With preventive maintenance comes peace of mind. If you are sending your child off to college, you have enough to worry about. There is no need to stress on the condition and safety of the car your son or daughter is going to be driving.
When you are preparing for the big college send-off, take the car into your mechanic shop for a thorough inspection before packing it up. By learning and taking care of any essential service items the vehicle may need, you only have regular maintenance to worry about. This way, you can rest assured that your child is driving a safe car while away from home.
Preventive maintenance is one of the most important things you can do. It is like going to the doctor for an annual check-up; it is essential to keep your car healthy and have a professional inspect for any unforeseen issues that may be otherwise avoidable. If you can catch a small problem, before it grows into a big one, your money can go toward college, and not go to expensive auto repair work that could be otherwise avoided.
Regular oil changes are the most critical maintenance item on the list. By keeping the fluids clean in the engine, your metal parts will stay well lubricated and have less friction. This means that your engine will stay stronger and last longer. Oil is not the only fluid to have checked and replaced. There is antifreeze, wiper fluid, power steering fluid, and transmission fluid to check as well.
Another reason to have your child's auto in the shop for regular preventive maintenance is to have the belts checked. There are belts such as the timing belt and serpentine belt that keep your car on the road. If either of these belts show wear or have damage, they can cause costly repairs with preventive maintenance and inspection could be avoided.
Keeping an eye on the rubber to the road on your college ride is important to safety while driving. Handling, response time, braking, these all depend heavily on your traction and tires. You want to be sure to keep an eye on your tires or have your mechanic track when to rotate. Simple steps such as airing up your tires, ensuring that they are all inflated to the same PSI are simple tricks to extending the life of your tires.
Air filters and battery connections are huge when it comes to the operation of your car. There are a few filters in your vehicle to keep note of. There is a cabin air filter that prevents dust and debris from entering into your personal breathing space, as well as engine intake filters that keep your car from inhaling foreign objects. Dirty air filters can cause the engine )or you) to choke, and are rather inexpensive to replace. Good battery connections mean the difference between sitting in the parking lot wishing you were heading home, and being on the road leading to your destination. It is a good idea to have your battery maintained at least once per year.
Before heading out on a big trip, we at Foreign Autohaus are happy to help you with preventive maintenance! Schedule an appointment or give us a call if you have any questions about your tires or if you need service. Foreign Autohaus is conveniently located at 301 Blue Ravine Rd., Folsom, CA 95630.
We look forward to serving you and your vehicle soon.