Ultimate Business Guide
Keep your vehicle hummin' along
By Megan Malugani
What's the key to having a smoothrunning, long-lived vehicle? Nope, it's not luck. And no, it isn't overpaying for a luxury car.
It may seem obvious (and please forgive us if you already follow your maintenance schedule to a "T"), but the key to having a problem-free workhorse of a car is just good, old-fashioned preventive maintenance. In other words, you're asking for trouble if your approach to car care is 'benign
neglect.'
"Once a car starts to make a different noise than it normally makes—whether it's squeaking, rattling over bumps, howling, or whatever—you need to get it looked at in a timely manner," says Bruce Nelson, a co-owner of Virgil's Auto Clinic &
Towing (1101 Second St. SW, 288-3600). "Don't neglect it, thinking it will go away." It's no shocker that you'll probably pay far less for repairs if you address the problem before your vehicle breaks down completely.
Changing your oil according to your maintenance schedule is also an imperative investment in the long-term health of your car. Engines can get clogged up—and then blow up—with oil that becomes "just like tar" if it's not changed regularly. "It doesn't happen right away, but if you neglect it long enough, you won't get the longevity out of these engines that you're supposed to get," Nelson says. Your car is "built to last" if you take care of it. (Oh, and p.s.: That 'check engine' light rarely turns off on its own, either.)