subject: Preventive Maintenance Protects Your Car From Trouble Down The Road [print this page] When it comes to taking care of our cars, it is important to know the difference between these terms: "maintenance" and "repairs." Maintenance is, of course, a preventive measure, relatively inexpensive, and recommended by all car manufacturers. Repairs are, more often than not, what our cars will inevitably need if we are not conscientious about maintenance. All car manufacturers recommend preventive maintenance to keep our cars in proper, operating condition. And as every auto repair shop will advise you, this can save you time, money and hassle in the future by preventing some big, costly problems.
Think of preventive maintenance for your vehicle like you would think about, say, eating right, getting plenty of physical exercise, and taking your vitamins. These are the things we all do to keep our bodies healthy and to help prevent bigger issues down the road, and just like our bodies, our vehicles have to be treated with care in order to live long healthy lives. The difficulties your car can encounter if you don't do routine maintenance will vary wildly between decrease in fuel efficiency to overheating to total engine failure.
The ideal guide for what your specific auto requires is that little book that you store in the glove compartment, referred to as the Owner's Manual. In fact, it's a great idea to take the manual inside the house and read it from cover to cover - you can't predict what you might learn.
Whether you perform the maintenance yourself, or take your car into your local repair shop to have it done by the professionals, getting you car looked after will give you peace of mind when it's needed. Your vehicle will be safer, will perform better, and you will save money in the long run.
Some of the most common forms of preventative maintenance include:
Changing motor oil
Changing the filter
Refilling windshield wiper fluid
Replacing the air filter
Checking/replacing the fuel filter
Rotate and align the tires
Checking the brakes
When should these be done? This will depend on your car manufacturer's recommendations. Once again, take that manual out of the glove box and give it a thorough, cover-to-cover read. Some things (like changing the oil) can be fun and easy to do by yourself, and the manual will even show you how. However, there are several items like radiator flush and fills that are best left to the pros.
