesy Grease Monkey

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A Grease Monkey mechanic works on a vehicle.

Courtesy Grease Monkey

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A Grease Monkey mechanic works on a vehicle.

Courtesy Grease Monkey

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A Grease Monkey mechanic works on a vehicle.

Courtesy Grease Monkey

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Here we are in early May. Universities have wrapped up their winter semesters, grade schools can see the end of the school year on the horizon and the signs of spring are everywhere.

It’s time to start getting ready for summer.

Many of us seek the adventure and solace of the open road during the summer, packing up the car with gear and family to head off to see the world. Maybe its a camping trip in the mountains, a road trip to to some new destination or taking time to go see friends and family who live too far away for a casual visit.

Even with gas prices having skyrocketed due to international turmoil, the 2026 Trend Report from Hilton Hotels estimates that a “whopping 71% of Americans plan to drive on their next vacation.”

According to the report, people love the flexibility of driving as compared to getting on a plan, saying “76% of global car travelers say they favor road trips over flying because it allows for more spontaneity, helping give people the power to go where they want, when they want.”

But while there are many enticing reasons to get behind the wheel and head out on the highway, nothing can ruin that experience as fast as having your car break down.

To help lower the risk of that devastating mechanical failure, district managers for Grease Monkey in Utah — Jacob Harmon and Nathan Harwood — shared some of their top recommendations.

1. Maintenance will improve gas mileage

With the cost to fill the tank having risen rapidly, even small improvements in performance can have an impact on costs.

That’s something Harmon and Harwood say drivers can do something about by getting the car properly maintained.

“Many manufacturers now are releasing vehicles with GDI motors — GDI standing for gasoline direct injection — and they are more fuel efficient,” Harmon said. “They use 100% of the fuel as opposed to a traditional combustion engine where some of the fuel stays in the air intake and evaporates. We offer an amazing service called a two-step fuel system cleaning that will clean out some additional carbon buildup that the fuel used to clean but it’s no longer mixing with the air . That will help improve fuel economy and engine performance.”

He explained that keeping the fuel system clean will make a car run more efficiently, as will having other engine parts well maintained.

“Make sure your AC is working well,” Harmon said “Using your AC in a hot day is going to decrease your fuel economy. Having all manufacturer recommended schedules on spark plugs and tune-ups will maximize engine performance and fuel economy. If we’re not getting a good spark, for example, we’re not combusting all the fuel.”

2. Keep up with manufacturer recommended services

Harwood and Harmon emphasized that manufacturers know the engines they’ve built, which is why they provide regular maintenance schedules. While they can be confusing and overwhelming, following those directives will make a difference for the vehicle.

“When you ask, ‘are these all important?’, the manufacturer says yes so we say yes,” Harmon said. “Those are going to be things like your differentials, your oil change, your transmission schedule, your radiator schedule. If the manufacturer says it’s important to do, I’m obliged to agree with them. They designed it the vehicle.”

But there can be other services that may be beneficial but aren’t imperative. Technicians at Grease Monkey and many other service locations are trained to help customers understand the value and needs of their car or truck.

3. Don’t forget to check your air conditioning

Go just about anywhere in Utah in the summer and at some point you’ll probably need to fire up the air conditioning to keep the temperature comfortable inside. If you haven’t looked at it, though, it could lead to some hot times in your vehicle.

“A lot of people miss that,” Harmon said. “They get on the road and the air conditioning starts feeling warm. They’re like, ‘oh, no, we’ve got to do something about this.’ In Utah, it’s a little bit hot here, so it can come out as surprise. People don’t think about it, because it just always works.”

Many service locations like Grease Monkey have the equipment and expertise to analyze your AC and provide maintenance if needed.

4. Get your vehicle inspected by a professional

Cars are complicated pieces of machinery with many mechanical and technical elements. The complexity makes it important to have experts who know what they are doing ensure they are running smoothly, particularly before going on a trip.

“Every vehicle that comes to Grease Monkey goes through a 16-point inspection,” Harwood said. “One of the things we pride ourselves in and that we talk to our customers about is that we will save you time and actually save you money as well. We can check a lot of things in the process of doing the inspection.

“We can check your alternator and we can check your batteries to make sure that they’re good and solid before you take that road trip across the mountains or down to southern Utah or in Idaho or wherever you’re going so you’re not stuck in the middle of nowhere with a dead battery.”

The vehicle repair and maintenance industry can be very competitive, which is why Harwood and Harmon highlighted Grease Monkey’s training program and commitment to customer satisfaction.

“We take pride in making sure that our people are trained up and that they’re experienced,” Harwood said. “We work really hard to make sure that we only staff certified, well-trained individuals who know what they’re doing.”

Service providers like Grease Monkey can take care of the many of the things AAA recommends that drivers do certain things immediately before leaving, a list that includes:

• Check tires and tire pressure.
• Listen to and feel the brakes.
• Secure and test the battery.
• Top off engine fuel and other fluids.
• Replace wiper blades and replenish windshield cleaner.
• Check belts and hoses.
• Replenish emergency kit supplies.

With the proper preparation, you can take to the open road with the peace of mind that you have your car running smoothly. While mishaps and breakdowns still occur, they are much less likely and that means more time for you to enjoy your travels.