About 8% of car owners admit to delaying routine car maintenance. While it may seem harmless to delay maintenance, forgoing regular car checkups harms the longevity and health of your car in the long run.
If you’re ignoring the health of your new car, it’s time to initiate awareness. These are the most common car maintenance mistakes owners make that negatively impact their car’s lifespan.
1. Not Getting Regular Oil Changes
Getting regular oil changes for your car is important, even if your car is brand new. Oil changes help prevent dirt buildup in your engine, which keeps it running smoothly.
Without a clean engine, your car is more likely to experience engine deterioration and overheating. The longer you prolong a dirty engine, the shorter its lifespan will be, and it’s much cheaper to get regular oil changes than replace an engine.
Beyond engine issues, forgetting to change your oil for a long time also leads to worse gas mileage.
2. Neglecting Your Windshield Wipers
While they may seem like an afterthought, windshield wipers can become safety hazards if they’re neglected. Wiping your windshield with dirty or broken windshield wipers might compromise the visibility of your windshield.
This poses an extreme threat, especially if you’re already driving. Make sure to update your wipers regularly, especially if you live in a rainy climate.
3. Forgetting About Your Tires
Your tires are the only things that keep your car from the road, so they’re extremely important to maintain. Balding tires, for example, increase the probability of your car skidding out of control in inclement weather.
Additionally, ignoring low pressure often leads to a flat tire, which is extremely dangerous if your driving at high speeds. To ensure your safety, check on your tire’s tread and air pressure regularly and replace them when necessary.
4. Not Using Your Parking Brake
If you live in a particularly hilly area, you may already know how important your parking brake is. However, everyone should get in the habit of using their parking brake, even in automatic vehicles.
Using your parking brake prevents it from rolling away if your parking pawl fails. This also puts less tension on your transmission.
5. Skipping Your Routine Maintenance Service
Your car is a complex machine that needs routine maintenance. Checking the state of your vehicle involves staying on top of issues before they become a more expensive problem, so the process a cost-effective investment.
Maintenance servicing also ensures your car isn’t experiencing any manufacturer and workmanship issues. Checkups help find issues that are difficult to notice, like material defects.
For example, if your AEM intake is experiencing issues due to defective materials, regular maintenance often catches the issue before it becomes worse over time.
6. Ignoring Your Vehicle’s Specific Needs
Some cars require a bit more attention than others. Luxury cars, for example, are much more expensive to maintain than an economical car.
More importantly, a car with high mileage is more likely to present major issues. Before purchasing a new car, take some time to research your type of vehicle, its specific financial needs, and average lifespan.
Avoid Common Car Maintenance Mistakes
Keeping an eye on the health of your vehicle isn’t difficult if you maintain regular service checkups. With the right routine in place, you’ll avoid the most common car maintenance mistakes owners make.
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