3 Items to Add to Your New Car's Maintenance Routine
Posted on: 1 October 2020
If you own a new car, your warranty may or may not cover essential maintenance, such as oil changes or brake pad replacements. Even those manufacturers who do cover these items will sometimes place restrictions on them or limit their frequency. Since most owners want to ensure that their new cars last for as long as possible, these limitations can make it confusing to create a vehicle maintenance schedule.
While not everyone will want to go the extra mile to care for their new car, there are steps you can take to ensure its longevity and minimize costly repairs once your warranty runs out. Taking this approach will not only improve your experience but also help to preserve your car's resale value. Below you'll find three items to add to your maintenance routine, even if your warranty doesn't cover them.
1. Brake Inspections
Replacing your brake pads when your warning light illuminates is an easy way to keep your car safe to drive, but there's more you can do for your car's braking system. If your warranty doesn't include routine inspections, then you may want to add brake inspections to your car's maintenance schedule. Consider performing this service about twice per year.
A thorough brake inspection doesn't just check the state of your brake pads, but also your rotors, brake fluid, and other related components. Regularly inspecting your brakes ensures that everything is operating correctly, and also allows you to anticipate when to replace your pads. Even if you don't schedule routine inspections, consider performing one before taking any significant trip in your car.
2. Rotate Your Tires
When your tires touch the road, they do so on an area known as a "contact patch." Under normal circumstances, the contact patch will have reasonably regular geometry. As components wear, the contact patch may vary between your tires. You will also have slightly different contact patch geometry between the front and rear tires due to your vehicle's weight distribution.
These issues can cause your tires to wear unevenly, ultimately resulting in some tires wearing out more quickly than others. Rotating your tires about twice a year helps to promote even wear. Tire rotations are also a great time to perform brake inspections since the technicians will need to remove your wheels.
3. Replace Fluids
You know to replace your motor oil, but what about your coolant, power steering pump fluid, or brake fluid? All of these vital fluids can break down or become contaminated over time. Fluid change intervals vary from vehicle to vehicle, so check your car's manual for advice. If in doubt, consult with a trusted mechanic to establish a schedule. Most fluids will require replacement at 30,000 to 60,000-mile intervals.
These tasks are relatively cheap and quick to perform, but they can help to keep your car running well while also maintaining its resale value. Learn more by contacting car services like Grey Chevrolet Inc.
Share