5,000 Mile Maintenance Tips

Whether you have just bought a new car or are trying to keep your current car on the road as long as possible, it’s important to follow a maintenance schedule. Car parts need love too, and if you ignore the basic upkeep of your car, chances are that you will run into significant problems that can leave you stranded and paying a major repair bill. Putting in a little bit of effort ahead of time to service you car will help you significantly down the road.

Some of these maintenance steps are larger and will be done fairly infrequently (like replacing spark plugs) but others should be done on a regular basis. Here are a few car care steps that should be done every 5,000 miles:

Replace the engine oil and filter. Many people forget about their air filter when they change their motor oil. However, having a clogged or dirty air filter can be just as damaging to the performance of your engine that old motor oil.

Service the Battery: While you might not need a new battery every 5,000 miles, it’s a good idea to have it serviced (such as cleaning off dirty connections). You can also have it tested to see if it is starting to wear down – it’s better to fix it before it dies.

Rotate the Tires: Rotating your tires every 5,000 miles helps to prevent uneven wear caused by improper alignment. In addition, front tires will wear differently than rear tires, and changing positions will allow your tires to last longer.

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