Maintaining Your Car Will Make It Last Longer
by: Matthew C. Keegan
Regular maintenance of your vehicle will extend its life perhaps well beyond what you or others may think is its normal lifespan. Today?s cars can easily top the 100,000 mile mark with many cars on the road exceeding 150,000, 200,000, even 250,000 miles. Ask owners of high mileage cars how they got to that point and most will point to their own rigorous and disciplined maintenance schedules as being the chief factor. By carefully and diligently following a maintenance schedule, you can extend your vehicle?s life too. Let?s take a look at several important maintenance steps you must take in order to avoid costly repairs and to help you hold onto your vehicle longer.
Regular oil changes ? The 30 minute oil change specialists recommend that you change your oil every 3,000 miles or three months, while some manufacturers state you only need to change your oil once every 7,500 miles or six months. Opt for more frequent changes than lengthy manufacturer recommended intervals, but change your oil [and oil filter] every 3,000 miles if your car is subject to hard driving.
Change your air filter ? Your engine will run better and cleaner if you change your air filter at least once per year; more so if you do a lot of ?stop and go? driving or put on many more miles per year than average.
Rotate your tires ? Evenly wearing tires will help ensure that your car stops properly and stays on the road. Have your brakes and shocks inspected too to avoid potential handling and control issues.
Transmission fluid ? Your transmission isn?t guaranteed to run forever. Change your fluid at manufacturer recommended intervals, generally once every 30 or 60 thousand miles. Neglect it and face costly repairs and potentially fatal [to the car] consequences.
Drain the radiator ? Periodically draining the radiator and replacing the antifreeze will help flush out rust and dirt particles that can clog up your cooling system. When the coolant?s rust inhibitors get used up then corrosion will show up within the radiator as well as in the engine block
Change the spark plugs ? Some manufacturers have installed long life spark plugs meaning that changing spark plugs once every 60 or even 90 thousand miles or more is a possibility. Keep in mind that the longer your spark plugs sit in place, the more difficult it may be to remove them later. Optimally, replacing your spark plugs once every 30 thousand miles is ideal.
Examine your exhaust system ? Your muffler, catalytic converter, and remaining exhaust system parts can wear out. A poorly functioning exhaust system saps your engine of needed power.
Wash and wax ? Yes, your car may mechanically run well, but if the body falls apart, then what do you have left? Regular washings and a once a year wax job should do the trick.
Other stuff ? Replace your battery, fuel filter, PCV valve, belts, and hoses as needed and every other part that wears out. Sensors come and sensors go; usually you will only have to replace your knock or oxygen sensors if and when a problem arises.
Ultimately, refer to your manufacturer?s repair book for guidelines as to when to perform maintenance. The key to extending your vehicle?s life is in doing the maintenance when needed to head off costly repair bills. Otherwise you will be neglecting your car to the point where it ?dies? prematurely.
You can extend the life of your vehicle. If you aren?t up to the task, hire a qualified mechanic to service your vehicle regularly.
About The Author
Matt Keegan writes for The Parts Bin, a retailer of high quality K&N filters: [http://www.thepartsbin.com/kn-filters.html] EBC brakes: [http://www.thepartsbin.com/ebc-brake-pads.html],
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EBay Scams To Watch Out For Or You May Be Next!
EBay Scams To Watch Out For Or You May Be Next!
by: Jason W Cooper
There are many eBay scams out there to keep an eye out for when you are selling on eBay. This article will cover a few of the known and not so known scams to be aware of. Whether you?re a causal seller, or a professional seller on eBay, you need to know about these scams so that you can take measures to prevent or recognize if it?s happening to you.
Bid Shielding
This scam is something you need to watch out for as a seller on eBay. Basically the scam is run using two separate eBay accounts. The scam works like this. You put your item up for auction. Let?s say your item is worth $100 and you have no reserve. The first bidder (scammer) comes along and bids $5 on your item. Right after that, another bidder working with the first bidder comes along and bids $200 on your item. Since your item is only worth $100, you receive no more bids for the duration of your auction. Right...
EBay Scams To Watch Out For Or You May Be Next!
Cooper tires > EBay Scams To Watch Out For Or You May Be Next!
Is Your Car Tires Safe?
Is Your Car Tires Safe?
by: Joseph Kenny
Do you know most of the car accidents are caused because of one or the other fault in the car tires? Most of the car accident reimbursement that the car owners have to pay to the accident victims or the loss they have to incur in terms of insurance money they get is all due to fault in car tires. So, when you go out to buy a car then with all the factors like performance, brand, price, appearance, comfort, and maybe even safety, do consider the performance and integrity of the car tires as well. Even if you own a pre-owned car do make sure that your car tires are in good condition and match your car type, the kind of use it is put to and the geographical demand of the area where you live.
Reliable Tires
Remember different kinds of vehicle require different kinds of tires. So, you must do some research on your car type and its matching tire type. Do not trust the previous owner if you are buying a...
Is Your Car Tires Safe?
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Get Your Car Ready for Winter
Get Your Car Ready for Winter
by: Marilyn Pokorney
Driving in winter conditions tests your car to the limit.
If something isn't working properly under the best
conditions it certainly isn't going to work when it's cold
and stormy.
Here are some tips to keep your car running
well in the winter.
The first thing to check before the weather gets cold is the
anti freeze level.
Not only how much fluid is in the
radiator, but also the ratio of antifreeze/water content.
Have a tune up done. Have your spark plugs cleaned and re-
gapped or replaced.
Change to a lighter oil which will help protect your engine
from excessive wear when starting a cold car. Heavier oil
takes longer to circulate into the motor and internal damage
can occur.
Change to winter wiper blades are a must for icy driving.
Whenever starting your car, make sure that there is nothing
obstructing the...
Get Your Car Ready for Winter
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