To Keep Your Car Running Smoothly
Eric Peters
eople are understandably worried about the gloomy
economy and trying to avoid any unnecessary expenses. When it comes
to your vehicle, there are some aspects of car maintenance that you
might think you can skimp on to save money, but don’t. Cutting
corners or postponing maintenance actually can cost you more money
in the long run.
What you should never
skimp on...
Oil. Buy the grade of oil that
meets the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended American Petroleum
Institute (API) or Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) service
rating, which is indicated in the owner’s manual.
Using lower-grade oil may damage your engine. It also could
invalidate your warranty coverage if you have a contested
oil-related engine problem and you can’t prove that the vehicle was
serviced according to the manufacturer’s requirements.
In addition, be sure that the oil filter you use meets the
vehicle manufacturer’s requirements, as specified by the owner’s
manual or the dealer.
Helpful: Keep all receipts related to
servicing your car, including those for oil and filter changes, so
that you can prove your car was serviced according to the
manufacturer’s specifications.
If you know how to do it, changing the oil and filter yourself
is the least expensive approach. But not everyone likes to do that
-- or wants to deal with the mess of disposing of the old oil and
filter.
Mechanics and independent shops generally are less expensive
than having the work done by the car dealer.
Regardless of who does the job, check the dipstick afterward to
confirm that the oil level is between the low and high marks. Some
places have been known to overfill or underfill the crankcase.
Oil changes. It might seem that stretching
out the time between the manufacturer’s maximum recommended oil
change interval is a good way to economize, but it’s not. It can
accelerate wear and tear on your engine. I recommend erring on the
side of caution -- and always trying to change the oil at the
prescribed interval. You probably won’t hurt the engine if you miss
the mileage/date interval by a little bit -- for example, up to a
month or about 200 to 300 miles -- but don’t go longer than
that.
Radiator service. The key to a well-performing
radiator is the quality of coolant, the liquid
that runs through it. Old or contaminated coolant can ruin an
engine by causing corrosion or rust, especially because many
engines today are made of alloy, not cast iron. It also can lead to
overheating, which in a modern engine with aluminum cylinder heads
(which warp more easily than cast iron) risks serious damage.
Check the condition of the coolant in your radiator -- or have a
competent mechanic check it for you -- at least every two years
regardless of the advertised shelf life of the
coolant. This
is easy: When the engine is cold,
open the radiator cap and take a look. (Touching the cap when
it is hot is dangerous -- taking the cap off the pressurized
system can result in a spray of coolant.)
Fresh coolant appears bright green or orange-red (if it’s the
"long-life" type) and translucent, not cloudy. Coolant should never
look dirty. If it does, there is a problem with the coolant or
something else in the engine -- and this should be checked
immediately.
Wise: Periodically have a mechanic
open the radiator cap when the engine is cold to check the fill
level. Looking at the translucent coolant overflow tank is not as
effective. These tanks often are discolored, and the level is hard
to gauge accurately, especially if the car is more than a few years
old.
Any loss of coolant is cause for further investigation. Catching
problems both big (a failing head gasket) and small (a minor,
pinhole-type leak) can help avert a major, and expensive,
breakdown.
Wiper blades. For the sake of visibility and
safety, don’t skimp on replacing your wiper blades. Blades should
be replaced as soon as they no longer clear the glass without
causing streaks. Wiper blades typically last about six months but
sometimes wear out much sooner if subjected to harsh conditions.
Brutal summer sun and rough, ice-encrusted winter windshields are
especially hard on wiper blades.
Car washes. It’s false economy to not wash
your car. Keeping your car clean helps prevent rust and maintains
the paint’s shine, which aids the resale value at trade-in time. If
you have the time to wash your car yourself, you’ll save money. But
if you don’t have time, it’s worth paying to have it done for
you.
Regular unleaded vs. premium
gas. If
your car requires
premium gas (as indicated in your owner’s manual), do
not use regular (or even midgrade) gas. You probably won’t hurt
your car’s engine, but your mileage will suffer and you will have
lower horsepower output. To accommodate the lower-octane gas, the
engine will perform in the midrange -- it won’t run poorly, nor
will it run at its absolute best.
How to save: If your owner’s manual merely
recommends premium gas, you can save money by using regular gas,
which typically is at least 20 to 30 cents less per gallon. You
might not get all the horsepower your engine is capable of
delivering, but this is something you may not miss. You might
suffer a slight mileage drop that could eat away at the savings at
the pump, so compare mileage when running on regular and premium
gas to see whether using premium is worth it.
Save on Tires
There is one easy way to save money on car maintenance -- tires.
When it’s time to replace a vehicle’s tires, many people simply
return to the dealer and buy the original brand of tires that came
from the factory. That’s often expensive -- and not necessary.
What you might not
know: Prices
for high-quality tires vary -- tremendously. You can
potentially save hundreds of dollars by buying the same
general type of tire -- such as all-season, high-performance,
touring, etc. -- but a different brand and/or model. Just
make sure that your new tires meet the min imum requirements
for load (the weight the tire is designed to carry), heat and
traction ratings recommended by the vehicle manufacturer.
Prices also can vary by season. High-performance summer tires,
for instance, often go on sale in the fall. In addition, it is
sometimes possible to realize tremendous savings by purchasing
tires from online retailers, such as The Tire Rack (www.tirerack.com), where you also can read
reviews of tire models by customers. Be sure to factor in the
cost of shipping the tires, as well as the cost of having them
mounted and balanced.
Helpful: Have your tires rotated
regularly. A good rule of thumb is every 3,000 to 5,000 miles.
People often forget that this basic service helps ensure that tires
last as long as possible. Many tire shops do it for free if you buy
the tires from them or have the tires mounted there.