Keeping Your Car In Great Shape
One of the biggest purchases you can make these days is a new car. It is extremely important as it needs to take you where you want to go. Because of this we need to remember to give it the proper TLC and keep it operating in tip top shape. Lots of times accidents happen just because someone lacked proper maintenance on their vehicle. Most of the time these could of been easily prevented. Some of this maintenance is very routine and can be preformed by anyone, not just a mechanic.
A car that is well taken care of is a car that will last longer. You benefit in a lot of ways when you do routine checks, including better gas mileage, cleaner emissions, and extended tire life to name a few. Checking up your car often will also result in finding small problems before they become very big and very expensive ones. If you keep up with this preventive maintenance these problems can be found and repaired keeping your repair costs low.
What makes for the best car check up routine? Here are a few items to go over.
Keep it simple. A quick look into your owners manual or maintenance book will tell you the proper intervals for oil changes, tune ups, and other things.
The engine oil should be changed ever 3000 mileage or 3 months whichever is first. Modern vehicles specify greater intervals but doing it early will never hurt.
Check fluid levels for several different applications weekly. Check your oil, brake fluid, transmission and power steering fluid, overflow tank and radiator fluid every week. Check to see that you have enough windshield washing solution or water every week, too. Take a few minutes to top off any fluids that are low.
Tire pressure should be checked often as well. A tire that is under inflated can cause poor fuel economy and be dangerous. A over inflated tire is no good either. Check factory specs.
Tires should also be checked for wear patterns, “too worn” tread, cracks, tacks or nails. Tacks or nails could be causing slow leaks, and you should also make sure hubcaps and lug nuts are secure.
Schedule regular maintenance for your car. A problem in the fuel delivery or ignition system could cause a great reduction in fuel economy. Sometimes it may seem like a good idea to push back your tune ups and lots of people do especially if their vehicle is running good, but don’t! Take your car to your professional technician so that it is properly inspected and and problems can be found.
A well lubed chassis is very important. A good shop like Riverview Service center in Elmwood Park NJ will lube your suspension as part of the oil change service.
Your cars battery is the heart of the electrical system. Make sure you check it regularly and pay special attention to the cables and terminals. Corrosion that has built up can be cleaned off with a wire brush. Make sure you have a good tight connection to prevent what may seem like a dead battery.
Change your windshield wiper blades at least once a year and inspect them monthly for cracks or other problems. Use a protective coating such as Rain-X on your windshield every 2 weeks. This increases your viewing ability on days when heavy rain is a problem.
Be certain to check out your lighting systems. A burned out bulb can cause a accident and nobody wants that to happen. Replace burned out bulbs as soon as possible.
If you will follow these tips concerning car maintenance you will soon notice that the checks become second nature. A little pro-active care for your car can keep your vehicle looking better, performing better, and you will also be able to keep it on the road longer.
Looking for North Jersey Auto Repair? Visit Riverview Service Center for the best Auto Repair In Elmwood Park NJ.