A tune-up is a specific type of service focused on improving the efficiency and performance of the car's engine.

Every engine burns fuel, so a tune-up is focused on getting more bang for your buck as well as improving the reliability of your car

An engine consumes fuel and air as we do as humans by eating and breathing, so in order to keep your engine healthy, we need to ensure that the supply of fuel and air is clean.

Even with advances in technology, which means cars are largely computer-controlled, periodically the components used in the burning of fuel will wear out and need to be replaced. This is what is referred to as a tune-up.

What does a car tune-up consist of? First of all, it's important to understand that it varies depending on the engine and fuel being burned.

Petrol and diesel engines work on the same principle of burning fuel, but how they burn it is very different, meaning that different parts are used in the delivery and combustion of fuel.

Generally speaking, the following items are included in a tune-up:

Spark Plug Replacement: These components are used to ignite the fuel in a petrol engine and work in a very hostile environment. As such, over time, they will wear out and become less effective at igniting fuel.

Air Filter Replacement: Both diesel and petrol engines require a clean and plentiful supply of air to burn fuel effectively. An air filter removes harmful particles of dirt, dust, and other contaminants to prevent engine damage. For every liter of fuel burned, multiple thousands of liters of air pass through the air filter and into your engine. Over time, your air filter will clog up, restricting the flow of air to the engine.

Fuel Filter Replacement: The purpose of the fuel filter is to remove any microscopic particles of dirt and contamination from the fuel in your tank before it reaches the engine. This applies to both petrol and diesel engines, and the principle is the same. We take it for granted that the fuel we pump into our cars is clean, but in reality, it‘s rarely perfectly clean. Over time, your fuel filter will clog up with these particles and restrict the flow of fuel to your engine, forcing your fuel pump to work harder and overall reducing the efficiency of your engine.

Increased Fuel Consumption: You will notice that you are not getting the same distance on each tank of fuel

Poor Engine Performance: You may notice that your engine isn’t as responsive as it was before, requiring you to put your foot down harder than usual when accelerating or taking longer than normal to reach the same speed

Difficulty Starting & Rough Running: In more severe cases, you may find that your car is difficult to start or won’t start at all. You may also experience that the engine isn’t running as smoothly as it was before, or stalls intermittently.

Reliability Issues: Your engine overall will not be functioning as reliably as it was before.

Tune-ups are important to keep your car safe and reliable. We tend to take our cars for granted and assume that everything will start and work fine each time we set off on a journey. Good engine performance is a safety factor in the same way as good braking performance.

In circumstances where you may call on your car for large power delivery and rapid acceleration, such as when overtaking or avoiding a dangerous situation, if your engine isn’t working correctly, that lack of performance may be the difference between your personal safety and an accident. In less dramatic situations, if your car is running rough again and stalls on you as you’re turning across traffic during normal driving this can present a real safety hazard.

Tune-ups are important, just like every other type of routine maintenance for your car.

Filters and other parts will deteriorate over time, which lowers the engine's performance, reliability, and fuel efficiency.

There is no set standard for getting a tune-up as it largely depends on the type of vehicle, the amount of driving you do, and the type of driving (i.e., dusty roads, which will clog up air filters faster). Generally speaking, as a rough rule of thumb, taking an average frequency you’ll likely expect to do a tune-up every couple of years.

Generally speaking, the cost of a car tune-up depends on the type of engine and the parts that are required to be replaced during the tune-up. Anyone offering a generic price will be basing that price on a number of assumptions that are likely to be largely incorrect.

There is no set standard price as it will vary depending on the type of vehicle, the parts, and labour involved. At CB Auto Service, we take the time to carefully quote each tune-up individually so you have an accurate idea of what a tune-up will cost for your vehicle.