Proper maintenance on your vehicle will guarantee its longevity and resell value. There are obvious scheduled maintenance procedures such as oil changes and tire rotations that are imperative to keeping your car on the road, but there are less noticeable procedures that are just as important in extending the life of your vehicle. If you properly maintain the health of your vehicle you will save yourself future automotive expenses. First things first, keep up with your oil changes. Oil changes are the single most important procedure you can do for your car. Oil’s sole purpose is to reduce friction on all the moving parts of the engine. When oil is old, it becomes thicker and in turn, friction is increased which puts tremendous pressure on your engine. Therefore, keeping up with oil changes is vital to the health of your engine. Also, warm your engine prior to driving. Give your car a good 30-45 seconds to lubricate all its important parts. Changing out your spark plugs is cheap, effective, and a small task that saves an incredible amount of money. Eric Peterson, an automotive specialist for the National Motorists Association says, “These may indeed last 100,000 miles as advertised. The problem is that if you leave them installed that long, when the time does come to replace them, you may not be able to get them out without incurring serious damage to the (much expensive) cylinder head.” He suggests removing and reinstalling the plugs while using thread lubricant every 30,000 miles. A $5 spark plug can ruin a $1000 cylinder head if not changed in time. Peterson also suggests changing the brake fluid and flush lines every 3 years. “Brake fluid attracts moisture over time and that along with other contaminants can rust out lines and ruin big bucks parts like the ABS pump,” says Peterson. Replacing a radiator is very costly and easy to avoid. Flush the system and refill with new coolant about every 4-5 years. At all costs, avoid small commutes. Driving short distances put a lot of strain on your vehicle. “What happens is the engine oil never reaches temperatures high enough to boil off the moisture inside, causing the oil to eventually gum up like tar,” says Eric Leech of www.Planetgreen.com. He suggests adhering to the “severe usage” guidelines of your owner’s manual for oil changes if you insist on frequently driving small commutes with your car. Prepare to invest in upfront costs for preventative auto repair, but keep in mind that these upfront costs will save you save you big money in the long run. As mentioned before, a small dollar fix can save you a large amount of money if you replace the part initially. Adhere to your vehicle’s scheduled maintenance handbook and you are sure to extend the lifetime of your vehicle. Category:Home › Autos • Will the trend toward economy-size car models lead Americans back to buying smaller-sized cars? — part 2 • You should never use after-market auto parts when maintaining or fixing your car • Should a new car be rust-proofed? • Will the trend toward economy-size car models lead Americans back to buying smaller-sized cars? — part 1 • Five safest cars in North America • How to ensure your teen drives safely after getting a license • Pros and cons of using an hydrogen generator for your car • DIY automotive maintenance: How to change the oil
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