Learn basic car maintenance

It’s amazing how many people are taken for a ride (ha ha) just by taking their car for a basic service. Many people think too much about the modern technology in their car and believe everything the repair shop tells them. Modern cars actually require a lot less maintenance, although the basic concept is the same.

With all this power and convenience, most people forget or never knew that it is the same basic internal combustion engine that was used over a hundred years ago. And electric and hybrid cars require even less maintenance than conventional cars! Learning basic vehicle maintenance can save you thousands of dollars over time and minimize potential breakdowns.

The three thousand mile oil change is a thing of the past. If you’re still changing the oil in your car every three thousand miles, you’re wasting your money. You need to know what type of oil your car requires and the capacity. You need to know where the oil filter is located. Cheap oil filters will damage your car over time because they can take up to nine seconds longer to achieve full flow when starting. If you use one of those quick lube shops, make sure you know what type of oil they will use to fill the crankcase. Be sure to check the level on the dipstick before you leave the shop. Earlier I mentioned that you need to know where the oil filter is located, here’s why, some shops won’t change the filter but will charge you for one, if you check the old one before you take the car in for repairs you can verify that it has been replaced. Most of these stores lose money on the $29.99 oil change. A good quart of oil will run you about five bucks, so if your car requires five, that’s twenty-five bucks, add the oil filter and you’ll be over the thirty-dollar mark.

Now pay close attention. This is where you need to stay on top of your car’s maintenance schedule. The $29.99 oil change is a lure, it’s to lure you in and then charge you double or triple for a filter or a drive belt or some other regular maintenance item that wasn’t kept up. We’re not trying to make everyone a weekend mechanic, we just want car owners to read the owner’s manual so they have an idea of ​​what maintenance should be done at the recommended mileage intervals. With that being said, can you tell me if it makes sense to take your new car in for fifteen thousand mile service and be charged $400 to $600? What did they do to a car with only fifteen thousand miles besides changing the oil?

You need to know what maintenance items to accept and what to refuse and still be sure your car is in peak operating condition. A great benefit of learning how to properly maintain your car is also learning how to diagnose potential repair problems.

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