Car Care Tips

  • How are your transmission mounts?

    transmission

    Your transmission mounts keep your transmission in place and suppress vibrations coming from the drivetrain. How do you know when to replace them or when they’re going bad. At Total Performance Inc in Mahwah, NJ, our goal is to educate you about your vehicle so that you can drive it safely and prolong its life. 

  • How Do You Know When to Get a Tire Rotation & Wheel Balancing?

    Tire in automotive shop

    The interval for the tire rotation could depend on a recommendation from either the tire manufacturer or the vehicle maker. The interval is typically around 5,000 miles but could range from 3,000 to 8,000 miles. So why do tires need to be rotated and how do you know when the right time is for your vehicle?

  • How To Avoid Transmission Failure

    At Total Performance Inc in Mahwah, NJ, we know that hearing you need a new transmission is a dreaded affair. Here’s some advice from the transmission experts on how to prevent that day from coming.

  • How To Avoid Transmission Failure

    At Total Performance Inc in Mahwah, NJ, we know that hearing you need a new transmission is a dreaded affair. Here’s some advice from the transmission experts on how to prevent that day from coming.

  • How to Fix Foggy or Cloudy Headlights

    headlight of car

    Foggy headlights are a problem that has arisen in the past couple of decades, as we have moved away from glass sealed beam bulbs and into an era of plastic lenses with bulbs inside. While modern headlights are superior to the sealed beam headlights of years ago, they do tend to fog up after years of use. It’s a good trade for far better illumination and easier replacement, but an issue nonetheless. Hours and hours of heat, sunlight, and age eventually cause them to cloud up, which can reduce visibility at night in addition to worsening the appearance of your car, truck, or SUV. From Total Performance Inc in Mahwah, NJ, here are some tips on taking care of your foggy or cloudy headlight issue.

  • How To Prevent A Transmission From Overheating

    Part of a transmission

    At Total Performance Inc in Mahwah, NJ, we know that the key to keeping a transmission reliable and in shape is taking care to prevent an issue in the first place. Here, well explore a condition which has a lot of potential to cause your transmission harm: overheating.

  • How to Reduce Your Vehicle Maintenance Costs

    Man working under the hood of his vehicle

    If you want to avoid nasty and unexpected surprise maintenance costs, sticking to a regimented schedule of preventative maintenance is something you are going to want to get used to. The reason being is simple – frequent maintenance will keep your vehicle in good health, ensuring you get the most out of all those expensive-to-replace parts. While it might sound counterintuitive, the best way to reduce maintenance costs is to stick to a prescribed maintenance schedule.

  • How to use battery cables.

    battery cables

    If you drive a luxury or performance vehicle, you’re an owner of a reliable machine. Still, occasionally problems do arise. On vehicles like these, with so many electronics, a dead battery is a common issue. At Total Performance Inc we want to keep our customers informed, here’s how to jump-start your vehicle safely. 

  • How to use battery cables.

    battery cables

    If you drive a luxury or performance vehicle, you’re an owner of a reliable machine. Still, occasionally problems do arise. On vehicles like these, with so many electronics, a dead battery is a common issue. At Total Performance Inc we want to keep our customers informed, here’s how to jump-start your vehicle safely. 

  • I Can’t Find My Specified Transmission Fluid, What Should I Use?

    transmission fluid dip stick

    At Total Performance Inc in Mahwah, we know that a key aspect of taking care of your transmission is understanding how it works. Here’s some info on transmission fluid types, in case you’re having trouble finding yours.

  • I don’t hear my car shift, is there something wrong with my transmission?

    guy shifting car

    At Total Performance Inc in Mahwah, we understand that there are endless ways a transmission can sound, behave, and feel, depending on what type of car it’s in, what type of transmission it is, and the state of the vehicle’s repair. Sometimes, when people buy a different car, they notice it doesn’t act the same as their last car, which leads them to believe there is a problem.

  • Is it okay to shift into park before stopping?

    Car in Park

    The key to maintaining a healthy transmission is understanding how it works. Here’s the rundown on shifting your car, truck, or SUV into park before it stops, from the professional technicians at Total Performance Inc in Mahwah.

  • Keeping Your Climate Control Cleaner, Quieter, and Lasting Longer

    cabin filter

    If your car has climate control, then it also has a cabin filter. Cabin filters are simply air filters for the interior of your car, truck, or SUV. All air entering circulation through the climate control system first passes through this filter, to prevent your AC or heat systems from accumulating debris or blowing them out of your vents. The result is cleaner, quieter, and longer-lasting climate control systems, which keep the inside of your car as comfortable as possible. 

  • Looking To Buy A Used Vehicle, Here Is A Tip!

    There’s a lot of information on buying used cars out there, but at Total Performance Inc in Mahwah, we don’t think it’s possible to go into a purchase armed with too much information. The condition of the transmission in a used car is perhaps the most essential aspect of a pre-owned car purchase - this article explains why, and how to make sure your prospective buy is everything you want it to be.

  • Looks Like A Problem? YES!

    mechanic working on a vehicle

    Sometimes it is EASY to see if your car or truck needs to come into our shop for professional repairs! 
    1.  You see steam rising from the engine!
    2.  The Check Engine Light is on!
    3.  The engine starts, but there is an odor that is not right.
    4.  You hear grinding or thumping noises.

  • Maintain Your 4x4 To Keep It Rolling Longer

    4x4 vehicle

    Do you drive a 4X4 truck or SUV? At Total Performance Inc in Mahwah, our technicians know exactly what your four-wheel drive vehicle needs, to stay reliable both on and off the road.

  • Maintaining Your Vehicle's Exterior

    CAR BEING WASHED

    While keeping your car, truck, or SUV looking nice is important, there are other reasons to keep the exterior of your vehicle in good shape. From Total Performance Inc in Mahwah, NJ, here are some tips for keeping your car looking good, and how that keeps it reliably on the road.

  • Maintaining Your Vehicle's Exterior

    CAR BEING WASHED

    While keeping your car, truck, or SUV looking nice is important, there are other reasons to keep the exterior of your vehicle in good shape. From Total Performance Inc in Mahwah, NJ, here are some tips for keeping your car looking good, and how that keeps it reliably on the road.

  • Make your tires go the distance and follow these tips

    Tire being balanced in auto shop

    Once your new tires are mounted and balanced, you’ll want to keep them in good shape. To get the most out of your tires, inspect them regularly and keep up with maintenance - the difference between a tire that lasts 100k miles, and one that lasts 10k, mostly comes down to how well it’s been taken care of.

  • Proper Care for Your Vehicle

    car driving down road

    Here are 10 steps to keep your car up and running from our team here at Total Performance Inc ! Whether you choose to do the maintenance yourself or take your car to see our professional service technicians, the non-profit Car Care Council recommends 10 basic maintenance procedures to keep your vehicle running its best. 

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Total Performance Inc

18 Ramapo Valley Rd
Mahwah, NJ 07430
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location small (201) 529-4353
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SHOP HOURS

Weekdays:   8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Weekends: CLOSED