Friday, July 26, 2013

A Few Ways to Extend the Life of Your Car

Simple things you can do to extend the life of your car are to first of all check your oil every two weeks and follow the recommendation in your owner’s manual. If you do a lot of city driving you will want to adjust the manufacturers recommendations and choose these steps a lot sooner.

 Oil changes are an extremely important and simple way to care for your car. Oil keeps the parts of your car lubricated, which in turn reduces friction, allowing the parts to last longer. Over time, however, oil breaks down due to the high heat, becoming less effective; hence the need for oil changes.

 Don’t Ignore Problems. No matter how long you wish the check engine light would go away, it’s not going to. But the longer you drive with a problem, the more serious it will become and could end up costing you a lot more money. So take your car to a qualified mechanic sooner rather than later and you’ll spend less in the long run.

 Don’t Neglect the Air Filter. Most don’t give the air filter much thought but it’s crucial for preventing debris from getting in the engine and causing unnecessary wear. A dirty filter does this less effectively and can also cause the fuel injector to produce an incorrect air to fuel ratio needed for the car to run. Make sure to change your air filter regularly consult the manual for how often.

 Check your fan belts and hoses for wear and tear and replace them before they break. A noisy belt is a sign of it wearing out. Check the tires for abnormal wear. Rotate the tires every 7,500 miles to preserve them. Have wheel alignment done every time the tires are replaced or when there is abnormal wear found. Check battery terminals for white deposits. Use a wire brush to remove deposits. Lubricate door hinges and locks with a penetrating grease or graphite lubricant spray once a year.

 Keep the car clean inside and out. Wash and wax the outside. This will keep the paint from fading especially in hot and sunny climates. It also gets rid of road salt and other harmful substances that can cause rust and have a negative impact on your cars performance. I know that gas is expensive these days. And you may think that you are saving money by using regular instead of premium octane fuel. However, regular is going to burn slower and cause deposits and carbon build up a lot faster than premium. You will need to perform tune up and maintenance more often.

 Save hundreds of dollars by doing some simple repairs yourself. You can learn techniques for changing wiper blades, replacing your air filter, changing the oil, or replacing your battery. Before you begin, do a little homework, get the tools you need and remember to safely dispose of any liquids that come out of your car. By doing something simple, such as paying attention to leaks, you can get your car to the service dealer earlier and save money on costly repairs. Knowing the normal color of engine oil and other fluids will make it easier to detect a problem, and will also tip the service manager that you know what you’re doing. Brown fluid is engine oil; bright green or orange fluid is anti-freeze or coolant; clear or light brown fluid is clutch or brake fluid.

 Becoming familiar with how to perform your own maintenance is a great way to make sure that when the service adviser is explaining what is wrong or what is needed on your car you will clearly understand.


"I am one of the technical advisers on JustAnswer"

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