How To Maintain Your Car Properly So That It Lasts As Long As Possible
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If you always make sure that your car has regular check ups and that you maintain it properly, you mill likely be fortunate enough to not be one of the thousands of motorists that get stuck at roadside each year because their car was not properly maintained and decided enough was enough. Sometimes people forget that a car is a machine and like any other machine they require proper maintenance.
Oil levels need to be checked regularly as well as the temperature that the engine is running at because if it is too hot it will burn oil at unbelievable rates. The last thing that you want to do is let your oil run dry as this can cause your engine to completely cease. Then you are talking big bucks as your choices will be limited to getting a new car or a new engine. Neither of which would be very fun but however would be very expensive and often could have been avoided with the proper maintenance.
Have your oil changed regularly and always make sure that it never runs low. Each time that you have your oil checked or changed make sure that they also check for faulty belts and hoses to save you a lot of trouble down the road. Always have your fluids and coolants checked regularly too so that you can rest easy knowing that such things as your radiator will perform up to par. Flush and/or replace regularly and this also includes transmission fluids too.
Take a look regularly under where you park your car to see if there appears to be any new fluids which could indicate a leak. If you have any knowledge of cars and engines then you might know which colors of leaky fluid a sign of what are such as antifreeze is greenish, transmission fluids are more on the pink side, brake fluid is reddish, and oil is usually brownish. The relevance to knowing this is so you can either attempt to remedy the problem yourself or at least have a good idea of what to tell the mechanic.
Some say that it is healthy to turn your heat and air conditioning on at least once a month, regardless of the time of year to keep them flowing freely at all times. Brakes should be checked regularly and tires should be rotated about every 7,000 miles. In the meantime though, make sure that you inspect your tires yourself and look for anything that may appear to be unusual.
Even the most untrained eye should be able to tell a difference if something is different or unusual when they lift the hood of their car if they have been looking under the hood every now and then. There would be a notice of an unusual looking battery or something that looks suspicious. Preventative maintenance is very helpful in getting the best performance out of your vehicle. Familiarize yourself with the owner’s manual and do things such as have your car waxed once a year for longevity of the exterior coat and have the undercarriage cleaned annually as well. These are all ways to get the most out of your vehicle.
Gregg Hall is an author living with his 18 year old son in Jensen Beach, Florida. Find more about car advice as well as car care products at http://www.5starshine.com