Big Muny Cars
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Are your tires up to spec? When was the last time you checked the air pressure on your car's tires? How about the tread and wear? Get yourself a decent tire gauge and check the sticker on the driver's side door jamb. This sticker was put there by the manufacturer and lists the correct pressure for the front and rear tires. it is also important to check the tread and wear. What I mean by this is the tread on your tires are the groves. These groves displace elements to give your tires traction, you want to make sure these groves are still able to do their job by being deep enough. A good tire gauge will also have a tread indicator built in. You also want to make sure your tires are wearing evenly. Sometimes these groves will have more wear on the inside, outside or center of the tire. Uneven wear can be attributed to incorrect tire pressure and or misalignment.
This happens every summer. You're driving down the freeway and you see one or more cars on the side of the road with hood up and steam spewing from the engine compartment. Make sure your radiator is flushed on a regular basis(manufacturer's recommendations) to ensure your car's cooling system is in optimal operating condition.
Inspect all radiator and heater hoses. Replace if they have never been replaced if you have 90k or more miles on the vehicle. inspect all drive belts for cracking and tightness. This is a very important maintenance step becasue if you have your radiator flushed and refilled with fresh coolant and a hose or belt fails, you will dump that costly coolant on the ground. Timing belt. A major engine component that is often overlooked or just plain ignored. This should always be replaced at the manufacturer's interval. If your car has 90k or more miles and the water pump has never been replaced, this would be the ideal time to do it.
Have you read your owners manual? If you had your car for six months or ten years or more, you should read the owners manual. Even if you purchased the car with 100k or more miles it is always beneficial to read the manual. It will let you know what type of fluids to use, when to change the fluids and other maintenance requirements. Most people who read their manual for the first time discover features on their car they never knew about.
Keep your locks in working order. Ever noticed how sometimes your ignition lock or door lock is harder to turn and you seem to have to apply a little more pressure? This is because all those tiny components in the tumblers wear and rust also. This happens mostly on older vehicles but applying a little graphite powder periodically will make them last the life of the vehicle.
Finish and Fit! Cosmetic fixes can be just as costly as mechanical repair. Some people take no pride in their ride,but most of us do. Keep your car's paint and trim looking it's best by waxing periodically. Waxing your car twice a year should be sufficient, but if you live someplace where sand and salt are applied to the roads frequently, you should probably double that. Waxing your vehicle can be time consuming and strenuous, but it is great exercise and you'll enjoy the end result.
Tires
Cooling System
Belts and Hoses
Starting and Charging System
Make sure your battery and alternator is in good working condition. A 3 year old battery should be replaced even if it is still starting the car. Today's cars electrical systems are very complex and it is not a good idea to let the battery go completly dead before replacing it.
Want to list your car or a hard to find part on this site? It's only $5 for thirty days!Anyone with internet access can see your product. For more information email your contact info to Teige@bigmunypappa.com.
Summer Maintenance