October is National Car Care Month

October is National Car Care Month and it's a good time to take car of any overdue maintenance or just get your car ready for the winter ahead. Whether you live in the frigid North or the more temperate South there are steps you can take to ensure that your vehicle remains dependable and in good working order with as few problems as possible in the months ahead.

The best place to start is by finding and reviewing your vehicle's recommended maintenance schedule. This can be found in your car's owner's manual or by contacting your local car dealer or service facility. The maintenance schedule will show what services your car's maker recommends at various times through your vehicle's life. Different cars have different requirements which can vary based on factors such as mileage, climate and driving conditions. Other sources to find your recommended maintenance schedules include websites such as http://www.autoweb.com/ and http://www.icarumba.com/ . If your still not sure what your car needs a qualified technician should be able to answer your questions and help you in making an informed decision.

The most basic and one of the least expensive maintenance procedures is the oil change. This is like a blood transfusion for your car's engine. Oil circulates through the engine keeping internal parts lubricate reducing friction and thus wear on moving parts. When performing an oil change you should always use motor oil with the viscosity and rating recommended by your car's manufacterer. Some engines require a higher rated oil than others because of higher operating temperatures or performance standards. Although some manufacturers recommend replacing the oil filter with every other oil change most technicians agree that the filter should be changed every time the oil is drained. This is bacause not doing do may leave up to a quart of dirty oil inside your engine. While the brand of oil is not important I always recommend using a nationally recognized brand such as Valvoline, Pennzoil, Castrol, etc. Most qualified technicians agree that motor oil and filter should be changed every 3,000 miles.

Another basic maintenance procedure that should be taken before winter is to have the protection level of your antifreeze checkd along with the belts and hoses. If your antifreeze does not provide adequate protection against freezing, or if it looks dirty or rusty it would be a good idea to have the cooling system flushed and refilled. This can be done at home with a kit purchased at your local auto parts store, simply follow the directions on the package. When refilling the cooling system make sure that you use the type of antifreeze specified by your car's manufacturer, as using the wrong antifreeze can cause severe engine damage. Also, you should use about a 50% mixture of antifreeze and water as antifreeze alone will actually freeze at a higher temperature than when mixed with water. If your belts looked cracked or frayed, or if your radiator hoses are soft and swollen they should be changed as well. Again, this can be done at home, but it's best to have work performed by a professional technician if your not sure about what to do and don't want to damage your car.

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