Housing ReliefTo avoid such repairs and keep your car in great shape, make these simple moves.
Use the Right Oil
When it comes to cars, all types of oil are not created equal. You should never guess what type of oil your car uses, as it could cause several costly issues down the line. So if you’re not sure, check the manual.
What can happen if you use the wrong oil? You could cause annoying noises and leaks to spring up, or you could decrease your fuel economy. Worst of all, you could burn and damage your engine, which could keep your car from starting.
Putting Water in Your Radiator Instead of Coolant
Don’t substitute water for coolant in your radiator because you want to cut costs. Doing so will increase your costs in a big way, as water can lead to freezing in a cold climate that could crack your heater core, radiator, or engine block. It could also warp a cylinder head or lead to overheating, none of which are good news.
They sell coolant in most places, so if you must put some water in your radiator, don’t let it sit for long. Just a cylinder head replacement could cost you up to $1,000, while coolant costs a lot less.
Replace Your Fuel Filter
A fuel filter can keep your engine clean. If your filter is old and needs to be replaced, you could experience symptoms like loss of power, stalling, sputtering, hard starting, or poor fuel mileage. And if your filter stops working as it should, it could get to the point that gunk from fuel gets into your engine, triggering the need for a replacement. If that happens, you’ll be looking at an average cost of about $4,000 to $8,000.
Pick the Right Shop
Don’t just pick the first mechanic you see while driving. Thanks to the Internet, it’s easy to see reviews of past customers so you can make the right pick to get solid work done on your car. Besides looking for positive reviews, ensure the shop is certified by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence.
Avoid Cheap Replacement Parts
You get what you pay for, and if you use cheap replacement parts not certified by your auto manufacturer, you’re likely to cause even more expensive repairs later on.
Inflate Your Tires
Keeping your tires inflated to their proper level can increase their longevity, so you don’t have to replace them so often. Properly inflated tires can also prevent blowouts at high speeds and issues when hitting potholes.
Keep Your Gas Tank as Full as Possible
We all have occasions where we’ll whittle down our gas to the last drop. That’s fine one or two times, but besides leaving you stranded when your car stops running, driving on E can stress your fuel pump to the point that it’ll fail prematurely. Since fuel pumps aren’t cheap and can cost $1,000 to replace, refuel before that gas light comes on.
