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eTyres care about our customers. The
following article may be of interest.
How To Save Money By Properly Maintaining
Your Car
by Dr. Drew Henry
Did you know that you can substantially save a lot of
money simply by doing a quick 10-20 minute checkup on
your car each week? In this article, I will give you the
information you need properly maintain your car and
saving money that would otherwise be spent on expensive
repairs.
My first advice to you is that you need to read and
understand your Owner's Manual for each car that you
own. Next, follow the tips below and inspect your car on
a weekly basis (should take no more than 10-20 minutes).
- If you can get someone to help you just for minute or
two then get them to watch your lights and turn signals
to make sure they are all working properly.
- Look at your tires and make sure that they look good
without cracks or cuts. You need also to check the air
pressure in each tire with a gauge. The tire will have a
psi pressure on it and it will also be printed in your
manual. Tire pressure is very important to the control
of the vehicle.
- Look at your belts and hoses for cracks and tears and
replace as needed. Also check your hoses for any leaks.
- Check the oil in your engine with the vehicle "not
running". Pull out the stick and wipe it off then
replace the stick in the engine and then pull it out
again and check the level. Add proper oil if needed and
be sure to change your oil and filter every 3000 miles.
- Look under your car and look for any fluid leaks.
Fluid leaks are the most common failure of vehicles. The
vehicle needs all of its fluids and when it leaks the
leaking part can fail at great expense.
- Check your battery. Your battery will have two flat
covers on the top. Pull each cover off and check to make
sure there is enough water in each cell. Put distilled
water in batteries. Also check the connections and if
they are corroded you will need to take them off and
clean them with a wire brush.
- Check your brakes. The brake master cylinder is
normally mounted on the fire wall just on front of the
driver. It has a flat cap on it and it just pops off.
Make sure that your brake fluid is kept full and if you
keep having to add fluid you need to check for a leak in
the brake system. This is very important as a brake
failure can get you killed.
- Check your power steering. The power steering unit
will be located on the front of the engine and it
normally has a screw on cap that has a short stick gauge
attached to it. The power steering unit is a closed
system and you want to be very careful not to over fill
the unit. If you have a power steering failure the
vehicle will be hard to steer and control.
- If you vehicle has a transmission stick pull it out
and wipe it off. Replace it in the transmission and then
pull it out and check the level and condition. The fluid
should be red in color and full on the stick. You should
have your transmission filter and fluid changed about
every 30,000 miles unless you live in a very hot or very
cold climate. If you live in a harsh climate you need to
change your fluid and filter at least once a year.
Note that you should be careful to keep your hands and
any foreign objects away from the fan and the belts
while the engine is running. It is best to have a
professional car technician help you out if you are
doing this for the first time.
By following the above tips and advice, you can quickly
and easily inspect your car each week and save a lot of
money by having a longer-lasting, more durable car!
About the Author
Dr. Drew Henry maintains a network of auto-related
sites, including Auto Transport Secrets, Car Lease
Secrets and Car Accident Online. Visit his sites today. |
