Caring For Your Car

As a car owner, when you get a new car you want it to last forever. Obviously cars are not meant to run forever, but you can extend the lifespan of your beloved vehicles by taking simple steps to maintain performance and longevity. Here are a few suggestions in terms of caring for your car:

Regular Checks:

This may seem obvious to some people, but get to know your car really well and make sure nothing is out of the norm. Once you begin to become familiar with how your car should look and run, you will notice anything wrong with it immediately. So start paying close attention to things like:

• Damage to the body of your car
• Fluids that may be leaking from under your car
• Warning lights on the dashboard

Keeping track of these types of things can help you solve the problem before it becomes more costly and more difficult to fix. As soon as you notice a discrepancy with your car's performance, you should get it fixed immediately.

Under The Hood:

Sometimes we take how well our cars run for granted, and we do not realize that they are complex machines that have a lot of moving parts. If any of these moving parts begins to malfunction, it can compromise the performance of your car. Here are some things you'll want to take an extra close look at under the hood:

• Engine oil level and cleanliness
• Coolant level
• Brake and power steering levels
• Transmission fluids
• Belts

Basic Maintenance:

Most car owners know that it is important to change your brakes and oil every so often, but they are usually unfamiliar with when they should schedule such maintenance. The oil should be changed every 2,000-3,000 miles, and the brakes should be changed before the brake pad becomes bare. You should also switch out your oil filter every 5,000 miles. Other parts that should be monitored and maintained are:

• Air filter
• Headlights, turn signals, brake lights
• Spark plugs and cables
• Engine timing belt
• Windshield wipers

If you treat your car with the respect that it deserves, it will last you a very long time (depending on which brand you buy). A car is a big investment, so maintaining it and making sure everything is all right with it should be a no-brainer.