Routine car maintenance can extend the durability and life of your vehicle. Preventative car care is essential for keeping your vehicle running smoothly and can also help prevent more substantial expenses down the road. Follow these necessary maintenance steps to help keep your car running in peak condition.
Checking and changing your oil is one of the easiest ways to take care of your car. Whether your vehicle has a dipstick or an electronic gauge to check the oil’s color and oil level, you should know how to test it. Understanding the difference between muddy, murky oil and clean oil will also help you determine if something is wrong with your engine. While there is no universal recommendation for how often you should change your oil, your car’s owners manual will have the answer. For years, many mechanics recommended oil changes every 3,000 miles, but due to modern engine technology, some vehicles can go 7,5000+ miles until a change.
Keeping your tires in the best shape possible is another easy way to save money and prevent accidents. It’s recommended that you check your tire pressure at least once a month and before any long trip. The correct tire pressure is generally printed on a placard found on the driver’s door, or it’s written on the inside of the glove-box. It is also important to routinely check tire tread, rotation, balance, and alignment. Rotating your vehicle’s tires maintains fuel efficiency and prevent irregular wear and tear.
Your braking system is one of the most critical safety features of your vehicle. Brakes will have normal wear and eventually need to be replaced, but be sure to check the braking system at least once a year. A thorough inspection includes brake fluid level, brake fluid level, brake and dash warning lights, rotor thickness, and condition of hoses and brake lines. Additionally, keep an eye out for specific signs such as high-pitched squealing, slower stopping, and steering wheel vibration while braking because these are indicators that your brakes need to be checked.
Other car maintenance basics include checking your air filter, hoses, and belts, and replacing your wiper blades regularly.
Routine preventive care is the single best thing you can do as a car owner to keep your vehicle maintained. Following these simple and easy maintenance basics can extend the lifetime of your car and save you money in the long run.
Mark Alexopoulos is a leading entrepreneur and technology expert in the automotive remarketing industry. Check out his automotive blog or follow him on Twitter!
This article was originally published on Mark Alexopoulos's Blog.
