Your car maintenance plan

IN order to prolong your car's lifespan, there are dozens of automotive services and special services available. Some must be performed every so often, some according to fuel consumption, while others depend on your car's condition and driving style. Generally you need to keep a strict maintenance schedule for your car to keep it in tip top condition. Here's the plan:

Frequent tune ups. Every 30,000 miles, or at least once every two years, some parts of your car will wear out and will need replacement. This is when tune ups come into play. Tuning up your car every once in a while helps prolong your car's life.

Brakes are an important aspect of your car. Faulty brakes may result in serious accidents that threatens your life or the life of your loved ones. To avoid these unnecessary accidents caused by worn out brake pads, bring your car to a trusted mechanic for frequent brake services. Secure your safety while driving by making sure the brake pads are in good condition.

Radiator maintenance is also important as it is responsible for keeping the engine running cool. Over time, deposits can form in the radiator, causing blockages that impair the circulation of cooling fluid, making the engine run hot and less efficiently. A radiator flush service will flush out the radiator. It is important to refill new cooling fluid at frequent intervals.

Full oil and lube services, and fuel injection services are similar to radiator flush as it gets rid of deposits from a particular car system.

Radiator flush gets rid of deposits and contaminants from the car's radiator system; while oil and lube services get rid of old, used oil with accumulated deposits.

Fuel injection services clean the car's fuel injectors, and even the fuel tank, from built up carbon deposits.

Of the three services, oil and lube service is performed most frequently. It is recommended that you make an oil change every 5000km. When servicing your car, make sure it includes 20 points inspection, such as - oil filter, air filter, battery, tyre pressure, brake fluid and more.

Also check the wiper blades and replace them if impaired.

Lastly, properly installed tyres that are in good condition are of utmost importance.

Tyres that wear evenly and are balanced properly provide a safer ride.

If you are unsure about the condition of your wheels, go to the nearest tyre shop for inspection followed by tyre rotation and balancing service.

Overall there are many checks to do to keep your car in tip-top condition, therefore find an experienced mechanic to inspect your car periodically.

Also keep accurate records of your car maintenance so you can keep track when it is due for the next service.

Tips

How to Calculate Your Cars Fuel Efficiency

As petrol prices increase, fuel efficiency is becoming more of a critical factor. Knowing your car's mileage can help you determine if it's is a guzzler or not. Once you figure out there are many useful things to do, like calculate how much a 10 sen rise in petrol prices can affect your budget, or how getting a car with better fuel economy can lower your monthly costs. Here's how:

* Go to the petrol station and fill up the fuel tank.

* Record the mileage, before even pulling away from the pump. We call this Distance A.

* Drive normally until the tank is less than half full.

* Fill up the tank again (preferably at the same station using the same pump as pumps may be calibrated differently). This time, pay attention to how many litres it takes to fill up the tank. This is usually shown at the pump. We will call this Fuel B.

* Record the mileage again, just like before. We will call this Distance B.

* Subtract Distance A from Distance B. This will give you the number of kms you drove since your last fill-up.

* Divide your answer by the number of litres (Fuel B) it took to fill up your tank. This will give you your car's mileage.

Source: New Straits Times - Wed, Feb 23, 2011 - 001 - A-All - 1Klassifieds