Staying up-to-date with your car maintenance and car repairs can be overwhelming at times. We wanted to make the car ownership process just a little easier for you with these five tips for every car owner. Owning a car does not have to be a hassle. With preventative car care, your car can last for years to come. Here are some things to know about maintenance, repair advice, and what your car needs to stay healthy and on the road. The best advice we can give any car owner is to be ahead of the game and keep your car prepared for anything, especially during this cold winter season coming up!

1. Prepare Your Car for Every New Season.

A good car tip to start off every new season well is to start prepping your car ahead of time. Some basic things to think about are tires, brakes, and fluid levels. If you’re prepping for winter now, check your coolant and antifreeze levels. Your antifreeze will help keep your engine from freezing during the harsh winter temps. If you’re prepping your car for summer, check your air conditioning system to keep your car cool all summer long. Have your air conditioner looked at by a mechanic to check all the air filters and to make sure it’s working fully and efficiently? Think ahead of each new season, and your car will be ready to stand any weather!

2. Know When Your Tire Pressure Needs Attention.

Your car’s tire pressure is one of the top safety features on your vehicle. Good tire pressure keeps your tires from wearing out faster and avoids tread separation, preventing accidents. You can find the recommended amount of tire pressure in your car’s owner’s manual. Many passenger cars recommend 32 PSI to 35 PSI in the wintertime. If you are unsure of what PSI to fill your tires to, check with your local mechanic. You can also check with your mechanic in the process to see if you are in need of any other car repairs.

3. Always Have a Spare Tire.

You never know when you could run over a nail or sharp object in the road or hit a major pothole that will deflate one of your tires. These kinds of situations are unpreventable. You can be prepared and ready with a spare tire in the back of your vehicle. This way, if you are in desperate need of getting somewhere, like during a winter storm or bad weather, you can quickly do it yourself, and then drive to the safest nearby location. You can learn how to change a flat tire in our other blog here!

4. How to get the best car repair service.

Car repairs are stressful enough, so here are some tips to make the process a lot smoother. Number one: Be clear with your mechanic about what’s wrong with your vehicle. Let them know what noise you heard when you started hearing it, etc. The more detailed you are, the better! This way, you save time and money on diagnosing the problem and getting your repair done right away. Another tip to get the best car repair service is to know a little bit about the repair before going in. This will give you more of a sense of what the normal cost is and how long it should take. You will be able to sense if the mechanic is being honest about pricing and such if you do your homework.

5. Find a Trustworthy and Reliable Mechanic.

Lastly, find a mechanic you can trust! This is the best thing a car owner can do to take good care of his/her car. Ask friends and family you trust about what automotive shops worked best for them when they went for car repairs/maintenance. Use online sources as well. Check out their reviews and ratings on Google, Facebook, etc. If you live in the Central Ohio area, our Harris Automotive Repair shops are full of trustworthy mechanics you can rely on!