At Performance Services, Auburn-Opelika's top choice for maintenance and repair of fine German automobiles, we want you and your family to be safe during your holiday travels this year. We've put together a basic checklist of items to look at before you hit the road. They're simple and effective ways to prevent trouble on the road. Don't have time to perform these checks? Bring your car to Performance Services and we'll handle it for you.

Check Your Tire Pressure 
This sounds like a very basic pre-trip check, but so many people forget to check their tire pressure when leaving for a road trip over the holidays. It can cost a lot of money in wasted fuel and negative tire wear. Use a simple tire pressure gauge (digital ones are more accurate but not necessary) and set the pressure to your tire manufacturers standards. Most new cars have the PSI on a tag on the inside of the door frame on the drivers side. Or, the tire itself has the recommended/max tire pressure listed on the tire itself. While you’re doing this also check the pressure in your spare tire. Most of us forget the spare until we need it, and that’s a very bad time to find out your spare is flat. Believe us!

Check the Depth of Your Tire Tread 
You're already down on your knees checking the tore pressure, so make sure and look at the tread depth. Uneven wear is BAD and you should have them checked out before venturing on a long trip. You also want to check the tread depth to make sure the tires aren’t worn out. Use a penny from your pocket and make sure the tread goes past Lincoln’s head when you place the top of the penny into one of the treads.

Check the Service Record for Your Vehicle
Okay, so you may be saying, "what service record," but check when you are due for an oil change or scheduled service. If you are within 500 miles of your next oil change or scheduled maintenance you should go ahead and get it done before your trip. At Performance Services, when you are completing a full service oil change, we'll check the rest of the fluids and general maintenance too. Transmission fluid, coolant, windshield washer fluid... they're all important for safe and pleasurable travel over the holidays. 

Check That You Have Your License, Insurance, and Registration 
This may sound silly, but often times the difference between getting a ticket and not getting a ticket is your ability to produce current records quickly if you're stopped. We recommend having your insurance card and registration in the same, easy-to-reach place ALL the time. If you use AAA or another roadside service, place that card in with your license and registration also. You'll also want to to CHECK when your insurance card to make sure it is the up-to-date version and since it could expire while you are on an extended holiday trip.

Check Your Lights and Wiper Blades
Take a few seconds to look at your wiper blades. Do you notice that the rubber is dry, cracked, or rough and brittle, or do you see streaks and smudges on the windshield when you turn them on? It's probably time to change them! This is especially important if you are driving into wet climates that may have extended periods of rain or snow. Remember the last time you drove on the interstate with big trucks? Yeah, that spray from their tires is pretty bad. Don't get caught without good solid wiper blades. 

You should also check your lights and turn indicators before you leave. Turn on your headlights and walk around the car to make sure they are all working properly. Check each turn signal in the same fashion. Maybe your wife, friend or significant other can help you press your brake pedal to make sure your brake lights are working. You don’t want to get pulled over for having any lights out, or worse end up in an accident because your lights are not working properly.

Check the Interior of Your Vehicle 
A messy console can really be a distraction to driving. Take a few minutes to clean out the vehicle and check that everything in the car is something you really need for the trip. This includes the console, trunk, passenger seating areas and any pockets that may be holding "junk" you don't really need to drag along. Travelling with pets? Make sure they have plenty of space and that the area is free of chew hazards.

If you're fortunate enough to be the owner of any of the newer, more advanced, computer-reliant automobiles on the market -- especially ones of German origin, such as the BMW, Mercedes-Benz, VW, Audi or Porsche -- then you're probably aware of the potential headache and expense involved with any malfunction of your vehicle's so-called "theft-relevant parts" -- key fobs, performance computers, door and trunk locks, ignition switches, keyless entry systems, etc. When one of these components goes bad, you're looking at an expensive and time-consuming trip to your local (or possibly "not so local") dealer to get it corrected, meaning the outlay of money and time that you don't necessarily have to spare.

Or maybe not.

By submitting to an exhaustive and demanding accreditation process with the National Automotive Service Task Force (NASTF), select local independent automotive service providers have been able to obtain certification as "Vehicle Service Professionals" (VSPs) for inclusion in the NASTF Locksmith Identification (LSID) database, certifying them as qualified and authorized to perform the same services as the dealers. This discriminating and rigorous process requires not only demonstrating the skills necessary to perform this complicated work, but also completion of a thorough FBI background check (along with continuous future monitoring) by the National Insurance Crime Bureau and the National Crime Information Center. Upon completion of these requirements (http://www.nastf.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3538), which takes more than 60 days, the newly-minted VSP is designated as "Trusted by the German car industry" and is able to offer the same quality service as the far-away and expensive dealerships, saving you time and hassle.

In the Auburn-Opelika area, there is one NASTF-certified VSP to whom the owners of such high-dollar vehicles can turn for these specific needs: Frank Jackson of Performance Services, 2311 Center Hill Drive, Opelika. In fact, Frank's shop is the only one in the entire state of Alabama with this designation. So for those of you in Auburn, Opelika, or any other part of East Alabama, who might be facing the chore of driving to Columbus, Montgomery or even Atlanta when your computer key fob, door locks, or any other associated items malfunction...get off the interstate and get on Frederick Road instead, and take your car to Performance Services, right across the street from Tiger Town. Frank will save you the trip out of town and the hassle associated with key fob issues.

"This is a very exciting announcement for our shop," said owner, Frank Jackson. "And it's especially good news for German car owners in the Auburn, Opelika and Lake Martin areas. Our shop now has the exact same programming and repair capabilities as the dealership does. It was a lot of work to get through the accreditation process, but well worth the effort for our customers."

For additional information on Performance Services' new designation contact Frank Jackson at (334) 749-1588.

You already know the Performance Services is East Alabama's top shop for BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, VW and Porsche repair and maintenance. But did you know that many of our customers drive other import brands that we maintain too?

Meet Dale Henderson. Dale has been bringing his 1999 Lexus RX300 to Performance Services since 2005. When Dale first brought his Lexus in for maintenance it had a little less than 100,000 miles - a significant amount of miles considering warranty lapse and major maintenance schedules.

After meeting our ASE Certified import technicians, Dale was highly impressed with their knowledge of his Lexus vehicle as well as their concern for his cars' needs. We answered all of his questions and made sure he knew that our passion was enhancing his love for his ride. ;>)  We're happy to report that we recently completed a 300,000 mile service on Dale's Lexus and it's still performing to the highest standards. 

Do you have a Lexus or other non-German import that needs some TLC? Maybe you need to have a reliable mechanic for repair and maintenance without having to drive to Montgomery or Columbus. If so, we encourage you to check out Performance Services! We're on Facebook and Twitter or you can just contact us the old fashioned way at (334) 749-1588

If you or someone in your family have invested in the high performance of a vehicle made by BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, VW or Porsche then you need to know about Performance Services in Opelika, AL.  Our Certified A.S.E. Technicians are so much more than mechanics - they're car enthusiasts.  If you care enough to drive the very best cars in the world, the Performance Services can help you love your car more!

Get in touch with Performance Services for expert repair and maintenance of fine import automobiles.  Performance Services utilizes the latest diagnostic tools and computers to find and fix almost any problem you may be having with your car. We'll also give you maintenance recommendations for keeping your vehicle in top performance condition (hint: it's not what you're being told with a "free scheduled maintenance" plan). 

Stop by and say "hi." We'd love to be your new home for pampering your fine import.