By Russel Spinella
Picture a beautifully maintained classic sports car. Now picture in your mind the same car as a useless vehicle due to negligence of simple auto care, let’s say because the owner ignored to check fluid levels and did not add oil to the engine. Not following some basic car care tips can equal the end of the engine for an automobile and the end of the story for a vehicle. What would have been a relatively low cost expenditure has become a major expense that may exceed the value of the vehicle.
The automobile owner who is not well versed towards essential car care can refer to their owner’s manual to find the best maintenance plan for their specific vehicle, but there are general car care tips that apply to all vehicles. If you do not care for your vehicle it will fail to operate properly or worse, as in our classic sports car story above.
For those who care about maintaining a smooth running, safe car, these tips are for you:
1. Check the oil filter and oil levels at least every 3,000 miles.
2. Your auto has various other fluid levels that need to be check on a regular basis. Again, at least every 3,000 miles, the fluid levels for the brakes, power steering, transmission, radiator coolant and windshield wiper fluids should be included.
3. A regular check on all hoses and belts should be done and replaced as they are showing cracks or are frayed.
4. Brake maintenance is often neglected without realizing it. Not all brakes make loud noises when they are in need of maintenance. You should check the brake system about every six months.
5. Testing of the car battery should be done three years from purchase for a new car, and every three years for older vehicles. Battery condition and connections should be checked to make sure there is no excess corrosion and the battery is secure.
6. Inspect the exhaust system for leaks. If there are leaks, they can be deadly to the occupants of the car, so repairs are needed.
7. For a properly running engine, auto tune-ups are essential.
8. The car’s heating and air conditioning should be checked yearly for proper functionality.
9. Check and replace washer blades and lights as they wear out or burn out.
10. Check ball joints, rods and struts at least twice each year.
11. Maintain proper air level in tires and apply new tires as needed or when tread becomes no less than 2/32 of an inch (for normal driving conditions, or 4/32 of an inch if you are concerned about wet roads).
12. Rotate tires about every 5,000 miles.
To assure car performance and safety, everyone should follow these basic car care tips. Remember to refer to your automobile’s manual for the simple auto maintenance tips for your car.
For car care tips, Russel Spinela follows a car care blog, and has found the best auto care tips. For brake shops that not only strive to exceed expectations and know their customers, you can go to Brakes Plus for professional auto brake maintenance and brake repair.
