In honor of National Car Care Month, Honest-1, one of the only national full-service auto care companies that is 100 percent ESA® Certified Eco-Friendly, is offering expert tips for recommended maintenance every car owner can benefit from, based on the auto company’s strategic approach to car care.
Honest-1 suggests
the following tips to help car owners see their vehicles spring back to life:
- Have your car serviced on a routine
basis and you will save a bundle of time and money. All car
manufacturers have a schedule of recommended service for each vehicle they
sell. Follow this schedule. Be sure to follow your schedule for fluid
flushes.
- Check the level and color of all
fluids at every gas refill. If you don't know how to check your fluids
or know what color your fluid should be, then ask your reputable
technician to teach you. Your vehicle's oils and fluids do break down and
require replacement in order to properly lubricate. This can save you
thousands of dollars in repairs to your vehicle and keep it operating
safely.
- Change your oil and oil filter
regularly to protect your engine and improve your gas mileage. Dirty
oil or incorrect grades can increase engine friction, thereby reducing
fuel efficiency. (Consider using synthetic oil which provide better
protection and last longer than regular oil). Honest-1 Auto Care offers
their Eco 360 oil and fuel treatments. Eco 360 protects your engines
internal components from damage, which prevents costly repairs, and reduces
friction, which computes to improved gas mileage and engine performance.
- Change the air filter to protect the
engine by keeping impurities from entering the engine and improve your gas
mileage. When your engines air filter becomes clogged it starves the
engine for air. The onboard computers adjust for this by increasing the
amount of fuel to maintain consistent firing in the cylinders. This can
cause up to 10 percent in decreased fuel efficiency.
- Monitor your brake pad thickness and
do not let them damage the metal parts such as brake rotors and calipers.
This will not only result in more dollars spent on repairs, but could
result in unsafe driving conditions for you and your family.
- Wash your car regularly so that it
will not damage the body or undercarriage of your car. Pollutants in
the air, bugs, tar, salt in air/road, dirt, sludge, and more all damage
your car.
- Make sure to stay on top of alignments.
This will increase the life of the tire and increase your safety due
to improve handling and improve gas mileage.
- Keep your tires properly inflated.
Having low tire pressure causes more drag between your tires and the road,
thereby making your engine work even harder. Improper tire pressure can
reduce the lifespan of your tires and gas mileage by up to 30 percent or
more. Another option is to have your tires filled with Nitrogen which is a
more stable gas. Some of the benefits of Nitrogen in tires are less
fluctuation in tire pressure, reduced tire pressure leak down under
increased temperatures, and longer lasting tire life.
- Rotate your tires at every other oil change (every 6,000 miles). Rotating your tires equalizes tread wear and maximizes the life of your tires.
- Check your wipers and lighting. Check that all interior and exterior lighting is working properly and replace worn wiper blades so you can see clearly when driving during precipitation.
