2013 Audi A3

Maintenance Alert: Tips For Keeping Up Your Car In College

 
1 1,106 views Jan 31, 2010

Engine - 2007 Nissan Sentra 4-door Sedan Manual SE-R Spec V

Engine - 2007 Nissan Sentra 4-door Sedan Manual SE-R Spec V

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For most of us college is an expensive proposition, one that sometimes takes the majority of our funding. With funds wrapped up in higher education and the pursuit to obtain a career direction that will serve us for the foreseeable future, replacing a car is normally out of the question or difficult at best. In the spirit of helping college students stay on top of their car maintenance, we have put some tips below to keep your ride in tip-top shape. 

Regular Oil Changes: Make sure that you get your oil changed at your cars specified intervals. This information can be found in your owner’s manual by looking in the index. You can also find the information on websites like DriverSide.com. Recommendations for service facilities can be found at our link here. Remember, the standard rule is every 3 months or 3000 miles.

Check Tire Pressure: Tire pressure is more important than people realize, especially to keep your vehicle safe on the road. For those okay with checking your tire pressure on your own, be sure to use the information normally found inside the lip of the driver’s door. That information is the manufacturer recommend tire pressure and is more reliable than that on the side of the tire. For those not comfortable with checking your own tire pressure, be sure to have it check every couple of weeks. Most Walmart, Discount Tire, and some gas stations will perform this service for free. Proper tire inflation can also lead to better gas mileage.

Wash Your Vehicle: Giving your ride a good scrub will not only help it last longer, but keep you from gunking up your clothes when trying to enter and exit the vehicle; no one likes getting something all over there good club outfit…er study outfit. You don’t have to go to an all out detail shop, a drive through gas station car wash will do. This is especially important in the winter when there is a lot of chemicals that can eat away at the finish and underside of your vehicle.

Follow Regular Maintenance Schedule: This is more than just oil changes, this includes when to have your transmission fluid changed, radiator fluid flushed and major components checked like your cars timing belt. This information can also be found in your owner's manual or again at websites like DriverSide.com. Alternatively, you can find dealers in your area here or other reputable service shops here.

 

Bottom line—the better you take care of your wheels, the longer they will last. Besides, there is nothing worse than getting a new car and college and having it all dinged up by senior year.

If you have time, check out our parking tips that might help you score rockstar parking at your campus.





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Comment (1)

  1. monumentalworkx avatar Theodore Polo Posted: 7/27/2010 3:40am PDT

    Thank you for sharing your tips on how to properly maintain one's vehicle without having to spend a lot. The reason why we purchase cars is because we need to go places safely and without having to experience heavy traffic all the time. It is convenient to drive a car especially during extreme weather conditions. Cars assist us in so many ways and so it is but proper to return the favor by maintaining their performance.
    http://www.monumentalworkx.com
     
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