If you happen to have the extra time to perform some routine vehicle
maintenance, it's a great way to save some cash and put it toward more
important vehicle services. However, a lot of us are guilty of some
common, but not well known, maintenance mistakes. Here's a few of the
more common of these easy-to-make vehicle maintenance mistakes:
- Tire Inflation. Many
times, people take the reading on the tire's sidewall as the recommended
air pressure. Usually, this is the maximum recommended pressure the
tire can withstand, and filling to this pressure could result in a tire
blowout among other things. People assume that higher air
pressure results in better mileage, performance, etc. but it can actually lead to
improperly balanced tread wear as well as a rough ride and decreased mileage. Decreased performance and shorter tire
life are ultimately the results of over-inflating. Rotating your tires will also help with any asymmetrical tread wear.
- The "tune up." Vehicles no
longer need regular adjustment of parts, such as carburetors, ignition
timing, and valve adjustments. New vehicle computers take care of all
these components themselves, leaving only spark plug replacement
associated with the "tune up" moniker.
-
Higher octane fuel. It's easy to assume that higher octane fuel,
because of its cost and some loose associations to certain types of
vehicles, results in better performance and/or efficiency. The truth
is, the octane rating is an indication of the fuel's ability to resist
fuel ignition, also called knocking. New car technology, such as knock
sensors, and OEM's have a recommendation for the proper octane fuel to
be used, so it's important to follow the suggestion in order to maintain
your vehicle's optimum performance.
Check out this article for more maintenance mistakes and how to correct them. If you'd rather have these services done by Parks Mazda, we'd be glad to assist you!
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