The Importance of Car Maintenance
Harvard Health Watch has found that the average person spends 101 minutes a day driving. Given the amount of time in the car, it is crucial that your vehicle runs optimally. One way to do this is to ensure you perform regular maintenance checks on your vehicle. Here are three car maintenance items that you should ensure are performed regularly as part of your car maintenance program.
OIL CHANGES
Oil changes are one car maintenance item that you will perform most frequently over the lifetime of your vehicle. Please review the owner’s manual regarding recommended mileage intervals for an oil change. These may vary based on factors including the type of oil used and your routine driving conditions. Neglecting to get regular oil changes can result in the failure of your car’s engine.
FILTER CHANGES (AIR AND OIL)
Oil Filters
An oil filter keeps impurities from contaminating your engine oil. Without this filter, things such as dirt and other items abrasive to the car’s engine can affect the engine bearings, resulting in low oil pressure and larger engine problems. Experts recommend changing your oil filter at every other oil change.
Air Filters
Anything from tree leaves to rocks and other debris that gets kicked up off the road can get into your engine. A clean air filter prevents this from happening. Allowing your air filter to get too dirty can drastically affect the performance of the engine and in extreme cases prevent the engine from running. Your engine needs air so that the combustion process may run efficiently.
Many manufacturers recommend a change between 30,000 and 45,000 miles.
TIRE ROTATION AND REPLACEMENT
Tire Rotation
The rotation of tires is the exchange of your front and rear tires. Experts maintain that by rotating your tires, they will wear more evenly. Some manufacturers recommend that you have your tires rotated at each oil change, but it really depends on how many miles you drive on an annual basis. It is also recommended that the air pressure of tires be checked at least monthly as part of your car maintenance routine.
Rotating your tires in routinely in car maintenance can extend their lives as they wear more evenly.
Tire Replacement
The timing of when you should replace your tires is mostly dependent on the composition of the tires and their usage.
Driving on tires that have worn tread can be deadly. Tires without the appropriate grooving cannot appropriately displace water. This can result in difficulty stopping the car or complete loss of control.
Now you can see the importance of regular car maintenance. If your budget is an issue, there are numerous resources that will show you how you to perform these car maintenance tasks on your own. After all, if you’re going to spend 37,935 hours in your car during your lifetime, you want to get there as safely as possible. Bottom line: When in doubt, review your owner’s manual for guidance on your car maintenance program.