Basic Car Maintenance: What to do During a Tune-Up

Posted by Samantha Jones on December 12th, 2016

Some people wind up with a car that seems to run perfectly for five years while other individuals remain discouraged because their car seems to break down every two years, and they wind up buying another one. To go from the second group into the first, it’s important to remember that car maintenance is the key to keeping a car running wonderfully for many years to come. One of the most important things is to guarantee that a car receives a regular tune-up.

Most people that have their own mechanic or know a few basic things about cars choose to do their own tune-up. Making sure that these things are changed during a tune-up will drastically improve the performance of any car, and help prevent problems down the road.

NGK Spark Plugs

NGK Spark plugs do not always need replaced, and there are a few ways to check to see if they can go for another 30,000 miles or so. First, if there are no problems because of bad NGK spark plugs, they may not need replaced. To double check, vehicle owners are encouraged to ensure that the gap is what it is supposed to be, and to visually check NGK spark plugs to see if they appear to be worn.

Vehicle owners that are not sure as to whether they should replace NGK spark plugs are encouraged to replace them. Getting a new set will not hurt the car, and it may improve the performance of the vehicle.

Double Check Safety Options

This is the time when everything should be double checked, including but not limited to: windshield wipers, headlights, tail lights, brake lights, and the horn. These parts of the car are a necessity to making sure that everyone riding in the car is safe, particularly in dangerous weather. Headlights can determine whether a driver sees another car coming down the road or not, and may prevent a fatal car accident.

Brakes

The brakes do not automatically need to be replaced, but it is a good idea to take off the tires and give them a quick look while performing maintenance on the car. If the brakes show an excessive amount of wear and tear, and it looks like they may be close to the indicator, it is a good idea to replace them at the time and get it out of the way, although it is not necessary.

Oil change

Every car needs an oil change some time, and this is the one thing that most people neglect. Instead of getting an oil change every 10,000 miles as recommended, some owners never get an oil change. If this isn’t being done on regularly, at the very least vehicle owners are encouraged to get an oil change when they are doing their own tune up. The oil can become gritty and then it will not lubricate the engine properly, resulting in a wealth of damages later on down the road.

Fluids

All fluids should be checked on weekly, or, at the very least, monthly, but most vehicle owner’s ale tend to neglect this important part of maintenance. If this isn’t done regularly, it’s that much more important that it be done during a tune-up. If there is a problem, it should be fixed along with everything else.

Properly maintaining a vehicle is vital to making sure that a vehicle lasts longer than average, and to making sure that everyone in the vehicle remains safe. Simply installing new NGK spark plugs can improve the performance of a vehicle, and making sure that the horn works properly can prevent a car accident, and possible save a person’s life.