If you want to have a car that will last for thousands of miles, then you need to maintain it on a regular schedule. This is extremely important for the life of your car. There are many cars that are in the shop with expensive repairs or just dead because they weren’t taken care of properly. We need to treat a car like we would treat ourselves; with plenty of attention and care. A car must have fluids checked and replaced on a regular schedule to run smoothly.
You can do many of these simple car maintenance tasks. If you set up a set time to check these on a regular basis, you will know when your car needs more attention.
Listed below are some of the things that need to be included in your maintenance schedule:
Oil and oil filter changes – This needs to be done every 3,000 miles no matter what. If you drive in a lot of heavy traffic, possibly doing a lot of commuting to and from work, you may want to have it changed more often. This is due to the higher stress placed on the engine from the heavy traffic and long hours the car runs at a time.
Spark plugs – These should be changed at least once a year. If you use the higher quality platinum spark plugs, then you should change them around every 60,000 miles. These cost a bit more, but are a much higher quality and will last twice as long Platinum spark plugs are not for every car. Check with your manufacturer or car manual before you choose to go this route. If your car is driving a little rough, the first things you may check are the spark plugs.
Air filter – This should also be checked on a regular basis, have them check it every time you have your oil changed. But the filter should be replaced at least once a year. This is a very inexpensive item yet, very important to keep your car running as it should.
Timing belt – This needs to be checked and changed every 60,000 miles or as your manufacturer suggests. This is something that is often neglected but is very important. If this is not running correctly, or quits working all together, you could lose your engine all together. It is best to have it changed every 50,000 miles to be on the safe side.
Tire rotation/replacement – Your tires should be rotated every 6 months. They need to be rotated from front to rear and also from the inside out if possible. Also, tires should be replaced every 2 or 3 years, depending on the wear and usage.
This is only a few of the things that need to be on your car maintenance schedule. This is so important to keep a healthy car running for a very long time.