Caring for your Car
With the expenses on your household budget continuously increasing, the last thing you want to worry about is your vehicle breaking down, forcing you to buy a new one. Fortunately, there are some easy-to-follow maintenance tips to keep your vehicle running for years.
Give Special Attention to the Tires
Tires are probably the most misunderstood part of the car as most people don’t think they hold much weight in the maintenance of the whole vehicle. This idea is wrong. Tires should be moved to the top of the list.
Regularly check your tires. Check the tire pressure before going on long trips and consult the vehicle owner’s manual if you don’t know the suggested pressure for your vehicle tires. Most cars also have a label on the driver’s side door that lists the tire pressure (PSI).
Never drive with over-inflated or flat tires as they reduce the lifespan of the tires. Check with your local tire dealer if the tires on your car need to be rotated. The recommended rotation pattern is different for the type and brand of tires.
Don’t Drive Wrecklessly
Driving responsibly is a huge contributor to the lifespan of your vehicle. Don’t ride the brakes while driving or accelerate too fast. These extreme driving behaviors are hard on a car and reduce its lifespan. Treat your car well, and it will do the same to you.
Check Oil Regularly
Oil is the major component and plays a massive role in keeping your vehicle’s engine in working order. Not only does it enhance the lifespan of your engine, but it also improves your gas mileage.
The recommended time between oil changes is 4 to 6 months; however, it depends upon the usage of your vehicle. Change it before going over 5000 miles to get the best results.
Another important tip here is to change the oil filter along with the oil change because running new oil through a dirty filter reduces the benefit of new oil.
Refer to the vehicle owner’s manual to get more details about how often to change the oil and what type of oil to use as it varies from vehicle to vehicle.
Don’t get comfortable just following the sticker in the corner of your windshield or what your car tells you – check that oil regularly and make sure you’re still looking good. You’d rather look too much and always find great looking oil than the one time you do look you find horribly old oil that’s doing nothing but hurting your car.
Follow these vehicle tips to keep you car running in perfect order. If you ever need road maintenance or a tow, contact Unlimited Recovery at 919-790-9393.
