Maintenance Tips That Will Extend the Life of Your Car
No matter how old your car is, performing regular maintenance is essential to preserving its longevity. Regular car maintenance that includes oil changes and tire rotations are an essential part of keeping your vehicle in excellent running condition. However, you must perform other regular maintenance in order to keep your vehicle running well. Make sure you do the following no matter the age of your vehicle.
Follow Recommended Maintenance
Every vehicle, whether it is new or used, comes with a manual that includes a recommended maintenance schedule. Even if you buy a pre-owned vehicle and have not received an owner's manual at the time of the sale, you can still obtain one through the manufacturer's website.
Reading your vehicle's owner's manual will give you an indication of what the manufacturer recommends in terms of maintenance at markers such as 30,000, 60,000, 90,000, 120,000 miles and even more. Following the recommended maintenance schedule will indicate when you should replace the fluids of your car, from transmission, brake and steering fluids to antifreeze and oil.
Think of the manufacturer's recommended maintenance schedule as a medical checkup for your car. As your vehicle ages, more things can wear out and break down, just as with people. Many of the tasks are simply thorough preventive maintenance, such as inspecting the condition of belts and hoses for cracks and wear or looking at the state of the suspension to ensure that all connections are tight. Spark plugs will eventually need replacement too. Just when depends on the type of vehicle you have and how hard you drive it.
In fact, most manufacturers have a regular and severe maintenance schedule. The latter will address problems your car may develop from heavy usage or adverse conditions such as daily stop-and-go driving, dusty, salty and rough environments, operating in extreme heat or cold, etc. Car maintenance recommendations for severe usage will generally be more frequent and more thorough. Contact us if you have questions about your vehicle’s maintenance schedule.
Don't Forget the Small Stuff
Routine maintenance is just as important as manufacturer's recommended maintenance. By this, we mean frequent oil changes and tire rotations. The old rule of thumb recommending to change the oil every 3,000 miles and rotate tires every 5,000 miles isn't necessarily true these days. Some advanced engine oils only need replacement after every 10,000 miles. Likewise, today's tires often don't wear as quickly. However, neglecting these tasks too long can damage your car. Oil breaks down and becomes dirty causing more wear on your engine. Not rotating your tires causes uneven wear, which can damage your vehicle's alignment. Talk to our Service Bay to work out a good car maintenance schedule with us.
Take Care of Safety
Make sure that a technician inspects your brakes every time you take your car in for oil changes and tire rotations in our Service Bay. The technician should note how much is left on your front and rear brake pads and when you should start thinking about service. Never ignore squeals, growls and other sounds coming from your brakes. These are signs that your brakes need attention. The same goes for an illuminated brake light, which could indicate that the pads are wearing dangerously thin or brake fluid is low. Either situation could result in brake failure.
Check with Us
If you want to follow a do it yourself model with your car, then follow the instructions above and use your vehicle’s manual as a guide. However, no matter how much of a DIY expert you might be, it is often good to get your car looked at by a second set of professional eyes. Hardy Superstore is here for you! Contact us 770-445-9411 or come see us in Dallas, GA. and we’ll work out a servicing plan with you that will keep costs under control and your car running well.