Treat your car with car, and it can last a very long time, up to 200,000 miles. Also, a well and properly maintained car will perform better, experience less mechanical breakdown and failure, and cost the owner much less in upkeep.
If you want to keep your car running efficiently and well, there are several pitfalls in car maintenance you need to avoid. These car maintenance errors generally up with a trip to your Fort Collins auto repair shop, or even a tow to the junkyard.
Mistake 1: Not Getting Regular Maintenance
First get quality regular maintenance. Our cars won’t replenish low fluids or change their own oil when it gets to used and dirty. Your Fort Collins Automotive center is not just for repair, it is also for servicing and maintaining your car to keep it in optimal mechanical condition. Don’t wait until something breaks down to see an auto technician. This is one of the biggest mistakes car owners make. Thinking that your car only needs to go to the shop when it is broken will end up costing you more in repairs and the cars longevity than if you just get it maintained on a consistent basis by your auto technician.
Mistake 2: Servicing Your Own Vehicle Without The Proper Know-How
Modern cars are completely computerized. We can use our own on-board sensors or apps to know what is wrong with our cars, and these same computerized tools will alert us when something needs attention. You may understand the problem, either due to these various apps alerting you, or because you have basic mechanical knowledge. This understanding does not mean you have the tools and skills to maintain or correct the problem on your own, however. Computerized vehicles are not easy to fix. They are not lawn mowers, with a basic mechanical setup that can be easily broken down and repaired. Nope. Modern cars are high tech computerized mechanical hybrids. You need the right diagnostic equipment first of all, and very few of us invest in this kind of expensive machinery.
Your Fort Collins Automotive shop will have all the diagnostic machinery, the tools, the expertise, and the training to deal with any repair issues. Trust them. Trying to do it on your own will generally only waste a lot of time and end up costing you more in the long run.
Mistake 3: Getting Cheap Mechanical Or Body Work
Sloppy or unprofessional mechanical or body work will usually cause more damage. Rely on your Fort Collins Auto Repair shop for maintenance, car repair and bodywork. rely on your friends for having a good time, drinking beer, watching football, or going to the movies. Of course, if you want to take your auto technician to the movies thats fine, but don’t expect your friends to be your mechanics.
Mistake 4: Ignoring Your Own Cars Warnings
Don’t ignore the check engine light.
Yes, generally the check engine light is not an indication of imminent mechanical demise or break down. But, it is there for a reason. The sensor alerts the driver to any imbalances or issues as a means of communicating that the car needs to be checked out. Most of these will be minor, and not expensive to fix. If your check engine light comes on, and stays on, you need to take your car and get it analyzed.
Mistake 5: Checking Tires And Getting Alignments.
Not Checking tire pressure. We are going to thrown in the whole gamut of tire care here. Check pressure every time you fuel up. Just because a tire looks properly inflated, does not mean it is. Next, be attentive to tire condition. If uneven wear, bubbling, or low tread is visible, the tire needs replacing.
When you do get new tires, it is imperative to get a wheel alignment. Even rotating existing tires, or swapping out one kind of tire for another for seasonal and driving changes can throw out alignment. Whenever a tire is replaced, or moved, have the alignment checked.
Mistake 6: Checking And Caring For Your Oil And Other Car Fluids
Check your fluid reservoirs on a regular basis. Your car relies on all those fluids for lubrication and efficient mechanical operation. If any fluid, especially motor oil, is getting grimy or dirty, its time to change it. Just getting regular oil changes and watching other fluid levels in your car can help avoid all kind of breakdowns and keep your car healthy.
Avoid these car mistakes, and keep cruising along, it’s that simple. For all your maintenance questions and needs, stop by or call your Fort Collins Auto Repair center.