Tag Archive for ‘preventive maintenance’

How to talk to your mechanic

Despite hours of rehearsal, John improvises a nondescript point at the engine seconds before the staged photo was taken. Image courtesy of hontech.com

When going to any mechanic, but especially to a new mechanic, you want to be assured that you will receive an accurate assessment of your car's problems, and that you will get the best deal on the repairs you need. A great way to ensure that you will be treated fairly by any auto technician is to familiarize yourself with your car, its repair history, and the signs of distress displayed by your vehicle. Remember that the auto technician is a professional, and contrary to popular belief, most of them did not go into the business to swindle people.

More tips for selling your car

For some of us with our favorite car, the time has come to part with a vehicle that no longer suites our lifestyle.

Most people looking for a car have opted for move fuel efficient cars or smaller vehicles all together, but the economy has made the used car market the hottest thing since sliced bread. Many car owners, especially those who own more than one vehicle, have found a way to inject money into their budget from used car sales.

For those of us with vehicles that are incompatible with our lifestyle, the sell is inevitable. So here are a few quick tips to help your old car retain market price.

How to replace drum brakes

Drum brakes are not seen on every model of car these days, but they are often still used for rear wheel brakes, since they are cheaper to produce, and it is easier to attach the emergency brake system to a drum brake. Older cars use drum brakes on all wheels, as well. Replacing drum brakes is a repair which can be done at home, but requires the right equipment and careful attention to detail, and is best undertaken if you already have experience with DIY car repair. You will want to set aside a few hours for this task, and if you are not familiar with brake systems, you will want a Chilton's repair guide for your vehicle to consult as a reference. Remember that you will want to replace the drum brake on one wheel at a time, so that you have the other wheel as a reference point in case of confusion.

Proper Engine Maintenance

Car Engine Pistons and Crank Shaft

Owning any type of vehicle, proper engine maintenance is key to the long life of your vehicle's engine. Properly maintaining your vehicle is always a good idea, and almost always results in a longer lasting vehicle and fewer repair bills. Engine maintenance is not particularly difficult, but should be something every vehicle owner should know how to do.

Good engine maintenance simply involves keeping all fluids topped off and clean, as well as checking potential problem areas and performing preventive maintenance.

How to replace your car’s burned-out headlight

Old Style Headlight

If you discover a burned out headlight in your car, you don't have to rush the car to a mechanic as fixing a burned-out headlight is fairly easy to replace.

First you will have to find out what kind of headlight your car has. You may need to replace the whole headlight or is some cars what needs to be replaced is the halogen bulb inside the headlight. You can check your owner's manual for the information.

Go to an auto parts store to get the necessary headlight for your car.

Preventive Maintenance for your car. Repairs you can – and should do

Preventive maintenance for your car you can - and should - do.

We spend money and time to get our cars fixed when they break down or something goes wrong - not to mention accompanying aggravation and frustration.

There are several preventive maintenance items that you can do, even if you don't have much knowledge about the workings of a car engine etc. Some are very quick and easy to do, others take a little more work.