Tips To Extending Your Car’s Life

Coddle Your Car

Many motorists realize that the convenience, and privilege of owning a car, is balanced by the financial responsibility of maintaining one. With national and local economies still in recovery mode, many car owners have opted to keep their old cars on the road for as long as possible. Regular and timely maintenance can help any motorist get the maximum amount of mileage from their vehicle before having to purchase a new one. Most safety checks are simple enough so that they can be performed by motorists without any automotive repair expertise.

The fluid levels in your car’s engine should be regularly checked. This includes brake fluid, power steering fluid, windshield wiper fluid, anti-freeze, transmission fluid, and motor oil. Low brake fluid can drastically reduce the life of your vehicle’s brakes. Low motor oil acts as a coolant, and lubricant for your engine. Allowing the oil level to get too low can increase stress on your engine, and can minimize overall performance. If levels of any of the fluids in your engine are low, chances are, your vehicle has a leak, or there are other mechanical issues that need to be attended to. Regular fluid level checks ensure that you spot these issues while they are still minor ones, and before they burn a hole in your pocketbook.

Belt and hose deficiencies can often be recognized by the naked, untrained eye. A belt in poor condition will appear frayed and cracked. Likewise, a hose in poor condition can appear brittle, have bulges, and should not be too soft or too hard to the touch. Regular checks of your car’s belts and hoses can help ensure that a mechanical issue is caught early before leaving you stranded on the side of the road. Your vehicle’s owner’s manual should recommend the mileage marks to replace the belts, and hoses required for your engine.

The tires on your car should be properly inflated to aid in decreasing wear and tear on the engine, and to simultaneously increase your fuel economy. The owner’s manual for your car will indicate recommended tire pressure inflation. Some vehicles even have this information printed in the door jam of your car. A trip to a local gas station’s air hose machines should enable you to check your tire’s current pressure, and to add or remove air as needed.

Though regular maintenance can help reduce instances of catastrophic engine failure, it cannot completely eliminate unforeseen breakdowns. When those unforeseen mechanical failures do occur, auto warranties can be a great way to hedge against the high cost of completing the necessary repairs. Think auto warranties are only for new car purchases? Think again. After market extended warranty plans can be purchased to cover used cars. Before buying your auto warranty policy, check into the company offering the policy, and read the fine print that explains the policy details. No consumer wants to be in the uncomfortable position to have to pay for an expensive repair out of pocket, while thinking that it was a covered repair.

When you are ready to make a new car purchase, an auto warranty is a recommended supplemental purchase. The average car in the United States costs about $28,000 according to the National Automobile Dealers Association. Auto warranties are a great way to protect such a valuable investment, and will help ensure that your car continues to run like new, long after driving it off the lot. As with extended warranties, before adding the auto warranty to your new car purchase price, be certain to read the fine print. As a consumer, you have the right to fully understand the terms and conditions of your warranty purchase.

 

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Many motorists realize that the convenience, and privilege of owning a car, is balanced by the financial responsibility of maintaining one. With national and local economies still in recovery mode, many car owners have opted to keep their old cars on the road for as long as possible. Regular and timely maintenance can help any motorist get the maximum amount of mileage from their vehicle before having to purchase a new one. Most safety checks are simple enough so that they can be performed by motorists without any automotive repair expertise. The fluid levels in your car’s engine should be regularly checked. This includes brake fluid, power steering fluid, windshield wiper fluid, anti-freeze, transmission fluid, and motor oil. Low brake fluid can drastically reduce the life of your vehicle’s brakes. Low motor oil acts as a coolant, and lubricant for your engine. Allowing the oil level to get too low can increase stress on your engine, and can minimize overall performance. If levels of any of the fluids in your engine are low, chances are, your vehicle has a leak, or there are other mechanical issues that need to be attended to. Regular fluid level checks ensure that you spot these issues while they are still minor ones, and before they burn a hole in your pocketbook. Belt and hose deficiencies can often be recognized by the naked, untrained eye. A belt in poor condition will appear frayed and cracked. Likewise, a hose in poor condition can appear brittle, have bulges, and should not be too soft or too hard to the touch. Regular checks of your car’s belts and hoses can help ensure that a mechanical issue is caught early before leaving you stranded on the side of the road. Your vehicle’s owner’s manual should recommend the mileage marks to replace the belts, and hoses required for your engine. The tires on your car should be properly inflated to aid in decreasing wear and tear on the engine, and to simultaneously increase your fuel economy. The owner’s manual for your car will indicate recommended tire pressure inflation. Some vehicles even have this information printed in the door jam of your car. A trip to a local gas station’s air hose machines should enable you to check your tire’s current pressure, and to add or remove air as needed. Though regular maintenance can help reduce instances of catastrophic engine failure, it cannot completely eliminate unforeseen breakdowns. When those unforeseen mechanical failures do occur, auto warranties can be a great way to hedge against the high cost of completing the necessary repairs. Think auto warranties are only for new car purchases? Think again. After market extended warranty plans can be purchased to cover used cars. Before buying your auto warranty policy, check into the company offering the policy, and read the fine print that explains the policy details. No consumer wants to be in the uncomfortable position to have to pay for an expensive repair out of pocket, while thinking that it was a covered repair. When you are ready to make a new car purchase, an auto warranty is a recommended supplemental purchase. The average car in the United States costs about $28,000 according to the National Automobile Dealers Association. Auto warranties are a great way to protect such a valuable investment, and will help ensure that your car continues to run like new, long after driving it off the lot. As with extended warranties, before adding the auto warranty to your new car purchase price, be certain to read the fine print. As a consumer, you have the right to fully understand the terms and conditions of your warranty purchase.