How To Add Years To Your Car's Life

From here on it will be all about taking care of your car. The following tips - short and clear - will keep your car running smoothly and may save you frequent trips to your local mechanic. However, unless you are a experienced repair person it's unavoidable that you should visit a mechanic once or twice a year. But performing simple do-it-yourself maintenance can actually decrease your dependence on repair workshops and increase you car's longevity.

1. First and foremost, before you start on Do-It-Yourself repairs, locate your owner's manual, which comes with your car on the day you bought it. This is something you should have insisted on even when buying a used car. Leaf through it for guidance about the parts you might need or whether the manufacturer recommends that you leave a particular task to the dealer.

2. Drive with care everyday. Doing this every time you drive will earn your car long intervals without needing any repairs. Never race your car's engine especially during cold start-up. Accelerate slowly as you drive off. Wear to the engine happens in the first few minutes after start-up. Avoid driving at high speeds.

3. Warming the engine by letting it idle in the driveway is not a smart idea.The engine doesn't operate at its peak temperature, resulting in incomplete fuel combustion, soot deposits on cylinder walls, oil contamination, and ultimately damaged components besides wasting gas. Forty-five seconds to 1 minute of warming up is enough.

4. Do not bundle your car keys with keys to your front door, office or storeroom. The weight of your keychain can lead to ignition switch failure.

5. When caught in traffic jams or long waits at red lights, shift transmission to neutral. This will ease the strain on the gears as the engine is working to push the car forward.

6. Be kind to your tires, shocks and struts. Avoid potholes and objects on the road. Don't run over curbs or hit the tire against the curb when parking. And, of course, don't burn rubber.

7. When turning your steering wheel, don't hold it in an extreme right or left position for more than a few seconds. Doing so can damage the power-steering pump.

8. Buy gas at reputable service stations. Some "premium" gas has more than enough ethanol added. Not too good for the engine in the long run. Don't fill up if you see the tanker. As the station's underground tanks are being filled, the turbulence can stir up sediment. Sediment in your gas can clog fuel filters and fuel injectors, causing poor performance which could necessitate repairs.

9. When you're stuck in mud or snow, don't worsen the problem by damaging an expensive component.. Try rocking gently to free the car. But if it looks as though you're really stuck, don't keep at it. Throwing your car from forward to reverse repeatedly, as well as spinning tires at high speeds, can generate lots of heat and spell trouble for transmissions, clutches, and differentials. Calling a two truck would be a better idea and could save you a big repair bill later. It's a good idea to always carry a traction aid in the trunk, such as sand, gravel, or cat litter.

10. . Keep a log of when you fill up and the mileage you get until the next fill up. If you notice that your gas mileage worsens, mention it to your service man. It may be an early warning sign that something is wrong with your car.

11. Preserve your car during long-term storage. If you are not going to use your car for more than a month, store it properly to prevent unnecessary damage and repairs upon your return.
Fill the gas tank to help prevent condensation from accumulating in the gas tank. Add a fuel stabilizer and drive the car around a bit to distribute the additive to engine parts.
Wash and wax the car thoroughly to protect the finish.
Disengage the parking brake to help avoid brake corrosion.
Put the car on jack stands is a good idea as it could help take the weight of the vehicle off the wheels and tires.
Disconnect and remove the battery to keep it from draining.

12 . Where possible always park in the shade. Direct sunlight can cause interior damage. Use a car shade.
The hot summer sun that makes the inside of your car feel like a sauna also zaps fuel from your gas tank.

13. Each time you wash your car clean the inside too. Vacuum and sponge your interior. Dirt particles are abrasive, and spilled liquids, such as soda, can be corrosive. Clean dash gauges carefully. Use a soft damp cloth to lightly wipe dust from the clear plastic lenses on your dashboard.

14. Use floor mats to protect carpeting especially in the winter. The best type for controlling salt, slush, and mud in winter are rubber waffle style mats. They stay in place, don't allow the water to seep through, and are easy to wash clean. Carpet-style mats are helpful, too. Shake, vacuum, or wash as needed; replace them as they wear through.

15. Protect car paint from the sun. Besides making your car looks beautiful,. paint also protect the car against rusted body panels. The best way to protect the paint is to park the car in a garage. If that is not possible, park in the shade or buy a car cover.

13. Wax to protect your car's paint job. It's hard work but waxing will help keep your car looking new. Car wax preserves paint by slowing oxidation and forming a barrier against bird droppings, sap, and pollution. Plus driving a nice shiny car is just plain fun.

16. Touch up nicks and scratches sooner before rust has a chance to form.

17. Fix small windshield chips. If you have a rock chip, crack, or ding in your windshield bring your car to a windshield repair shop. For far less cost than replacing the windshield, they can fix chips and cracks.

