Knowledge is Power
5 Best Practices To “Keep Your Car Running Right”.
1.Change The Oil
It’s a well know fact that changing the engine oil and filter prolongs engine life and produces lower emissions. Unfortunately manufacturers have been extending the mileage intervals between changes. The old “rule of thumb” was 3000 miles. Today that number is as high as 15,000 miles between changes! The reason for the change is partly due to better lubricants and improved engine performance resulting in fewer contaminants entering the oiling system. However, engine “sludging” and excessive carbon deposits on valves has never been worse. A reasonable interval of 4000-5000 miles will help prevent these engine “killers” and keep your car Running Right!
2.Service Fluids
Engine oil is not the only fluid or lubricant keeping your car going. Power Steering, Brake System, Transmission and Differential fluids are all vital to the components they serve. Keeping these fluids full and clean removes contaminates and moisture that builds up over time. These fluids should be flushed or changed every 30,000 miles to insure prolong life and keep your car Running Right.
3. Clean Fuel System
It has never been more critical to keep fuel systems clean than it is today! Since 2008 many manufacturers are using Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) to precisely control fuel, improving economy. While that is a wonderful change it has its drawbacks. Gasoline use to be injected into the cylinder before the intake valve. The gasoline particles mixed with air acted as a cleaning agent as it passed the intake valve. Nowadays only air passes the valve so no cleaning takes place. It’s not hard to understand why an alternative cleaning agent has to be introduced every 20,000 miles to ensure that carbon does not build up on the valves. If it’s neglected engine damage will eventually occur, costing thousands of dollars too repair. Lets keep your car Running Right!
4. Replace Filters
Most fluids used in your car have a filter also. These filters, such as oil, transmission and fuel help to keep the fluids clean and performing their best. There’s another filter that has to do with your health and not your car. It is the Cabin Air Filter. Filtering the air you breathe inside your car removes harmful pollens, molds and other airborne particles. Getting clean, fresh air is important to your cars engine (engine air filter) as well as you. Change them every year and breathe easier! Let’s keep your car Running Right!
5. Keep Your Car Clean
Next to buying a home, your automobile is the biggest investment you’ll ever make. Unlike a home your car depreciates in value as time and miles go by. Keeping car clean and protecting the finish, leather, fabrics with waxes, cleansers and sealants will slow the aging process and help your car to retain as much value as possible. It’s also important to keep those seemingly small things, like a broken piece of trim or cup holder, repaired. Once you start, “letting things go” you’re on a slippery slope to the bone-yard. Repairing small things along the way will keep them from piling up and preserve your car’s value. You’ll really feel the impact when or if you decide to trade it. Dealers really pay attention to the condition of a car and rate it as “extra-clean”, “clean”, “average” or “rough”. The difference between a “rough” rating and an “extra clean” rating could be thousands! Isn’t it worth it to keep your car Running Right?
The Bottom Line
Fact: It is always less expensive to repair a car than to replace it. Why spends $30,000 “fixing” a $500 or even $5000 problem?
Fact: Well maintained cars hold their value • Today’s cars are made better than ever and last at least 250,000 miles if properly maintained.
Fact: For every dollar you spend on maintenance you will save at least $5 on repairs. (Pretty good return on investment if you ask me)
Fact: When you add up taxes, insurance and depreciation on a new car, you are far better off keeping your old car even if you have to rent a car for those occasional “out of town” trips.