General Car Maintenance Tips

The vehicles being sold today are based on the evolution from over a century of progress. Through that time, cars and trucks have been radically designed for greater performance as well as reliability. Accomplishing new heights in automotive machinery, auto manufacturers and mechanics will quickly remind motorists modern vehicles need detailed maintenance.

Requiring motorists to adhere to a car care schedule, standard maintenance is too often neglected. The investment of a little time and a few hundred dollars in regular vehicle maintenance prevents spending even more money at an inconvenient time.

Checking tire pressures is a simple maintenance task which could noticeably impact a vehicle performance. Tire pressures react very sensitively to temperature changes and will even loss pressure As well as hurting fuel mileage, improper tire pressures will severely reduce the lifespan of the tire tread.

The motor oil inside a car's engine receiving the most punishment of any fluid as it provides protection to parts moving at several thousand rpm. With oil changes due around every three months, checking oil through the dipstick will determine whether fluid levels are best protecting the engine.

Along with maintaining the physical operation of a vehicle, the vehicle's aesthetic value deserves careful consideration. Washing the exterior of a car cleanses away dirt and winter road salts which will provoke the formation of rust. There more than enough products on the market for washing automobiles.

Motor oil protection degrades over a short time making it important to replace the fluid regularly. Oil changes in every three month or 3,000 mile intervals has been absorbed as a firm rule for engines running on conventional petroleum-based motor oil. Some automakers are now debunking this oil change ritual by indicating extended intervals. Toyota has now set oil change periods at every six months or 5,000 miles. As well, new General Motors vehicles adopt an electronic measurement solution warning precisely when the engine oil needs draining. Finally, synthetic motor oil is an alternative for increasing oil change intervals as well as vehicle performance.

Also at this term, the monthly car washing should include waxing the body panels. Car wax provides a protective coating to guard a vehicle's finish against sun and moisture.

While a tire rotation should be involved with all vehicles, two-wheel drive configurations require rotations the most. The purpose is to insure even tire wear which improves tire longevity. With different tire rotation patterns, refer to the owner's manual to get the precious instructions before swapping wheels.

At this distance a battery inspection is also performed. While the battery itself can operate for 3-7 years, attention must be paid to the voltage and the electrical connections.

A generation ago, the engine tune up was a very different job for a mechanic as valve timing and the carburetor balance needed to be properly recalibrated. That adjustment and the traditional notion of tune ups are largely obsolete for modern cars thanks to overhead camshaft and variably valve-timed engines. The modern tune up is a heavily comprehensive inspection of engine-related issues. Hoses, belts, brakes, and some ignition components are checked for wear and may be replaced if necessary.

During a modern vehicle's first engine tune up service, the only items that need to be changed is the engine coolant and air filter as well as the fuel filter. Though standard spark plugs are also replaced, a more premium variety of platinum-tipped spark plugs can endure several tune ups without swapping.

Familiar with the details to car maintenance, many vehicle owners realize complete comfort once locating a reliable, professional auto mechanic to perform the messier tasks. On the other hand, automotive maintenance is the perfect opportunity for the do-it yourself mechanic to emerge.