Car Maintenance and Service Checklist

Taking care of your car is part of the responsibility of owning a car, It requires more than putting gas in it and going. You have to make sure the car makes it to all its scheduled maintenance appointments and having a service checklist will help you do this, ask the service department for one when you buy the car and then stick to it.

Don’t Skip Car Maintenance Services

Car maintenance is designed to keep your car in excellent running condition. A lot of the time your car will come with a warranty that lowers the cost of maintenance greatly and sometimes certain services may be covered under the warranty, and you will not have to pay for them.

Basic car maintenance involves oil changes, fluid changes, and refills such as brake fluid, transmission fluid, etc. Your spark plugs will be checked to make sure they are firing correctly and all of them are working because your car can run on half the spark plugs it may not run well, but it will run. You also need to have your hoses and belts checked if a hose comes undone you could lose all your antifreeze or if a belt breaks you could find yourself sitting on the side of the road waiting for a tow truck and a big bill.

Always take your car to the dealership you bought it at or the dealership that sells the car. If you purchase a Honda from a Mazda dealership you are going to want to take the car to the Honda dealership for service because Honda’s are their specialty.

After your car is serviced ask for a card with your next appointment on it and what will be done at the next appointment that way you can stay on top of things.

You are also likely to get a better price on the work if you take it to the dealership you bought it from or in the case of a used car the dealership that sells the car.

The better care you take of your car the better chance you have of getting a good trade-in price or the Bluebook value if you sell it yourself if the car is in excellent and well-maintained condition.

Read Your Owner’s Manual

When you buy a new, used, or leased car the owner’s manual can be your best friend, It will tell you exactly when all your maintenance needs to be done. Without regular maintenance, your car will not last, or you will have to put a lot of money into it, and seeing how you will most likely still be making payments on it putting even more money in it is not a good thing especially when it could have been avoided, So, take the time to read the manual you’ll be glad you did.

Oil Changes

The days of changing your own oil are long gone. With higher qualities of oil, cars do not need oil changes as often as they once did. Newer cars can go up to 1,000 miles before needing an oil and filter change. Check with the dealership about the type of oil your car uses and how often it needs to be changed and make sure you keep your oil change appointments, so you do not seize your engine. If you do not take care of the most basic things such as an oil and filter change you can not expect your car to last long. Oil is one of the most important fluids in your car it keeps the engine running smoothly.

Tire Pressure

If you want your tires to last a long time make sure you check the tire pressure especially if the low air light comes on and fill the tire up to the correct amount as soon as possible, If you find that you are putting air in one tire more once a week then you probably have a slow leak, and that tire will need repair or replacement. When your tires have the right amount of pressure in them your car will be better aligned and will not pull to the side while you are driving. Also, make sure your spare tire always has the correct amount of air in it you never know when you might need it.

Tires Rotated

Tires can be fickle unfortunately they do not get the same amount of wear and tear on each tire. The front and back tires work differently, and more stress can be put on each set of tires at different times. By getting the tires rotated regularly they will last longer. Plus, your car will drive and ride much better if the threads on the tires are even.

Fluids Checked

You should always have the fluids in your car checked each time you take it in for service or preventive maintenance. If you’re unsure when you should have the fluids checked or changed read your owner’s manual. If you are still unsure call the dealership service department for assistance.

Keep your vehicle running well by making sure all the fluids are clean and full.

• Motor Oil
• Power Steering Fluid
• Brake Fluid
• Transmission Fluid
• Air Conditioning Coolant
• Radiator Coolant and Anti-freeze Fluid

If you treat your car well it will treat you well and last a long time, especially with regular maintenance and servicing.