Basic Car Maintenance
When is the last time you have taken a look at your cars manual? Well, if you haven't, then it is time to pull it out. If you have an older car and don't have one, you can purchase one at any auto parts store. Your manual will specify when your car needs to be maintained and what needs to be done. You can keep your car running smooth for a long time with these car care tips and if you keep it maintained on time and with quality parts.
The first thing to ever have done on a regular basis is to have the oil changed every 3,000 miles. This is inexpensive and easy to do. You only need a half hour to an hour of your time and a small fee. If your car has not been maintained in a while, you need to have a full service check performed. This will prevent problems in the future.
Your responsibility as a car owner is to make sure it is maintained by having the oil changed, the radiator coolant flushed, a tune up done, which includes having the spark plugs changed and the timing belt changed.
You need to have the transmission flushed, tires rotated and/or replaced, air pressure maintained, etc. Are you tired yet? Well, this does not have to be done every 3,000 miles as does the oil and filter. But this does need to be done as your manual recommends.
Taking care of your car will determine if it will last you a long time or if you are going to be putting a lot of money into in the near future. Cars break down, that is a fact, and components may need replacing, but you can put this off by simply following the recommendations of the manufacturer.
As mentioned earlier, the best car care tip I can give you is to have the oil changed EVERY 3,000 miles whether it needs it or not. This is so important because if the oil becomes dirty, it will not be able to run properly and will eventually begin to burn the oil that it does have. This shortens the life of your engine drastically. Not worth it if you ask me.
When you are shopping for a car, check the oil on the dipstick. If the oil is thick, dark or sludgy, then this car has not been maintained and should be avoided.
The engine is a difficult thing to see and determine if it has been maintained properly. If the oil is bad, then you can assume that the rest of the engine is not in that great of shape either. If the oil is changed on a regular basis, then you know everything else was also checked on a regular basis and brought to the owner's attention.
Taking care of your car need not be difficult. It is worth paying your mechanic now to do the simple inexpensive things now, than replacing a transmission or even an engine in the future.
More car care tips for you to have a healthy car for a very long time: