Lazy Man's Car Maintenance

I am man - watch me be lazy! Hey, you bust your hind quarters all week to make enough money to pay the bills. Who wants to spend their weekend under a car checking hoses and such? Allow me to introduce you to the lazy man's car maintenance guide.

Let's get the disclaimer out of the way. Your car needs proactive maintenance and there is no getting around this fact. It will need the tires rotated. It will need the oil changed. It will need the radiator flushed and so on and so on. You can take it in to the local lube and tune place to get these things taken care of. In this article, we are looking at things you can do with an absolute minimum of fuss. How minimum? Well, let's start with the absolutely easiest of checks - ones you are already doing.

Trust your senses! When you are driving, you are doing a diagnostic check of your car whether you realize it or not. You feel things through the seat and steering wheel. You certainly hear things and you can see things as well. Ask yourself if the car seems to be running normally? If not, then it needs to go to the mechanic.

Let's look at some common things your senses will tell you. Do you feel a rhythm or small shaking through the steering wheel when driving at higher speeds? If yes, then your tires are out of balance. Save them and your suspension by getting them rebalanced

Does your car seem sluggish when you take off from a light or stop sign? If so, the primary cause is low tire pressure in your front tires. When was the last time you checked them? They should be looked at once a month. Go fill them up at the gas station or have them done at the tire shop and get your tires rotated as well.

Does your car seem to have a hump in the drive? Tires again! This time, it means your back tires are underinflated. Back to the gas station and/or tire store!

The next time you park your car, get out and walk about 10 feet behind it. Now take a look at the rear tires. How does the tread look? Is it wearing more to the inside or outside? If so, you alignment is probably in need of adjustment. Do your tires lean in or out? You'll need to get that worked on as well.

Okay, now the hard part for the lazy man. The next time you go home, walk in the house and find a towel or old t-shirt you can sacrifice. Now head back out and pop the hood. Locate the dipstick for your car. Pull it out and lay the oil covered in on the material. If there is no oil, GET SOME! Assuming there is some, check to see if the stain on the cloth falls within the tow marks on the dip stick. As long as it is between them, you are okay.

Now how hard was that? Your car needs basic maintenance as called out in your owner's manual. That's the dusty book in your glove compartment. In the meantime, the lazy man's car maintenance routine should help you avoid any catastrophic problems.

Dirk Gibson is with DCJ Auto Parts - your resource for high performance auto parts and accessories online

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By Dirk Gibson