Do you want to make your car last past 200,000 miles or maybe even more?
If you just purchased a car, would you like to still have it up and running in 12 years?
Both are doable, but you have to perform regular car check ups to get it there. Keep reading the car maintenance checklist that we’ve put together below to see what you
Why Is Preventative Car Maintenance Important?
As a first-time car buyer, understanding the ins and outs of taking care of a car can be confusing. Yet, it can save you hundreds and even thousands of dollars down the road. Instead of having your brakes go out on you, or your transmission blow, minor tweaks here and regular car checkups can help prevent this. Choosing to provide preventative car maintenance will also reduce the wear and tear on the vehicle, making the shelf life of the car longer and give you your best shot at hitting that 200,000 miles or 12-year mark!
Change Your Oil
Changing your oil is a no-brainer for your car maintenance checklist.
You should change the oil no less than every three months or 3,000 miles. Staying on top of your oil changes and oil levels will prevent any costly engine issues.
To change your oil, you can take it to most mechanics or oil changing stations. You can also learn to change the oil yourself.
Maintain Your Tires
Tires can either get you to your destination or prevent you from getting there.
Taking care of everything that has to do with your tires can extend your car’s lifespan.
Pay Attention to Tire Pressure
Paying attention to your tire pressure can prevent damage to your vehicle and a blown or flat tire.
Each vehicle has its own recommended PSI to inflate each tire. Keeping the tires at the recommended level will prevent issues.
If the car’s tire pressure light continues to come on, you may have a leak which should be checked out immediately.
Rotate Your Tires
For any new vehicle owner, the need to rotate your tires may come as a surprise.Many people, first-time car buyers or not, hear this and think it is a scam and a waste of money. But it can actually save you money!
Rotating your tires keeps the wear and tear of each tire on a similar path. Back tires will be moved to the front and vice versa to have each tire bear similar weights across their lifespan.Not only do you want to rotate your tires to keep the wear of them similar, but it can also be dangerous to have one tire worn down completely while the rest are not.
In rainy or wet conditions, the worn tire will have no traction because the treads have been worn down. This can be dangerous to you as the driver. To keep yourself safe and your car in the best condition, you should rotate your tires every six months or 5,000 miles.
Consistently Check All Fluids
There are multiple fluids in your car that keep it running smoothly every day. Checking these fluid levels every 3,000 miles will make sure you are not running into larger problems. Every few months you should check the following:
- Engine oil
- Coolant
- Brake fluid
- Power steering fluid
- Transmission fluid
Every fluid in your vehicle should stay at the appropriate level. If you are not sure how to check yourself, you can always bring it to a mechanic!
Check Your Brakes
It’s obvious that brakes are some of the most important parts of your car. Not only for being able to drive it but for keeping you safe and your car intact.
Your brakes should be checked in any regular inspection, but you can also keep track of how your brakes are doing. Regularly do the following:
- Listen to the sounds your brakes make when stopping the car
- Feel for any vibrating or difficulty braking
By looking out for your brakes yourself, you may prevent anything bad from happening to you or your car.
If you notice that your car brakes are having any of the issues mentioned above, you should immediately take it in to get an inspection.
As a general note, if you have driven over 40,000 miles, it is time to replace your brake pads.
Replace the Air Filter
Your air filter is something that is easily overlooked as something vital to maintaining your car. There are two kinds of filters – engine and cabin filters. Both are important to change!
Every 15,000 miles or so, you need to replace the air filter to prevent any damage, dirt, or dust from getting into the engine. The cabin filter also needs to be changed to prevent dirt and allergens from coming into the car’s cabin through the air vents.
Inspect and Replace the Car Battery
A car battery is vital to keep your car running. Every 35,000 to 50,000 miles you should inspect the car battery to make sure it is still running properly.
If it is not, it is pretty cheap to replace and will prevent further issues from occurring. It’ll also prevent you from getting stranded somewhere when your car doesn’t start.
Replace the Spark Plugs
The engine of your car is a complicated place. Instead of going in depth about spark plugs, you need to know that spark plugs are crucial to keeping your engine running smoothly. You should consider replacing your car’s spark plugs every 50,000 miles.
When you replace the spark plugs, try to find the original brand and model that the vehicle came with.
Done Reading the Car Maintenance Checklist?
It’s time to start checking things off of your car maintenance checklist, starting with your tires. Here at Treads, we’ve created a tire subscription service that helps make all of your tire maintenance a breeze. Not only do we come and change your tires, we send friendly reminders through our app to help you upkeep your car maintenance.
Go download our app today to sign up for the plan that fits your needs!
