Three Car Maintenance Steps You Probably Don’t Take

If you’re like me, you probably know very little about exactly how a car operates, what all the pieces are for, things you should be doing for routine maintenance, that sort of mechanical stuff. I’d also guess if you’re like me, you probably have a mechanic or relative do routine maintenance, oil changes, tires, all that fun stuff. While it’s perfectly fine to do that and help others by paying them for labor, there are still a few things you should be doing fairly regularly in order to make sure your car is going to last, especially if you have an older one.

First, make sure you keep an eye on your tires. Over time they will naturally deflate slightly, as well as change pressure depending on the weather. Make sure you keep an eye out for if they start looking like they’re low, and correcting that as quickly as possible. A deflated tire may become a flat easily, and make sure it doesn’t get over pressured either. Too much air can cause it to burst while you’re driving, which you probably don’t want.

Second, keep an eye on your odometer. If you don’t know fancy car talk, it’s the meter on your dashboard that tells you how many miles the car has travelled during its lifetime. Whenever you get an oil change, the mechanic will tell you when you need to get a new one. They’ll usually give you a date and a mileage in the form of a sticker on your windshield. Make sure you go get a change whenever you reach either of the numbers!

Third, and I personally struggle to remember to do this, check your oil often. Just because you have two months until your next change doesn’t mean your oil levels are okay, especially if you have an older vehicle that can leak. Constantly checking and keeping your oil topped off is crucial to along lasting car, as the engine will be destroyed if you run with too little oil for too long.

Of course, there is a lot more that goes into car maintenance, but I myself am no expert. As long as you have a good mechanic, you probably won’t have to worry about more than these few steps.