Essential Maintenance Tips For Your Vehicle

What You Need to Be Doing

When you purchase a vehicle, one of the things you sign up for is the consistent maintenance services that come with it. Although it would be ideal to never worry about taking care of your vehicle, that’s not how things work, especially with your car. For you to experience the high-quality performance it can provide for months and years, you need to take care of your vehicle continuously. The good thing is, you don’t need to know much about automobiles to take care of it properly, you just need to recognize when it needs service.

At VJ’s Auto Service, we want to make sure you are always driving the best version of your vehicle. Here are some maintenance tips we suggest to ensure you are driving your car for miles to come!

Check The Oil

Once every month, you should make it a habit to check the motor oil of your vehicle. Like any other component, motor oil can wear over time, and it’s important that you are up-to-date on its condition. When checking the oil, make sure that you’re looking at both the level and quality of the oil. The oil should be at or right below the full line found on the dipstick, and it should have a clear, amber appearance to it. Anything other than that may require an oil change service!

Inspect The Tires

As the first point of contact with the road, your vehicle’s tires play an essential role in the overall performance and safety of your drives. It’s why you need to check the tires now and then and make sure they’re in working order. To do so, make sure you check the tire pressure and visually inspect the tire for any damage. Proper tire pressure will vary based on the tire and vehicle, so check the owner’s manual to determine what’s right for you.

Don’t forget to check the tread as well, and you can do that by using the penny test. With a penny in hand, insert it headfirst into the middle of the tire’s tread. If you see the top of the head of Abraham Lincoln, the tread is too low and you should consider changing the tire.

Conservative Driving Habits

Although this isn’t much of a maintenance tip, we figured it was important to share it anyways. Aggressive driving habits such as quickly accelerating, tailgating, and abruptly stopping are very harmful to a variety of systems in your vehicle. Instead, try practicing more conservative habits. Instead of quickly accelerating, build the speed over time. Instead of slamming on the brakes, gently slow down. Although you won’t notice much change, these habits will help maintain the systems in your vehicle and ensure you’re driving it for years, instead of only a few months.

If you require a major repair or minor maintenance, make sure you schedule a visit with VJ’s Auto Service in Arcadia, California. Our team is ready and waiting to help you!