When you’ve just purchased your first car, you may be interested in a few tips on how to keep it well-maintained. Since you want your new vehicle to be reliable, this is an important aspect of car ownership. While your primary concern may be to keep the tank full of gas, there are other important tasks to perform as well.
Changing Transmission Fluid
Does your car have an automatic or a manual transmission system? Car manufacturers recommend that the transmission fluid should be changed every 60,000 to 100,000 miles in the former, and every 30,000 to 60,000 miles in the latter.
Transmission Repair
Did you purchase a used car that may need transmission repair? Whether you have a new or used car that always seems to need some sort of transmission repair, you may want to consider having a new transmission installed.
When you take your car to a transmission repair shop, be sure to ask them about a rebuilt transmission. Remanufactured transmissions, rather than entirely new transmissions, may be a possible option for your vehicle.
Changing Oil
Were you aware that your driving habits will influence how often you need to change your oil? When you drive to school, work, or for other reasons, you’ll want to keep your eye on that oil gauge. Since 2013, many car makers started to include oil life monitors in their vehicles. This is the case for 16 out of 34 of automakers, and it can make a significant difference in knowing when to take care of this important aspect of vehicle maintenance.
The general rule, however, is that you should change your oil every 7,500 miles or more. While the rule used to be every 3,000 miles, this is no longer the standard recommendation.
Flushing the Cooling System
Did you know your car’s cooling system needs to be flushed? According to Kelly Blue Book, it’s a good idea to do this once a year. If you’re experiencing issues, however, you may want to take it in sooner to have this addressed.
Replacing Brake Pads
How thick are your brake pads? In general, these should be at least 1/4-inch thick. While it does depend on your driving habits, which includes how often you need to brake in traffic, these pads should last about 25,000 to 50,000 miles.
Tire Inflation
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration conducted a recent study. The results indicated that when car tires are under-inflated by 25%, the chances of being in a crash are increased. When cars are in crashes that involve tire problems, this under-inflation can increase the chance of being in or causing an accident by 3 times.
Tire Rotation
Your car manufacturer will usually recommend how often your tires should be rotated. In general, however, this should be done every 7,500 miles.
Basic Maintenance Costs
Since the annual costs for car maintenance and repair will vary on the type of car you own, how often you drive it, and other issues, you may want to set aside some money every month to take care of this necessary expense. According to a AAA study, however, the average annual cost tends to be approximately $767.00.