A Checklist for Used Car Maintenance No matter if you are interested in purchasing a used car or your current vehicle is a bit long in the tooth, one thing never changes: you need to know what a proper maintenance schedule looks like. After all, you want your car to last as long as possible. With the right maintenance plan, the chance of your car lasting several hundred thousand miles is much greater.
What Now?Now that you know the importance of used car maintenance, you have to learn more about the finer details. Here are five points that resonate closely with the advice from Parkers, a highly respected UK-based authority car valuations that you cannot afford to overlook. Follow the oil change schedule as suggested by the manufacturer. If the car company says to change the oil and filter every 3,000 miles, change the oil and filter every 3,000 miles. You may be tempted to avoid this, looking for a way to save money here and there, but this is a big mistake. The oil is the lifeblood of your vehicle.
Mobil shares some information on why this is crucial to the maintenance of your vehicle.
1.Keep your tires properly inflated. This goes a long way in ensuring the well being of your vehicle, along with the well being of you, the driver, and your passengers. Tires that are under or over inflated are going to wear more quickly. Additionally, this is a safety hazard on a number of different levels. For example, too much air in the tires can cause the rubber to lose contact with the road.
2. Tyre rotation. How often are you rotating your tires? If you cannot answer this question, something is wrong. As a general rule of thumb, you should rotate your tires every 7,500 miles. Doing so will ensure that each one wears evenly, helping you get as much life out of them as possible.
3. Replace the spark plugs. There used to be a time when you needed to do this every 30,000 miles or so. While newer cars typically allow you to drive 100,000 miles between changes, consult the owner’s manual for more information.
4. Flush the coolant system every one to two years. This is one of the most overlooked details of used car maintenance. Why would I need to do this, you may ask? Well, this is the system that keeps your engine cool. If you take a risk here, your engine could fry and your entire car will be useless. Is that a risk you are willing to take?
Find the Right Mechanic
With all this in mind, you are probably feeling better about caring for your car. However, regular maintenance may not be something you want to do on your own. By finding a mechanic you can trust, you will know your car is always in good hands. Anytime you have a question or realise that your vehicle is “not right,” you can schedule an appointment for your mechanic to take a look. If nothing else, stay current with the five maintenance details listed above. You will be glad that you did.
