10 Car Maintenance Tips That Will Save You Money

We all want to save money and sometimes owning a car can be quite expensive.

Of course, when you encounter problems with your vehicle, you can run down to an auto repair shop, but here at Manuel’s Body Shop in Culver City, we always want whats best for our customer. If that means avoiding a trip to an auto body shop, were here to support you all the way.

The best way to prevent untimely visits to your local auto repair shop is good car maintenance.

Here are 10 Tips that will save you more money on unexpected car repair expenses:

1. Engine Tune-ups

This can save you over $100/year. A tune- up is periodic preventive maintenance. Just check a few things from time to time and test if everything on your vehicle is working properly. A tune-up can include cleaning or replacement of oxygens sensor, PCV Valve,fuel filter and spark plugs. For some people with older models, this could also check your distributor cap and rotor.

2. Check Tires

No one wants an unexpected flat tire ,so it is best to check your tires from time to time. You can use a tire pressure gauge to make sure the tire is properly inflated and fill your tires with air as needed.

Inspect you tire and look for anything damages like scrapes, cuts, punctures, bulges, bumps or cracks. If you have had those tire for more than 10 years, its best to check with an expert to see if you need them replaced.

Another thing you can do is rotate your tires. Front tires carry more weight it wears down faster than the ones in the rear. Rotating will extend the life your tires because it will equalize the natural wear patterns. It is recommended that you should rotate your tires every 5000 miles or you can do it when you you have a scheduled oil change.

3. Check Brakes

Brakes are are a very important function on your vehicle. Without proper brakes, you can end up in a serious accident.

Brakes are not meant to last for long periods of time (years) so maintenance is very crucial for your own safety and the safety of other motorists. Some reasons for damaged breaks is poor maintenance, little or no break fluid, worn out brake pads, natural damage, or damage due to weather conditions.

If you feel that your breaks are failing, you best get it checked right way as your vehicle can give you signs that your brakes are damaged and in need of repair. Signs such as high-pitched squealing, odd movements, warning lights, burning smell, and brake sensitivity.

4. Regular Oil Changes

Oil is one of the most important fluids in your vehicle and it can get can worn and dirty if it is not maintained. Oil lubricates the engine to keep it running smoothly. Check the manufacturer’s recommendation when changing your oil as all vehicles have different standards. Replacing the oil keeps parts cleans and maintains the engines temperature.

If you’re going to skip your oil changes, you might accelerate the wear of vital parts that keep your car running as smooth as possible. It can also lead to premature engine break down and fixing an engine is much more expensive than getting that oil change.

5. Check Air Filters

Think of the air filer as your vehicle’s lungs.

If you’re headed for an oil change, auto repair usually check if your air filters need cleaning or replacement as well.

The air filter keeps dirt,dust and debris from entering the engine. If you have a dirty air filter, your engine will have a difficult time which can lead to burning more gas and increasing fuel consumption.

If you haven’t checked your air filter, your car may give you clues that needs to be checked such as reduced fuel economy, misfiring engine, unusual engine sounds, smell of gasoline when starting your car, physical dirty air filter, check engine lights up, or reduced horsepower.

6. Get Your Car Washed

Getting your car washed is also an excellent method to avoid a trip to an auto body shop. Metal has many enemies such as, water, mud, and calcium. Leaving dirt on your car can damage the exterior. Mud and dirt speeds up the oxidization. This means that you have higher chances or getting rust on your car if you leave dirt there.

You don’t need to pay for a car wash. Simply give your car rinse once a week.

7. Check Fluid Levels

There are different types of fluid in your vehicle and each one serves a different purpose.

Oil fluid keeps are your moving parts lubricated. Radiator fluid keeps your vehicle from overheating. Transmission fluid keeps your transmission running smoothly. Brake fluid adds power to your brakes. Air conditioning coolant makes sure your air conditioning is up and running properly. Washer Fluid is the liquid that comes out when you are trying to clean your windshield.

These are some essential fluids that you can check from time to time to ensure that everything is running smoothly and it will decrease the damage of your vehicle.

You can do this on your own with the help your car manual or you can get it check by an auto repair shop.

8. Maintain Your Vehicle’s Paint

Your car paint will help people determine the age of your vehicle and it the first thing that people will see.

You can maintain your car’s paint through proper waxing and polish.

Maintaining your car’s exterior can also prevented those unwanted rust stains.

9. Read the Manual

We all know that reading manuals can be boring, but you need to take the time to get to know your vehicle so you can be familiar with the parts and functions.

If you already know what is the problem with the get-go, you can prevent it from escalating into something that can lead to more costs.

If you don’t want to read the manual, you can always go online and read articles or watch videos about your vehicle.

10. Fuel of Your Vehicle

Sometime expensive or premium fuels isn’t what is best for your car maintenance. You need to check in with your car manufacturer to see what type of fuel is best suited for your engine. Just stick to the octane that is recommended and this should help with your car maintenance as well as fuel economy. No need to spend more money on premium gas if your car doesn’t need it. We all know how expensive gas is these days.

If you ever need auto repair and collision repair services, Manuel’s Body Shop in Culver City offers different types of services:

Call us today at 1-310-836-3701 for a free estimate for the finest auto body shop services in Culver City CA. Let us know what you need and get a FREE Estimate today.

10 Car Maintenance Tips That will Save You Money