Mechanic reveals ways to make your car last longer
Every 2 weeks or 3,000 miles check engine oil, transmissionfluid and coolant. Once a month or 1,000 miles check tire pressure - with tiregauge. Check transmission fluid and brake fluid. Wax car toprotect finish and a smooth finish will reduce the wind dragincreasing your fuel economy. Check belts and hoses forexcessive wear. Every 3 months or 3,000 miles Change oil and oil filter or every6 months or 3,000 miles depending on your driving habits. Youwill also want to lubricate the chassis check transmission fluidand check all drive belts (fan belts) replace frayed or crackedbelts. Every 6 months or 6,000 miles inspect suspension, rotate andinspect tires. Every 12 months or 12,000 miles flush radiator, replaceanti-freeze, check air conditioning system. Replace air filtersand lubricate chassis. Every 2 years or 24,000 miles replace spark plugs (30,000 milesaverage suggested for unleaded gas) and PCV valve. Changeautomatic transmission fluid, filter and pan gasket. You shouldalso inspect brake linings at this time. Every 3 years or 30,000 miles check and test ignition wires,test cooling system, heating hoses and drive belts, check brakeshoes. (replace if needed) Replace fluid in differential and manual transmission. (Every50,000 miles) If you have a major repair to do, it's wise to get at least 3estimates, if possible, before you decide. It's hard to beovercharged when you get three estimates before you have thework done. Make sure you get promised repairs in writingincluding how much it will cost. Read and follow your car owner's manual - it's your car's biblefor making your car last longer. Whether you are a man, woman, boy or girl; you should learn todo some routine maintenance on your car yourself. A multitude ofbooks, videos, magazines and classes are available at your locallibrary that will teach you for free if you don't know. Learnhow to check your own oil, transmission fluid, tire pressure andcoolant, etc. If you find a good mechanic who you can trust, stick with himeven if his prices are a bit higher - all things being equal.You'll always save time, money and aggravation in the long run.Beware: Cheapest is not always the best. Normally, the bestmechanics with the best equipment and training cost more. Oftenmechanics that charge extremely low prices have inferior orout-dated equipment, little to no formal training or areunder-insured. Complex electrical problems are so involved that seriouselectrical work should be done in an "Auto Electric" shop. Theyhave the equipment, tool and training to do the job moreefficiently than the average mechanic. Avoid car dealers except to have highly specialized repairs donethat can't be done properly anywhere else. The best as well as the easiest ways to find a good car repairshop is by recommendation or referrals from satisfied customers. To have work done on late model computer-controlled engines,make sure the shop you choose has the equipment to handlecomputer-electric service/repair. Sophisticated diagnosticequipment is a must. To choose the right repair shop for you, it's wise to have asmall or minor maintenance or repair job done first to see howthe repair shop and mechanic treat you and your car. You should give detailed description of your car's problem whenyou take it in for repairs. The more you can describe what yourcar is doing or not doing (thumping, squealing, clacking sound,etc.) the faster and less it will cost for your mechanic to fixit. When in doubt about the cost of a repair or a mechanic's honestyget a second opinion. This is one of the best ways to protectyourself from being ripped-off until you can find a permanentrepair shop. Don't race or gun your engine when you start it up. Accelerateslowly and smoothly when your engine is cold,Stop and accelerate gradually avoiding jackrabbit starts andstops. Avoid burning rubber it places excessive wear on thetransmission and rear end, not to mention your tires. An international tire company estimated that 33% of all tires onthe road are under-inflated (low air). Under-inflated tires wearout quicker and have a tendency to blow out easier. Keepfront-end aligned, for longer tire life and better gas mileage.Tires driven at 70 mph. wear out almost twice as fast as thosedriven 50 mph. Avoid tailgating, tire squealing turns, flying over speed bumps,pot holes and revving your engine. When possible, avoid driving your car during rush hour stop andgo traffic periods. If your car has "Cruise Control" use it. Using cruise controlwill save you 5% to 10% of a gallon of gas on long trips. Avoid constantly pressing and releasing the accelerator whendriving. This practice not only wastes fuel, but it putsexcessive wear on the drive train of your car. Don't ride your brake pedal, this wears out your brake liningspre-maturely, and wastes fuel. Driving with your windows all the way down at higher speeds,will waste 10% more gallons of gasoline than driving with themclosed. Research by a major car manufacturer has revealed thatneglect of proper routine maintenance is the number one reasonfor the enormous increase in car repairs being required. Tires purchased at department stores such as Sears, MontgomeryWards, K-Mart etc., can be an excellent value because many aremade by leading tire manufacturers. When purchasing or changingtires, make sure you have them spin balanced. For a list of whatmanufacturer makes which tires for what department store, writeto: Tire Information Centre, P.O. Box 677, Syosset, NY 11791 Avoid cleaning your windshield with a dry rag or towel. Alwaysdampen with water or some other cleaning liquid. Dry towelsgrind and scratch your windshield hindering your visibility. Avoid turning on the car air-conditioning while running athighway speeds as this tends to put an immediate heavy load onyour compressor and clutch. This could cause excessive wear andtear on these components. Instead turn your air conditioner onat car speeds below 25 to 30 mph. This helps to preserve yourexpensive compressor. Try to avoid running your car with the tank low on gas. Keepinga low tank of gas increases the chance of dirt, water/moistureand rust forming in your fuel system. Keeping a full tankdecreases the chance of dirt and other foreign matter forming inyour fuel system. Regular oil changes are the most important thing you can do toprotect your engine and make it last longer. Each time you haveyour engine oil checked; have your transmission fluid checkedalso. If you have a manual transmission it is better to down shift toslow your car down instead of using your brakes. This will savewear and tear on your braking system. A garaged car lasts longer. A car port is next best, and a carcover is a distant third. Protect your car's interior and makeit last longer - park your car in the shade or place awindshield guard or cover in the windshield. If you spillsomething inside your car, clean it up immediately before itdries. Delaying even 30 minutes can sometimes leave a permanentstain or spot. To better protect your car seats have themtreated with scotch guard. NOTE: According to current auto insurance statistics, theaverage U.S. car's useful life is 10 years or 100,000 miles. Byfollowing proper preventative maintenance you can often doubleyour car's useful life, and spend less
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