Top 7 Tips for Good Car Maintenance

Cars today last longer than ever. The average age of cars is 11.4 years old. This is because vehicles last longer today than they used to but is also because people do more to take care of them. More and more of us are taking things like rotating your tires more seriously than before. Proper car and engine maintenance can extend the life of a car and save people a lot of money in expensive auto repair service.

Top 7 Tips for Good Car Maintenance

1. Change that oil! This is the single most important thing you can do to keep your car’s engine running smoothly. Few things are as expensive as the auto repair you will need if you neglect your oil. That can destroy your engine. Neglect the oil and you can destroy your engine.
2. Do not neglect the other fluids in your car. Make sure you change the transmission oil and pay attention to the differential oils. This is one good way to prevent the need for pricey automotive repair services. At least once a year, replace your brake fluid. It is much less expensive to change the brake fluid than to fix the brake parts that will be damaged if you skip this step.
3. Keep your paint looking new with a good wax job. Few things can protect your car more than the paint. The key to keeping your paint job looking new is applying a good wax. This should be done at least twice a year. Not only does it makes your car look great but it protects the body from wear and tear. Before you wax, it may go without saying but you should do a thorough cleaning of the entire vehicle. Get the grime off of the bottom. If you live in a climate where the roads are salted  during the winter, take some time when the weather turns warmer to get rid of any of that from the bottom of your car. Taking these steps will also improve the gas mileage you get as any dirt and grime does add to the weight of the vehicle.
4. Keep the cooling system healthy by flushing it. You need to flush the system and change out your coolant at least once a year. Check with your mechanic to see if your make and model needs this done more often. Many people use a mixture that is 50% distilled water and 50% coolant. This should work for your vehicle.
5. Go in for regular tune ups. These will save you money on gas as your mileage can be improved by about 4% each time you take your car in for a tune up. Make sure you are rotating your tires as often as is recommended. When you have your car in for a tune up, go ahead and have the tires rotated. Rotating your tires is a great way to reduce the wear and tears and can extend their lifespan.
6. Keep your brake pads happy by replacing them after about 6,000 miles. Every car is different so check the manual but most require these to be replaced after or around that mark.
7. Know your car or truck. Take some time to lean how often it needs to be maintained. Ford recommends its air filters be changed after 30,000 miles while Chevrolet says its vehicles do not need that until they reach 45,000 miles. It does not take much time or any money to take a look at the manual that came with your vehicle or to talk to your mechanic or car dealer.

If you are like most Americans, you love your car. You may not find rotating your tires to be the most fun thing to do but it is important to keep your car in good shape and to avoid needing expensive car repairs. There are also some other things you can do to keep it running healthy and happy. Follow these simple tips and you should be able to keep your car out of the shop and running smoothly.