18. Don't overload. Never exceed your car's roof load specifications or weight limits.You can find them in your vehicle owner's manual.

16. If you own a truck, secure loads to avoid dents and scratches. Cargo nets will help keep objects from banging around and damaging a truck bed.

19. Inspect wheel-well splash guards. These guards, however flimsy on many of today's cars, help keep water and winter's salty slush from splashing up into the engine compartment, where it can damage sensitive electrical components.

20. Wash in winter, too. All that sand, slush, and ice mixed with road salt is exactly what makes your car rust.

21. Keep the tire valve caps on. Those little caps keep out dirt and moisture that can cause leaks, so be sure to keep caps on all your tire valves. When you replace tires, remind the tire shop that you expect new valves with the tires.

22. Maintain proper inflation. Under-inflated tires are a tire salesman's best friend and your enemy. They create excessive heat and stress that can lead to tire failure. Check tires when they are cold (driven for less than one mile) for an accurate reading.

23. Check for uneven tire wear. If you've maintained tire inflation properly, uneven wear may indicate the need for a wheel realignment. It can also mean improperly operating brakes or shocks, a bent wheel, internal tire damage, or worn bushings.

24. Check tire tread for safety.

25. Rotate your tires. Rotating your tires helps to distribute tire wear evenly and ensures that you'll get the maximum road life out of them. Check you car's manual for specific rotation period and pattern.

26. Top off your brake fluid. Check brake fluid monthly. If you need fluid, add the type recommended by your car's maker.

27. Care for anti-lock brakes. An anti-lock brake system is sensitive to moisture, which can ruin the expensive ABS pump and rot the brake lines from the inside. Since brake fluid attracts moisture, it should be "bled" or purged at least every three years, or as specified in your owner's manual.

Check engine oil at every other fill-up. For an accurate reading, follow this procedure:
Run or drive your car for about 15 minutes to warm the oil; then park the car in a level place.Turn off the engine and wait 15 minutes to allow the oil in the engine to drain back to the oil pan.
Remove the dipstick and wipe it clean with a paper towel or rag. Reinsert the dipstick, being sure to push it in all the way, then pull it out again to check the oil level. It should be somewhere between the hash marks on the dipstick.
Add the type and amount of oil as specified in your owner's manual, if necessary.

28. Change oil frequently. To maximize the life of your engine, follow your car owner's manual recommendations. Use the right viscosity grade.

29. Change the oil filter at least at every oil change. There are several filters (the main ones are oil, fuel, transmission, and air) important to preserving your car engine.

30. Don't forget the PCV valve. The PCV (positive crankcase ventilation) valve is an emissions control device on older cars - check your service manual to see if your car has one and when to change it.

31. Change automatic transmission fluid and filter after the first 5,000 miles (8,000 km) and after every 25,000 miles (40,000 km) or two years thereafter, or as recommended in your owner's manual.

32. Spark plugs do need changing. The advent of electronic ignition and on-board computers has eliminated the need for regular tune-ups, but you still need to change your spark plugs. Check the spark plug manufacturer's recommendations. While you're at it, change your spark plug wires as well. Deteriorated wires can cause those high-tech new spark plugs to foul.

33. Check the hoses under your hood every month or two to avoid the hassle of a broken hose while you're on the road.

34. Check the tension and condition of your drive belt (or, with many cars, multiple belts) every month. Belts that are too tight can wear out the bearings in accessory components, such as AC compressor, water pump, and power-steering pump. Belts that are too loose will wear out faster and may fail prematurely.

35. Don't forget the timing belt. A failed timing belt can, depending on engine type, cause thousands of dollars worth of damage to your engine.

36. Clean your engine. A clean engine will make it much easier to tackle routine belt and hose checks, to spot leaks and to service components. Remember to protect sensitive engine components - including the air intake, distributor, and electrical parts - with plastic bags before getting started.

36. To keep your car's air-conditioning system fit for the next warm season, run it a few times throughout the winter. This will prevent moving parts in the compressor from seizing.

37. Check your battery regularly to extend its life and avoid the hassle of being stranded with a dead battery.

38. Check your radiator for leaks.

39. Check the coolant-antifreeze frequently. If low, fill to the maximum fill mark on the tank with a 50-50 solution of coolant-antifreeze and water. Some coolant manufacturers now sell premixed coolant and water for the motorist who wants a quick and easy way to top off.

40. Don't forget to flush. Coolant-antifreeze eventually degrades and becomes contaminated. Flush it from your cooling system as recommended in your manual.

41. Check the power-steering fluid once a month with the car warmed up. If the level is low, have the hoses and pump inspected for leaks. If low, fill with the powersteering fluid recommended by your owner's manual.

42. Schedule routine maintenance.