Back to School Car Care Tips For College Students
Car care is important and it's as simple as that. It takes on even more importance as commuter students need their daily driver to get to class and residential students need a ride for the long-haul between school and home. Maintaining your vehicle means that drivers will get a much longer lifetime out of their vehicle. Following these simple tips can keep a coupe, sedan or SUV in tip top shape. It does not matter what kind of car a student owns, they all need love and attention.
Keep An Eye On Oil
The single most important thing one can do to care for their car is to keep an eye on their oil. Depending on age, make and other factors the time to change a car's oil can vary from once every 3,000, 5,000 or 7,000 miles. Consult an owners manual because oil is important. The oil in a vehicle keeps the engine running smoothly and efficiently. Simply spending the cash to get oil changed or doing it yourself can make your car last several more years which makes your auto budget last longer. Many students simply ignore oil changes all together as it costs cash that many can't seem to find. However, keep in mind that letting oil in the engine run dry can cause your engine to stop working - forever.
Air Is Free - But It Can Cost You
Air is all around us - and even in our tires. Keeping an eye on tire pressure is easy and requires a simple air pressure gage which can be purchased at any auto parts store for less than a few dollars. Check the inside of the driver's door to see to what pressure your tire should be filled to. Maintaining proper tire pressure is free if you have a tire pump or just a few dollars at a filling machine at a gas station. Keeping tires properly inflated makes them last longer and defers the high cost of new tires which can run up to $700 for a set on some models. Even more important is the safety aspect. Neglected tires can become stressed, cracked or worn out and blow out on the way to school. In that case, students miss the classes that they are spending thousands of dollars on and risking their lives as highway blowouts can result in disaster.
Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind
Many students don't have the time, money or know how to get problems diagnosed. However, ignoring check engine lights can be a disaster. Take a moment out of your day to bring in your vehicle to have it diagnosed if there is a warning light. Mechanics can insert a small computer into a plug under the steering column and can tell immediately what the issue is. Many do it free of charge, especially if the vehicle will be repaired at their shop. By properly diagnosing issues in a timely fashion they can be taken care of before a student is stranded on the highway with a couch and refrigerator blocking the rear view.
Robert Mathius is a Chicago suburb native who currently lives in Tinley Park. He has a passion for the automotive industry in addition to journalism and works to blend his two passions in his writing. Additional automotive reporting by Robert can be found on Examiner.com.
