Car Repair: Tricks To Get a Longer Life Out of Your Vehicle

Most people breathe a sigh of relief once they've made the last payment on their vehicle. Finally, they can relax for a few years, enjoying the pleasures of having one less bill to worry about. But if you don't keep up with car repair basics and important maintenance, your vehicle may not last far beyond the date of your final payment. Even if it does, the repair bills that mount may far exceed what you were spending on a monthly basis to pay back your loan. If you want to avoid dealing with any of this, here are some tricks you can use to get the most life possible out of your car.

The first thing you need to do is go into your owner's manual and look at the scheduled maintenance for your vehicle. Every owner's manual has it. If you've lost yours, you can usually order a replacement through the dealership or find a copy of it online. Make this schedule your bible. If necessary, mark down the important dates and times (as relevant to you) on a calendar or in a computer document so you can refer to it later. These maintenance trips are vital when it comes to getting a longer life out of your vehicle, yet more car owners ignore them than you might imagine. 

Beyond keeping your scheduled maintenance appointments, there is nearly nothing you can do to get the most out of your vehicle and avoid expensive car repair than to get your oil changed regularly. This is certainly common knowledge for most car owners, but it might surprise you how many people neglect to keep up with this important task. Every 3,000 miles or every three months is the typical rule, and you won't go wrong if you stick to this schedule. Remember, you're looking to adhere to the number that comes first, not last. It's usually a good idea to get the deluxe version, wherein the shop will take a look at your fluid levels, your filters, and a great many other things that will keep you sailing along.

Finally, if you sense there's something wrong with your vehicle, take it into a car repair shop as soon as possible. For some reason, people have a tendency to procrastinate when it comes to getting auto work done, just thinking that the vehicle is having some kind of temporary problem due to the environment. This creates a situation where a relatively minor problem becomes something quite the opposite by the time the owner gets around to addressing it. Don't let this happen to you. At the first sign of trouble, bring the vehicle in and have your favorite shop take a look at it. Chances are, the fix won't cost you an arm and a leg and you'll be on your way before you know it.