Top 3 Car Maintenance Myths

Proper maintenance is needed if you want to protect the investment that is your automobile. Youcertainly want to make the most out of it and it doesn’t come cheap, that’s why you spend even more toensure that it’s in tip-top shape. Spending on car maintenance is good and all, but you may be shelling out more than what’s really necessary. Below are several car maintenance myths that you may bewasting money on. Read up, educate yourself, and start saving your hard-earned cash.

Myth #1: Premium gas is always the best way to go.

Well, not always. The only thing that’s constant about it is that it’ll always burn a bigger hole throughyour wallet than normal gas. You see, not all automobiles have the means to take advantage ofpremium fuel; most would do fine with the regular 87-octane variety. High-octane fuel is designed forhigh-compression engines. So if you don’t drive anything of the sort, don’t bother with premium gas.

Myth #2: Your car battery doesn’t require maintenance.

A car battery may note that it doesn’t entail any kind of maintenance whatsoever. This one couldn’t beany further from the truth. A car battery, regardless of its manufacturer, requires care in order for youto be able to maximize its lifespan. This is also important if you’re not fond of finding yourself in a longand empty highway with a dead battery.

Don’t worry, a car battery won’t ask much from you. All it needs is a bit of cleaning every now and then.Make sure to wipe any dirt from the battery case. Additionally, clean the battery posts or terminals witha brass wire battery brush dipped in mixture of baking soda and water. You’ll have to loosen and removethe black cable then the red cable beforehand, though. And to prevent corrosion, apply a thin coatingof grease to the terminals and clamps. While you’re in the process of cleaning, also inspect the case forcracks of bulges. If there are traces of damage, the battery will most likely need a replacement. Qualityreplacements such as those from A1 Battery Pro are recommended.

Myth #3: Your car needs an oil change every 3,000 miles.

An oil change from time to time is indeed necessary, but not every 3,000 miles. This myth had beendisproved a long time ago, but it somehow persists up to this day. In fact, your car manual would mostlikely tell you to change oil every 5,000 to 7,500 miles to prevent damage to the engine, which is a farcry from the number in the said myth. Anything before that range would just be a waste of money.Some would even recommend to only change oil every 10,000 miles (still without causing damage to theengine) in order to save even more cash. Read this for a step-by-step procedure to on how to properlycheck your vehicle’s oil.