If you’ve only just bought a brand-spanking new car for the first time, and you’ve been used to owning clunking, used pieces of junk for a while, then you may be starting to realize you took your old cars for granted. While your last beaten-up little runner may have been able to take a lot of punishment, I’m sure you want to treat your shiny new model a little better. To keep it in the best condition possible, make sure you avoid the following maintenance mistakes…
Using a Cheap Mechanic
We all like to save money, and this applies when it comes to car maintenance just as it does with anything in life. If you find yourself in a position where something expensive needs to be fixed or replaced, then naturally you may be tempted to take your car to a discount auto shop. Don’t give into that temptation! It may not be brain surgery, but auto repair is a complex skill that requires the touch of a trained and experienced professional. By shopping around and choosing the cheapest mechanic you can find, you’re asking to run into problems later.
Driving Around with a Dirty Filter
You may not be a mechanic, but seen as you’ve made it to this blog I’m sure you’re aware that certain parts of a car are more important than others. If the rear seat heating takes a while to kick in, that’s obviously not as pressing as your signals not working! A lot of people believe that air filters are one of the less important parts of a vehicle, but don’t get taken in by this myth! Your air filter getting dirty may not be a matter of emergency, true. However, over time, they can cause a lot of different sensors in the car to fail. If you leave it too long, this can result in a repair bill worth hundreds if not thousands of dollars! Failed sensors are one of the most common reasons for that “check engine” light to come on, and can also result in the engine misfiring. Don’t put off checking and replacing your air filter, and never assume that something’s a minor issue without making sure first!
Neglecting Your Fluids
This is a maintenance mistake that I unfortunately learned the hard way. However, there still may be hope for you! Hopefully, you winterized your car with antifreeze a few months ago. Aside from that, there are various fluids you need to pay attention to in order to keep your car running smoothly and for longer. Dig out the old owner’s manual, and find the list of fluids, along with their recommended change schedules. Another, more minor mistake you could be making is paying someone every time to change these fluids. Though dealing with your own maintenance might be daunting, fluid changes are certainly one kind of job you can take care of yourself. If you’ve never done this before, there are many handy tutorials you can find online.
