Tips to make your vehicle
go
the distance
Adapted
from "Drive the Best..."
©
2001 by Kyle Busch
If you are living on a budget, or even on an
unlimited budget,
you know how important it is to make the most of what
you
have.
Getting More Miles Out of Your Car
The following are some tips that will help you to get
more miles
out of your vehicle.
- First,
consider, does your vehicle actually have the
ability to run
many miles without incurring costly
repairs? An easy way to find out
is to visit a public
library to
consult the frequency- of-repair information
in the April
magazine issue of Consumer Reports.
If the vehicle
that you are driving has a reasonable
repair history, it
is worthwhile to drive it until your
heart is content.
However, if it has a very poor repair
history, it
might be time to consider buying a
vehicle that
has better ratings, and fuel efficiency.
-
Assuming that you want to extend the life of your
vehicle, at the
beginning of each month, have the
engine oil
level checked to make certain that it is
at the
full-level mark on the dipstick. Today's
engines have
extremely close tolerances thus
making
liberation as impotent as ever. This is
apparent
when marquee names such as Porsche
and BMW are building
engines with multiple oil
pumps to
insure engine liberation regardless of if
the vehicle
is charging up a steep hill or thrown
into a
banked turn. Buy two liters of oil that are
on sale and keep them
in the boot. Then, if the
engine needs
oil, you will not get stuck paying
three times
what the oil should cost.
Note: Be
certain to only use the type of oil and other
fluids as
specified in the vehicle owner's manual. If you
need
assistance to understand the owner's manual, visit
the
dealership that sells your make of vehicle, and write
down
the type of oil and other fluids to be used in your
vehicle.
- Every
three months (more often, however, if specified
by your vehicle
owner's manual) and before leaving for
and upon
returning from a trip, check (or have a service
station attendant
check) the tire pressure and the other
fluids that
include:
- Transmission fluid
- Brake fluid
- Power steering fluid
- Radiator coolant (check the clear plastic bottle)
- Windshield washer fluid
Be
certain to observe what the service station attendant
does and ask questions,
because you can likely check
these
items.
Why is
it so important to keep the fluids at their full-level
marks?
Because the fluids lubricate moving parts to
reduce fiction,
heat, and wear. Therefore, If a part wears
because
of a lack of fluid, providing all the fluid in future
will
not repair the damaged part.
- If
you drive 16,000 km (10,000 miles) or more per
year, have the
engine oil and oil filter changed every
4,800 to
5,600 km (3,000 to 3,500 miles) or about
every four months.
If you drive 9,600 km (6,000
miles) or less per
year, have the engine oil and oil filter
changed at
the beginning of spring and near the end of
fall.
Condensation (water) will build-up in the oil of a
car that is sitting. Therefore,
even if the vehicle is only
driven a few
thousand miles per year, the oil should
be changed in
the spring and in the fall. An easy way
to remember oil
changes is to mark a new calendar
at the
beginning of a year with "oil change" reminders
(i.e.,
March, July, and November or May and
November).
Note:
Service stations run specials in the newspaper
for oil
changes (i.e., $10.99 - $13.99 (UK Pounds 9.50 - 10.00 )).
However,
make certain that the station is reputable.
Some service
stations have been known to skip
changing the
oil or to do part of the job by changing
the oil but
not the oil filter. Consider using a black
marker to
put an X on the oil filter after an oil
change.
When the
next oil change has been completed, a newly
installed
filter should not include an X.
- Before
the cold of winter sets in, have a service station
attendant
check the antifreeze in the clear plastic coolant
bottle with
a hydrometer (a device that takes a sample of
antifreeze and specifies how
cold the temperature can
become
before the antifreeze freezes). The antifreeze in
your vehicle should
be able to withstand (i.e., not freeze)
temperatures
of at least 17 Celsius (30 degrees) "below
the
coldest" winter temperature.
Note: There
should be no cost to have the antifreeze
checked with
a hydrometer. If the antifreeze in your
vehicle is
too weak, have additional antifreeze added
to the
coolant bottle. Antifreeze can be purchased at
many department
stores. Purchase the type of antifreeze
as specified
in the vehicle owner's manual (i.e., usually a
type that is
suitable for "aluminum and all types of metals"
that are
used today's engines).
Why is it
important for the antifreeze not to freeze
during the winter?
Because frozen antifreeze can crack
an engine's block which
could result in possibly thousands
of pounds for the
repair.
- If
you drive over 10,000 miles (16,000 km) per year,
have the engine air
filter changed once a year in the
spring. If
you drive about 6,000 miles (9,600 km) or
less per
year, have the engine air filter changed once
every two
years. Note: Discount stores sometimes run
sales on vehicle
air filters. If necessary, ask the clerk
who works in the
auto department to help you to look
up the
number (remember to write it down for future
reference) of
the correct air filter for your specific
vehicle (take the vehicle
owner's manual with you into
the store to
reference the size of the engine, but be
certain that you do
not forget it and thus leave the
store
without it).
- In
the spring and the fall give the vehicle a thorough
wash,
tar removal, and wax. When washing the vehicle
in-between
the seasonal waxes, use a car wash product
that
is safe for clear coat and waxed finishes.
- Basic vehicle maintenance is an ongoing process.
The
secret to making it "easy" and keeping a vehicle
"looking
great" involves two components. First,
maintaining
regular vehicle involvement and second,
only
doing a little at a time.
Each week
throughout the year (in addition to the
maintenance suggested
above) take only about
10-15
minutes to focus on a small aspect of the
vehicle.
For example, one week wash the windows.
The
next week, vacuum the carpet, and the following
week, treat
the dash and the door panels etc.,
etc. After
about three months, one of the "small jobs"
will be
ready to be repeated. However, the vehicle
will never
be in rough shape. Doing a "small but
thorough" job on one specific aspect of the vehicle
each week,
requires very little time or energy. Having
a vehicle
that continually "looks great" makes it
worthwhile.
The tips provided above are the most basic
maintenance
requirements that will help your vehicle to
run longer.
Remember to reference the vehicle owner's manual for
any additional maintenance required on your
vehicle.
Basic vehicle maintenance involves a minimal investment
of
time and money, but it can provide major
benefits in vehicle
performance and lower repair costs. Additionally,
your vehicle
will be in better condition when it becomes time to
sell.
