Basic Car Maintenance
The key to basic car maintenance is simply doing regularly scheduled maintenance on time and with the best available parts and materials. Your car will have a manual that states the time intervals for each maintenance task. When you purchase a new car, an operators guide is included which lists the maintenance schedule.. If you have purchased a used or older car, then you may need to visit the original dealer or check online resources to get the most up to date maintenance information.
When purchasing a used car, the best way to ensure that the service items are up to date is to perform a full service when you first buy the car. Once you have estalished a service history baseline, you can then follow the regular basic car maintenance after that. This will give you the greatest potential for extending the life of your older used vehicle.
There are a number of basic car maintenance tasks for today's cars. Fluid changes such as oil change, coolant flushing, and transmission fluid flushes keep the engine running at top efficiency. Spark plug changes and timing belt changes ensure the combustion cycle is maintained properly. Tire rotation and replacement will reduce fuel consumption and improve driving safety. Interior and exterior care keep your car looking great!
The key to having a long useful life for your car is to provide excellent care for your car. That care will keep your ownership costs low over the life of the care. As cars age, there will be occasional breakdowns and major components which will need to be replaced. However, when you stick the to manufacturer's guidelines for basic car maintenance items, you can greatly reduce the number of potential major repairs.
Most car makers recommend that an oil change be done every 3000 miles. This is the most important priority for good engine health, as dirty or sludgy oil will cause car problems in a short amout of time. When inspecting prospective used cars for purchase, check the dipstick to check on the oil condition. If the dipstick shows dirty or thick oil, then this is an indication that the owner has not been taking care of their car.
With a bad oil indicator, you cannot assume that the engine is in good shape, even if the car seems to be running OK. It is a safe bet that there is undesired build up in the engine due to bad or dirty oil. I would not purchase a used car with dirty oil due the potential complications. If the owner has not bothered to change the oil, the owner has probably not completed other necessary servicing for the radiator, transmission or tires. Lack of completing these basic car maintenance items are a warning sign that you should give this car a pass.
In summary, basic car maintenance is straightforward and routine. You always have the option of having your dealer or mechanic to complete your maintenance items, but it's a good idea to learn how to complete a few tasks yourself so you can save money.
Continue to the next car maintenance article:
General Car Maintenance
