Car maintenance and repair ought to be on the daily schedule of every car owner. Maintaining your car is crucial whether it’s new or pre-owned. In fact, caring for your car means examining all parts of your vehicle in order to improve its longevity, reliability and performance. Keeping your car in good condition will help your car’s overall performance and save you a lot of money in the long run. Here are a few essential tips.
1. Keep your tires properly inflated. If you have the correct alignment and amount of air in your tires, you’ll be able to improve your fuel efficiency by about 3%. It isn’t a huge number, but small percents here and there all tally up into higher cost savings.
2. Check your oxygen sensor. Many cars have this feature but there’s a good possibility it isn’t functioning as well as it used to. Getting this fixed could cost money however the cost savings on gas will pay for itself very quickly. The Department of Energy claims that a correctly installed and working oxygen sensor can improve your fuel efficiency by 40%.
3. Check your brakes. Most people don’t have the time or knowledge to repair their own brakes but the more worn out they are will cost you money and gas. It goes without saying that worn down brakes make your vehicle unfit for safe driving.
4. Get an oil change every 5,000+ miles. Most people have the preconceived notion that an oil change is required every 3,000 miles. Although this is the case for older cars, most modern cars can go on for 7,500 miles without an oil change. Cutting down on the number of oil changes each year can greatly help save you a lot of money in the long run.
5. Don’t wait for the vehicle to show warning signals. Any car maintenance and repair job may be too late then. Instead, examine the belts, hoses, exhaust clamps and supports on a regular basis and replace them when necessary.
In essence, it is wise to be vigilant with your automobile and all of it’s components. After all, if it is running smoothly and efficiently, you will not only save money on gas, but you will have the peace of mind each time you get in to your car that it will not break down somewhere in the middle of the road and cause you to be stranded.