According to the Guinness World Records, the most miles driven in a single car by one owner is over three million miles! You may not plan on putting that many miles on your car but with regular preventative maintenance, you could. You maintain your home, why shouldn’t you maintain your car? Preventative maintenance includes what we often refer to as tune ups ad well as oil changes, and regular tire rotation. Here are why these are important.
What a Tune-Up Does
A tune up helps keep your engine running at an optimum level. Your car make, model, and year will determine the tune-up schedule. Check your owner’s manual for the recommendation. Remember, the people who engineered your car, wrote the manual and they know what’s best for it. Most cars have a recommendation for new spark plugs, belts, hoses, struts, filter changes, and flushing out old fluid several times over the life of the car. This keeps the engine running at maximum efficiency and helps ensure you don’t end up on the side of the road stranded.
Why Regular Oil Changes
Oil changes keep your engine healthy. Frequency depends on your vehicle and how you drive. New cars have a recommendation of around 5,000 miles. However, if you drive in a lot of stop and go traffic or on frequent short trips, or tow a camper to trailer regularly, you may want to consider more frequent oil changes. Read your owner’s manual for their recommendation and check your oil regularly as you near the time for a change. Checking your oil is easy and is something you should do several times between oil changes. Remember that your oil keeps your engine parts protected against damaging friction and excessive heat.
Tire Rotation
Rotating your tires not only helps your tires last longer but your car performs better as well. If you’re rotating your tires at home, you’ll also want to check the tire pressure as proper pressure also extends their life. A benefit to properly inflated tires is better gas mileage. You should also have your alignment checked at least once a year. It will contribute to better gas mileage, a smoother driving car, and longer lasting tires.
Oldsmar Automotive can partner with you on your car’s preventative maintenance. We always follow the manufacturer recommendations for each individual car. Use our easy scheduling tool or call us at (727) 784-3501 to schedule your tune up, oil change, tire rotation, or any other service you need today.
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