I have been working on cars since I first owned one myself. Since then I have restored Classic Old Cars, Hot Rods and Sports Cars. However, none of these are for the novice. It took a lot of hands-on instructions to gain the knowledge and skills needed. Currently I am working with my son on rebuilding a 68 Firebird convertible. We are even doing the upholstery ourselves. I have been a teacher’s aide in an auto mechanics class. So, cars are part of our father son bonding and have been for about twenty years. It has taken numerous books and classes and trial and error to gain the knowledge we have.
In the modern age cars have changed drastically. Almost all cars today have on board computers. They think and analyze your car’s performance quicker and more often than the human mind can act on its own. Because of this the steps in auto maintenance at home have become more limited. The availability of services at reasonable prices have also become competitive enough to ask yourself if you want to do it yourself and do you have the skills and tools needed. The answer for a majority of people is no.
So what can the home tinkerer do? First of all check your oil and transmission fluid levels with dip sticks that are in most cars. Radiator levels can be checked without opening the radiator cap. Radiators today have an overflow reservoir that is clear and easy to read. If any of these fluids are low you can top them off with the appropriate fluids. Never overflow your fluids as this can create a mess and cause undue harm to the engine. When checking your fluids also check your windshield washer fluids. Nothing is worse than driving through the desert and having a dirty windshield. Running your wipers without fluid can scratch your windshield. Next, check your windshield wipers at least once a year. If they are not doing the job replace them.
Check your tire pressure on a regular basis . First a properly inflated tire lasts a lot longer. If you have under-inflated tires that are only 6 psi under-inflated your tire will wear, according to statistics, 25 percent faster. Gas mileage may be reduced 5 percent or more. With current gas prices that is like paying eighteen cents a gallon more. If you drive twelve thousand miles a year and get twenty five miles to the gallon that is an extra cost of about eighty five dollars a year in gas. The extra cost on tires if your tire is rated for fifty thousand miles a year that proper inflation saves you is about every three years instead of four. This is a significant savings. Over inflated tires give a rougher ride. They are more apt to pop if you hit a pot hole. I have had the experience myself when I was younger. Have your tires rotated according to the owner’s manual which is often between six thousand and seventy-five hundred miles.
Learn what your on-board computer can tell you and utilize it. My car tells me average miles per gallon of gas, tire pressure and when I will need an oil change based on my driving patterns. This is along with other items cars have had gauges for since decades ago. Personally, I have found that watching and reading my computer, adjusting my tire pressure and fluid levels is about all the maintenance I do on modern cars. The prices of oil changes and tire rotations along with disposal fees make having the work done at your dealership or other places a true bargain.