We all know how important it is to keep your oil changed every 3-5,000 miles when it comes to maintaining the longevity of your car. There is so much more you need to do to not only improve your engine and handling performance, but also drive down your maintenance and regular cost.
Tire Rotation
Tires are expensive. You typically have a set of four tires on your vehicle, only two of which steer the car. If your vehicle is front wheel drive, you also have wear from the vehicle propulsion contributing to even greater uneven wear on your tires. In addition to this, the typical driver makes more right hand turns than left. Needless to say, the typical puts incredibly uneven wear on their tires.
Regular tire rotation, recommended every 7,000 miles, will increase the longevity of your tires so you get more mileage for your dollar. There will always be uneven wear between front and rear pairs of tires, but switching the front tires to the back and crossing them, distributes the wear much more evenly. Regularly checking your tires for recommended inflation levels also increases their longevity while actually improving your gas mileage.
Spark Plug Maintenance
Many drivers don’t realize what a spark plug is, let alone how a bad one could reduce your gas mileage by up to 30%. Sparkplugs actually provide the combustion needed to power your combustion engine and are fundamental to firing the cylinders. When they are properly maintained, they offer maximum efficiency. When they misfire, however, they are a major component for dragging down efficiency.
This is due in great part to too much gasoline flooding the exhaust system and subsequent higher running temperatures, which wears on your cooling system. This decrease deficiency is also responsible for increased exhaust emission, bad for the environment. The number of sparkplugs correspond with the number of cylinders (ie. a 6cyl will have six plugs) and are relatively simple to remove and replace.
Additional Tips
Avoid quick acceleration from a stop to improve gas efficiency and limit regular wear and tear. Always keep your brakes clear of brake dust to improve the longevity of your pads. Another way to keep your maintenance cost down is checking and replacing your belts on your own.
