Your car is a valuable asset; it’s how you get to work, how you get home, and how you get to the store. It can also be an expensive inconvenience if something goes wrong, especially when repair costs add up quickly. Before you know it, your car has sucked away most of your paycheck for the month — or worse, left you stranded on the side of the road. Here are five car maintenance tips that can help prevent major repair costs and save you a fortune in the long run!
Keep your tires properly inflated
One of the easiest ways to save money on your car is to make sure your tires are properly inflated. Under inflated tires cause more wear and tear on the tire, and your car will also use more fuel. Keep your tires properly inflated by using a tire pressure gauge and checking the pressure once a month. According to tire experts at TireRack.com, tires that are properly inflated can help to increase fuel economy by up to 3% and can help to improve handling and braking. The proper pressure is listed on your car’s door jam sticker. It is much easier to maintain the proper pressure on your tires when they are new, but you should still check the pressure regularly. If you have any questions about your tires, ask your mechanic to check them for you.
Check for signs of wear and tear to catch problems before they become major ones
The average person changes their car’s oil every 3,000 miles. But it’s the sneaky problems that cause the most expensive repairs. For instance, a bad battery can completely drain your engine over the course of a few days or months. You might also notice that your headlights won’t turn on or your car’s stereo won’t turn on, which can be a sign of a bad alternator or starter. Other signs of wear and tear include a leak in your tire, which can lead to a blowout, or a cracked windshield, which can cause your airbags to fail in an accident. These problems might seem small, but they can lead to major repairs.
Check your brake pads and change them when they’re low
Brakes are one of the essential components of your vehicle. This is because they often save your life when you’re in a dangerous or life-threatening situation. To make sure that your brakes are in top form, check your brake pads before you hit the road. If they’re low, then you need to get them changed as soon as you can. This can prevent major repairs to your car down the line, which can cost you a fortune.
It’s important to check your brake pads regularly and change them when they’re low. If you wait too long to change your pads, your brakes will become too low to operate — even with the pedal fully depressed.
Keep up with fluid levels: antifreeze, brake fluid, transmission fluid, windshield washer fluid, and windshield wiper fluid
Keeping your car up-to-date with fluid levels is an important part of car maintenance. It’s easy just to ignore this task and not think about it until your car starts to have problems. Problems with fluid levels can be some of the most expensive issues to fix, especially if the problem is ignored for too long. Some fluids like transmission fluid and windshield wiper fluid can be expensive, but not buying them can lead to major damage to your car.
Since mechanical problems cause the most common car problems, proper maintenance is the best way to prevent these problems from occurring. Most auto manufacturers recommend getting full car service in Australia every three to five thousand miles depending on the type of car you drive, but even this is not enough to prevent all kinds of problems. In fact, many auto experts agree that the best way to maintain your car is to keep track of the fluids within your car.
Keep records of all maintenance and repairs for your car to minimize stress when you need help from a mechanic
If your car breaks down, you want to be able to get it fixed as quickly and cheaply as possible. But with all the confusion over auto repair terms and all the unfamiliar parts under the hood of your car, it can be a challenge to figure out which repairs are urgent and which can wait a while. To make sure you don’t end up spending more money than you have to, keep up-to-date records of all maintenance and repairs on your car.
