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Getting the Most Out of Your Old Automobile

To get the most out of your old automobile requires getting regular maintenance and operating your vehicle according to the manufacturer’s standards. Here are three ways to get the most out of your old car.

1. Get Regular Oil Changes

Getting regular oil changes is perhaps the most important thing you can do to maintain the life of your old automobile. Most car manufacturers recommend getting an oil change every three months or every 3,000 miles. Follow this guideline to maintain the life of your engine and to prevent corrosion. When the oil in your vehicle is not changed as recommended it loses its viscosity and lubricating properties. Since the engine is the life of a car, asking yourself “what’s my car worth?” can be determined by the quality of your engine.

2. Get Correct Grade Gas

Filling your gas tank with the recommended octane level will keep your engine running smoothly and enhance your car’s durability. The numbers 87, 89 and 92 that you see at the pump relate to the grade of octane from regular to premium. For example, if you have a BMW, regardless of age, it is a high performance automobile and requires premium 92 level gasoline. High performance vehicles in good condition are valuable and you can get free car valuations to find out the cash value of your car.

3. Maintain Heating/Cooling System

The simplest way to maintain your vehicle’s heating and cooling system is to use antifreeze or coolant. Maintaining a full level of antifreeze in your coolant reservoir will prevent the engine from overheating and not functioning normal in cold temperatures. Promptly fixing non-working air conditioner/heater will also prolong the life of your automobile.

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How to Change Your Own Oil.

Have you ever wanted to know how to change the oil in your car by yourself? Maybe you want to know so that you can save money doing it yourself or maybe you are just curious about how it is done. With just a few things most people can do their own oil change. Here is a simple step -by-step guide to performing an oil change that will work for most (but not all) cars.

  1. Gather needed supplies: The things you will need are: drain pan, socket set, filter wrench or strap wrench, jack, jack strands, new oil, new oil filter.

  2. Raise the car: You will want to use the jack, lifting on the frame, to raise the front of your car to a height where you will have room to get underneath and be able to move around. Once the car is lifted to a sufficient height for you, place the jack stands under the frame on the sides of the car. Lower the car down so it is resting on the jack stands.

  3. Drain the oil: Find the oil pan (it is on the bottom of the engine) and put the drain pan under the drain plug on the oil pan. Remove the drain plug and let all of the oil drain out. Now replace the drain plug.

  4. Change the filter: Find the oil filter on your car, it is usually on the side of the engine. If you have trouble finding it look in the owners manual or do an internet search for your car. Use a filter wrench or strap wrench to remove the old filter (if you don’t have one you can just do it by hand). Screw the new filter into place. Lower your car.

  5. Add new oil: Look at your owners manual to see how much oil your car takes. Put the new oil into the engine. Start your car and let it run for about 15 seconds. Shut the car off and check the oil level. Adjust oil level if necessary.

Filed Under: Auto, General Tagged With: ,

Car Maintenance – There Is No Such Thing As An Unimportant Auto Component

Have you ever heard of the story where a small mouse helped a lion escape the new by a chewing through it? Well, you must always keep in mind that small things can make a huge difference to your vehicle’s maintenance.

A person who spends a lot of time focusing on the engine but completely ignores the tires of the vehicle is going to end up with maintenance trouble. Using best quality engine oil for your engine but never bothering to keep your tires inflated properly is going to lead to trouble. You will end up spending a lot of money on repairing your vehicle despite your best efforts.

You must understand that the automobile is not just a jumble of separate components. Rather, it is necessary to have a holistic approach towards vehicle maintenance. If there is something wrong with even one part, it will affect the overall efficiency of your vehicle. A single headlight malfunctioning can have a negative effect on tires, engine and fuel efficiency. Surprised?

How can the malfunction of a single headlight make such a huge difference? Well, if you are not confident of the view ahead, chances are high that you will swerve to avoid real or imaginary obstacles on the road. When you should move rashly at high speeds, it is going to affect the treads of your tires. Once the treads are affected, it is going to affect performance of your vehicle as a wholly every time you take your car out for spin.

In the long run, the scuffed tire will place more pressure on your engine and, consequently, on your fuel efficiency. This may seem like an oversimplification but it certainly is possible. Hence, stop treating different maintenance tasks differently and learn to treat each and every task with equal importance.

Filed Under: Auto, General Tagged With: , , , , ,

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