Car Maintenance 101: The Basics

CAR MAINTENANCE 101: THE BASICS

Let's face it...everyone tries to be a certified mechanic these days. With the help of Google and YouTube, your possibilities are unlimited. Now this may sound crazy, but let's switch the roles, what if your surgeon relied on Google or YouTube to learn how to perform your open heart surgery? Not so amusing now! Why would you trust your vehicle in the hands of a shade tree mechanic? There are several car maintenance basics that everyone should know. Knowing is only half of the process though, being able to know the time frame to complete the required maintenance is important as well. Did you know that if you do not keep up the required maintenance on your vehicle, you basically void any warranty that the vehicle currently has. So imagine this, you go 10,000 miles without changing your oil. Now the motor develops a knock. You take it to the dealership because it is still under factory warranty. After they tear into the motor, they determine the oil hand not been changed and now you are stuck with the bill to replace the engine and you still have to pay the payments....not good. This could easily add to up to thousands of dollars out of your pocket, and who has that these days? I am going to lay out a basic maintenance plan for you to use as a reference.

OIL CHANGES

Many manufacturers are different when it comes to the oil change interval. A good basic rule to go by is to change your engine oil every 5,000 miles. The standard use to be 3,000 miles but with the technology in today's oil, the standard has changed. This goes for used car as well. For example, if you buy a used car with 40,567 miles you should change the oil at 45,567 miles. If you are getting ready for a long trip and you are close to your mileage limit on your oil change, do the safe thing, change it. 

TIRE ROTATIONS

Tire rotation are not necessary to a manufacturer's warranty terms and conditions but with the recent spike in tire prices, it makes sense. The basic standard is to have your tires rotated and balanced each time you have the oil changed. This ensures that the tires wear evenly. The way your tire wears can also help diagnose other, more serious issues with the steering or suspension of your vehicle. 

AIR FILTERS

For most cars, air filter replacement intervals vary between 15,000 and 30,000 miles, depending on the driving conditions. If you regularly drive on unpaved roads, it should be changed more often. If you don't drive a lot, the filter should be replaced at least every 3 years, as with age it becomes brittle.

SPARK PLUGS

Vehicle manufacturers make most certain that their products come equipped with extended-life spark plugs that can maintain a precise gap for 100,000 miles. The spark plugs ignite the fuel that your vehicle burns. If they are worn, they will not ignite the fuel correctly and it will be expelled through the exhaust pipe. That's right, gasoline going right through the car. If that is not a waste of money, I do not know what is. Also, if you buy a car with miles even close to the threshold of spark plugs, I would change them regardless. You never know if the person before you ever changed them.

WINDSHIELD WIPERS

Wiper blades should be replaced every six months to a year. You will start to notice a difference in visibility when the wipers are worn. This can result in accidents on the road in the rain. Wipers will stop making complete contact with the windshield and will result in squeaking, chattering, skipping, etc.

This should serve as just a basic guide to car maintenance and not a complete how-to guide. This items are very important to maintaining your vehicle and keeping it road ready. Remember, the manufacturer has specific standards that they set forth to maintain your warranty. Please refer to your owner's manual for your specific vehicle's maintenance requirements. Be sure to subscribe to my blog for more articles like this one and to receive specials offers just for my customers. I look forward to sharing more content with you in the future.