Routine and Cost-Effective Car Maintenance

Failing to check up on your car's systems routinely can lead to those dreaded trips to the tune up shop that no one needs. Routine car maintenance is simple and can take as little as 15-20 minutes out of your day. Keeping important car materials and checking your car every month can prevent your car heading to the shop.

Before beginning, let your car cool down for about half an hour before checking any of the systems. Start your maintenance by inspecting the outside of your car and making sure that there is nothing out of the ordinary. The other thing to check on the exterior of your car is the pressure of your tires. A tire gauge, which can be bought at most auto stores, is used to check the tire pressure by unscrewing the tire caps and placing the gauge over the tip to get a proper reading. Many smaller cars need a tire pressure ranging from 32-38 pounds per square inch (PSI), but with larger cars such as trucks, a greater pressure might be needed. Most car instruction manuals will list the proper tire pressure.