Every 2 weeks or 3,000 miles:
1. Check engine oil, transmission fluid and coolant.
Once a month or 1,000 miles:
2. Check tire pressure - with tire gauge.
3. Check transmission fluid.
4. Check brake fluid.
5. Wax car (to protect finish).
6. Check belts and hoses.
Every 3 months or 3,000 miles:
7. Change oil and oil filter (every 6 months or 3,000 miles).
8. Lubricate chassis.
9. Check transmission fluid.
10. Check all drive belts (fan belts) frayed or cracked belts.
Every 6 months or 6,000 miles:
11. Change oil and filter (every 6 months or 3,000 miles).
12. Inspect suspension.
13. Rotate tires.
Every 12 months or 12,000 miles:
14. Flush radiator, replace
anti-freeze, check air conditioning
system.
15. Replace air filters.
16. Lubricate chassis.
Every 2 years or 24,000 miles.
17. Replace spark plugs (30,000
miles average suggested for
unleaded gas) and PC valve.
18. Change automatic transmission fluid, filter and pan gasket.
19. Inspect brake linings.
Every 3 years or 30,000 miles:
20. Check and test ignition wires (replace if needed).
21. Test cooling system and heating hoses (replace if needed).
22. Check drive belts (replace if needed).
23. Replace fluid in differential and manual transmission.
Every 50,000 miles.
24. Check brake shoes (replace if needed)
25. If you have a major repair
to do, it's wise to get at least
3 estimates, if possible, before you decide.
26. Read and follow your car
owner's manual - it's your car's
bible for making your car last longer.
27. Whether you are a man, woman,
boy or girl, learn to do some
routine maintenance on your car yourself. A multitude
of books,
videos, magazines and classes are available at
your local
library that will teach you for free if you don't
know. Learn
how to check your own oil, transmission fluid,
tire pressure and
coolant, etc.
28. If you find a good mechanic
who you can trust, stick with him
even if his prices are a bit higher - all things
being equal.
You'll always save time, money and aggravation
in the long run.
29. Don't race or gun your engine
when you start it up.
Accelerate slowly and smoothly when your engine
is cold.
30. Avoid burning rubber - it
places excessive wear on the
transmission, rear end, not to mention your tires.
31. An international tire company
estimated that 33% of all tires
on the road are under-inflated (low air). Under-inflated
tires
wear out quicker and have a tendency to blow
out easier.
32. A garaged car lasts longer.
A car port is next best, and a
car cover is a distant third.
33. Avoid jackrabbit starts
and stops. Stop and accelerate
gradually.
34. Avoid tailgating, tire squealing
turns, flying over speed
bumps, pot holes and revving your engine.
35. When possible, avoid driving
your car during rush hour stop
and go traffic periods.
36. Keep front-end aligned,
for longer tire life and better gas
mileage.
37. Make sure you get promised
repairs in writing including how
much it will cost.
38. Avoid car dealers except
to have highly specialized repairs
done that can't be done properly anywhere else.
39. It's hard to be overcharged
when you get three estimates
before you have the work done.
40. Beware: Cheapest is not
always the best. Normally, the best
mechanics with the best equipment and training
cost more.
41. Often mechanics that charge
extremely low prices have
inferior
or out-dated equipment, little to no formal training
or are
under-insured.
42. Complex electrical problems
are so involved that serious
electrical work should be done in an "Auto Electric"
shop. They
have the equipment, tool and training to do the
job more
efficiently than the average mechanic.
43. If your car has "Cruise
Control" use it. Using cruise
control
will save you 5% to 10% of a gallon of gas on
long trips.
44. Avoid constantly pressing
and releasing the accelerator when
driving. This practise not only wastes fuel,
but it puts
excessive wear on the drive train of your car.
45. Don't ride your brake pedal,
this wears out your brake
linings
pre-maturely, and wastes fuel.
46. Driving with your windows
all the way down at higher speeds,
will waste 10% more gallons of gasoline than
driving with them
closed.
47. Research by a major car
manufacturer has revealed that
neglect
of proper routine maintenance is the number one
reason for the
enormous increase in car repairs being required.
48. Tires purchased at department
stores such as Sears,
Montgomery
Wards, K-Mart etc., can be an excellent value
because many are
made by leading tire manufacturers. For a list
of what
manufacturer makes which tires for what department
store, write
to: Tire Information Center, P.O. Box 677, Syosset,
NY 11791
49. When purchasing or changing
tires, make sure you have them
spin balanced.
50. Avoid cleaning your windshield
with a dry rag or towel.
Always
dampen with water or some other cleaning liquid.
Dry towels
grind and scratch your windshield hindering your
visibility.
51. Avoid turning on the car
air-conditioning while running at
highway speeds as this tends to put an immediate
heavy load on
your compressor and clutch. This could cause
excessive wear and
tear on these components. Instead turn your air
conditioner on
at car speeds below 25 to 30 m.p.h. This helps
to preserve your
expensive compressor.
52. Try to avoid running your
car with the tank low on gas.
Keeping
a low tank of gas increases the chance of dirt,
water/moisture
and rust forming in your fuel system. Keeping
a full tank
decreases the chance of dirt and other foreign
matter forming in
your fuel system.
53. Tires driven at 70 m.p.h.
wear out almost twice as fast as
cars
that go 50 m.p.h.
54. A government study has confirmed,
the top three causes of car
breakdowns while on the road are: (a) running
out of gas (b)
tire troubles (c) cooling system problems (overheating)
55. The best as well as the
easiest ways to find a good car
repair
shop is by recommendation or referrals from satisfied
customers.
56. To work on a late model
computer-controlled engines, make
sure
the shop you choose has the equipment to handlecomputer-electric
service/repair. Sophisticated diagnostic equipment
is a must.
57. To choose the right repair
shop for you, it's wise to have a
small or minor maintenance or repair job done
first to see how
the repair shop and mechanic treat you and your
car.
58. Give detailed description
of your car's problem when you take
it in for repairs. The more you can describe
what your car is
doing or not doing (thumping, squealing, clacking
sound, etc.)
the faster and less it will cost for your mechanic
to fix it.
59. When in doubt about the
cost of a repair or a mechanic's
honesty get a second opinion. This is one of
the best ways to
protect yourself from being ripped-off until
you can find a
permanent repair shop.
60. Regular oil changes are
the most important thing you can do
to protect your engine and make it last longer.
61. If you have a manual transmission,
downshift to slow your car
down instead of using your brakes. This will
save wear and tear
on your braking system.
62. Each time you have your
engine oil checked, have your
transmission fluid checked also.
63. Protect your car's interior
and make it last longer - park
your car in the shade or place a windshield guard
or cover in
the windshield.
64. If you spill something inside
your car, clean it up
immediately before it dries. Delaying even 30
minutes can
sometimes leave a permanent stain or spot. NOTE:
To better
protect your car seats have them treated with
scotchguard.
NOTE: According to current auto
insurance statistics, the
average U.S. car's useful life is 10 years or
100,000 miles. By
following proper preventative maintenance you
can often double
your car's useful life, and spend less time visiting
your local
mechanic.