The cars that we buy today don’t need as much maintenance compared to the cars made from 50 years ago. However, this doesn’t mean that you won’t pay as much attention to your car. Failing to do may cost you a lot of money.

Whether you are just buying a car for the first time or just wanted to update yourself, here are the most important maintenance services to keep your car in its optimal working condition:

• Oil change

People say that the oil is the blood of the engine of your car. The main function of oil is to ensure that the engine parts rotate smoothly. As you use your car, the oil gets contaminated by the exhaust gases or small bits of metal from the cylinders. This reduces the effectiveness of the oil.

The heat of the engine also decreases the oil’s viscosity. If it becomes too thin, it won’t be able to effectively lubricate the parts of the engine, which will cause them to wear out faster. As a result, an oil change is needed. Check the manual of your car to know how often you need to change your oil.

• Cleaning the air filter

Imagine breathing through the socks you wore today. That’s what it feels like when the air filter of your car gets clogged with dust or dirt. The fumes of a defective engine can also contaminate the air filter. A dirty air filter may decrease gas mileage, horsepower, and it may even cause the engine to go rough and stall out. You may need to change or clean your filter more frequently if you travel in places with severe conditions.

• Checking the brake pads

Brake pads experience wear and tear. The rate at which they break down depends on three things: the way you drive, how heavy your car is, and the quality of your brake rotors. If you don’t want to spend too much on bringing your car to a mechanic, there are ways to know if you already need to change your brake pad. For one, if you hear a scraping or screeching sound, it’s already time to change your brake pads.

• Check the quality of your tires

Just like brake pads, the wheels of your vehicle also undergo wear and tear. Between each tread of your wheel are small ridges. When the tread gest even with the ridges, it’s already time to purchase new rubber. As a safety precaution, many states require the thickness of the ridges to be at least 1/16 of an inch. You should be able to check your wheels every month for wear and tear.

Performing car maintenance may be a bit costly and time consuming, but this will benefit you in the long run. You can drive your car around knowing that it won’t break down any minute, making you and your passengers safe all throughout the trip. Ask a professional auto and tire company to help you in taking good care of your car.

Written by the staff at KB Tire & Auto. KB Tire & Auto is the leading expert in auto repair Moberly MO has to offer.