Properly Caring for Your Car

Routine car maintenance is essential to keeping your car in working condition while saving you money on repairs in the future. You should always keep track of your car’s mileage and how much time that has passed since the last check ups on basics like tire pressure, an oil change, or a scheduled inspection.

The best resources for car maintenance are your car owner’s manual, dealership or auto shop, your car itself, or a smartphone app.

• Owner’s Manual. Your car owner’s manual is created by the folks who built the vehicle and contains all the information you’ll need to know about properly maintaining your vehicle. This includes regular maintenance schedules for oil changes, filters, drive or timing belts, and more. Your owner's manual also contains recommendations for the best oil and gas to put in your car. Keep your manual handy in your glove compartment and refer to it often.
• Auto Shop. The dealership where you purchased your vehicle or your routine repair shop will provide recommendations for keeping your vehicle running smoothly and when to schedule your next checkup.
• Your Car. Always pay attention to the lights that display in your dashboard. They can indicate when service is required such as an oil change or engine maintenance. Refer to your owner's manual for this as well.
• Smartphone Apps. Many phone apps exist nowadays that will track your car’s maintenance history and set reminders for future maintenance. Try looking up AUTOsist (free), Fuelly (free), Drivvo (free), or Car Minder Plus ($2.99).

The bottom line? Never ignore work that needs to be done on your vehicle. Delaying preventative maintenance can lead to expensive and time-consuming repairs down the road.