I am a true believer in preventative maintenance. If you have been reading my articles for some time, I am almost positive that I have covered almost all forms of vehicle maintenance and why it’s so important. You see, I have a love for cars. Most people tend to have a “preferred” car or a type of car that they love. In my house, we have a variety of makes and models ranging in make, model and year. Over the years I have owned or still own Ford, Chevrolet, BMW, Acura, Honda, Mercedes, Jeep, Volkswagen and many more. Both old and new. I can tell you that as long as you take care of your car, it will take care of you.
In present day, we are looking into hybrid and electric cars. Although, most would think that these vehicle are maintenance free, there are still many items that need to be maintained with both a hybrid or electric vehicle.
Let’s start with the basics. Tires. It is of upmost importance, especially on a vehicle with an oversized battery, to rotate the tires. We recommend rotating the tires every 5,000 miles or every 6 months regardless of miles. This will prolong the life of the tires and allow optimal wear. I mean, we should all try and get the biggest bang for our buck right?
Since we are talking tire wear, once per year it would benefit you to have an alignment check. We have all done it. Driving along and BAM! a pothole the size of Jupiter jumps out right in front of you. Each time we hit a pothole, tap a curb or even take that speed bump a little faster than we should, can affect the steering and wheel alignment. A bad alignment will cause excessive tire wear.
Another system that should be inspected for service every 5,000 miles is the cooling system. Many hybrid and electric vehicles have power inverters and if the coolant becomes corrosive it can create a costly repair scenario. Some of these vehicles also have batteries that need to have the fluid checked also.
Let’s not forget the rubber components. There are so many systems that have rubber components. The obvious, hoses and belts, but there are also axle boots, suspension and steering bushings, hydraulic hoses and even mounting insulators. Maintenance inspections can save you a huge amount of money by catching these things before they fail and cause more damage.
Like I tell my kids, a car, wether it be gas, diesel, hybrid, electric or even pedal powered (bicycle) need love periodically. If you show it love, internally and externally, it will love you and your wallet back.
Since it’s February and the month surrounded by LOVE, it’s a good month to create a habit of showing your car how much you care about it. In the long run, it will thank you for that!
Until next time… Cheers!