ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Italian tuneup

An Italian tune-up is when you give a car a big, strong workout to make it run better. It’s like when you run around outside to get your body feeling good and healthy.

Cars have engines that need to get rid of dirt and other stuff that can build up inside of them. Sometimes, when you drive your car only on short trips or at slow speeds, the engine doesn’t get to really “stretch its legs” and get rid of all that build-up.

An Italian tune-up is a way to help your car’s engine get rid of all that build-up by driving it fast and hard for a little while. This can be done by going for a long drive at highway speeds, or by accelerating quickly from a stop a few times.

By giving your car’s engine this kind of workout, you’re helping it get rid of all the built-up dirt and grime that can make it run poorly. Just like how you need to exercise your body to stay healthy and strong, your car’s engine needs a workout every now and then to stay in tip-top shape.