What Does Car Maintenance Entail?

Maintenance is preventative medicine for your car. Depending on the age and model of the car and what kind of engine it has, the types of maintenance will vary. Also, maintenance varies over time. There are some types of maintenance you can do yourself regularly, like oil changes, but there are other types that are best left to a car maintenance specialist or mechanic in New Jersey.

The simplest elements of car maintenance including checking tire air pressure, fluid replacement including oil, and battery check can be done on your own. However, rotating tires, changing air filters, changing spark plugs, and replacing the belts are only a few of the elements of maintenance that most people do not know how to do properly on their own.

Oil and fluid changes remain important throughout the life of the vehicle. However, there is a lot more to car maintenance than checking the dipstick and making sure there is enough antifreeze or wiper fluid. Professional car maintenance includes a thorough assessment of what the car itself needs: as each car has its own quirks and its own systems. For example, some have power steering systems that need power steering fluid checks; other cars do not. Diesel cars and trucks have different maintenance procedures, too.

Replacing engine and air filters is another part of the maintenance procedure that many people may neglect. One of the most important maintenance needs is tire rotation and alignment, as well as checking the brakes. Cars need regular maintenance to run properly and to prevent small problems from escalating. A car owner saves a lot of money in the long run doing regular maintenance versus waiting for problems to get out of hand. Before the engine lights or warning signs emerge, taking the car to a mechanic ensures that everything is working the way it should be.