| Do You Know the Best Car Care Tips ? |
| Written by John Harvey | ||||||||
| Monday, 23 November 2009 | ||||||||
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Your car is a major investment and is very important to you, because it gets you where you need to go. Because of that, you should be caring for and maintaining it properly, so that it stays in good running condition. Many accidents happen simply because car problems that don't need to be there are in existence, even though they could be prevented simply by performing routine maintenance. You can do many of these routine checks yourself, too, and you can do many of them without having to have a lot of mechanical knowledge.
Your car is a major investment and is very important to you, because it gets you where you need to go. Because of that, you should be caring for and maintaining it properly, so that it stays in good running condition. Many accidents happen simply because car problems that don't need to be there are in existence, even though they could be prevented simply by performing routine maintenance. You can do many of these routine checks yourself, too, and you can do many of them without having to have a lot of mechanical knowledge. When you take the time and effort to care for your car you will extend the life of the vehicle. There are some other bonuses that you receive including better gas mileage, longer tire life and fewer automotive exhaust problems. You should also note that routine checks alert you to small problems before they have time to become expensive headaches. Early detection and prompt repairs of automobile problems will generally keep any repair costs low. Here are some top tips to remember that will help you give your car the best care: Begin with the basics. Check your car owner's manual and follow the recommendations concerning oil changes, tune-ups and other routine maintenance tasks. Oil and oil filters need to be changed periodically. Some cars require that these be changed out every 3000 miles while some other manuals will allow longer times between these changes. Flood levels for several different applications should be checked every week. Oil and brake fluid, power steering and transmission fluid, and radiator fluid, as well as your overflow tank, should be checked weekly. Windshield washing fluid, too, should be checked and topped off every week as needed. Tires should be checked at least once a month but it is best to check the inflation pressures once a week. If you are driving around with tires that are under-inflated you are losing valuable fuel efficiency. Tires should also be checked for wear patterns, "too worn" tread, cracks, tacks or nails. Tacks or nails could be causing slow leaks, and you should also make sure hubcaps and lug nuts are secure. Schedule and take your car in for regular tuneups. If your spark plugs or fuel injection are causing problems, your fuel mileage could be reduced by as much as 35%. It may be tempting to postpone tuneups, and a lot of people do especially if their cars appear to be running fine, but don't. Take your car to a professional mechanic so that your engine is thoroughly inspected for any problems that are small now, but that could be bigger later. Chassis lubrication is required for all cars. This maintenance procedure helps keep the suspension operating at an optimum level. Most shops that change oil perform chassis lubrications as a part of their work checklist. Your battery's an important part of your car and of course can't run without it. Make sure you keep a watch on it, especially the posts and cables. If you notice corrosion building up, you can clean it off with a wire brush. Connections should be secure; failing to do these checks can mean you end up with a dead battery, which of course is something you don't want. Windshield wiper blades should be changed at least once a year and should be inspected monthly to see that they don't have cracks or other problems. A protective coating like Rain-X applied to your windshield every two weeks will improve visibility during heavy rain. Check your headlights, too, as well as tail lights and turn signals, once a week. Replace any burned-out bulbs, because this can cause you to have an accident or other problems. It may seem like a lot of work to follow this checklist every week for car maintenance, but if you do it on regular basis, you'll soon notice that it becomes second nature. Becoming proactive in this manner will mean that your car stays in good repair and performs better, longer, so that it has a longer life. About the Author: Sample video clips for car dealers syndicated by TopSeekInc: Elk Grove Honda Sacramento and Mesa Honda Gilbert Chandler Views: 71
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