Whether you've purchased a new or used vehicle, and whether it's your first or fiftieth car, it's a good idea to consider how to properly care for your car to keep it on the road for years to come. Modern cars are complex machines that require regular maintenance and care to remain safe and reliable. Parts wear out, things get dirty, oil needs changing, and if you don't know when and how to perform maintenance, you could end up costing yourself more in the long run with unexpected repairs due to your own neglect.
Lucky for you, the editors of Car and Driver have been poking around garages and talking to dealership service advisors since 1955. Here's a step-by-step guide to the basic auto maintenance questions we get asked most often, which will help even first-time car owners keep their cars running like well-oiled machines.
Maintain your tires
Perhaps the most important safety feature of a car, regardless of its age, is its tires. Ideally, you want a matching set of tires with generous tread and a climate rating that's appropriate for the driving conditions in your area. With worn tires, something as simple as a summer rain can turn the roads into a hazard, so here's how to make sure you have the grip you need every time you drive.
How often to change your tires / How to know when you need new tires
In general, a set of tires should last between three and six years and up to 80,000 miles, but this varies greatly depending on how you drive, how many miles you drive per year, and what type of vehicle you have. The best practice is to check each tire regularly and look for signs of excessive wear, bald spots, or bulges in the sidewall. If you notice any of these items, make it a priority to purchase a replacement set.
Tires come with tread wear indicators, but there's a fun, old-fashioned way to tell if your tires are too worn. Take a penny, turn it upside down, and put Lincoln's head between the treads. If his head is partially covered, you should be good to go.
How often to rotate your tires
Most car manufacturers will have a specific recommendation in your car's owner's manual for how often you should rotate your tires. This could be once a year, once every 10,000 miles, or at some other specific interval. You can deviate from these guidelines, but if you decide to rotate on your own schedule, it's recommended that you do so regularly so that the tires wear as evenly as possible. Note that not all vehicles require tire rotation. Some - usually performance vehicles - use different sizes of front and rear tires, which makes rotating these tires a big no-no. The good news is that these cars often have dynamic driving advantages. The bad news is that the tires on these vehicles have a shorter lifespan because they're axle-specific.
How/Where to Inflate Your Tires
A tire is only as good as the air in it, so it's important to keep an eye on its pressure. Most new cars have sophisticated tire pressure monitoring systems that allow you to see the air pressure of each tire in real time.
Some have a less high-tech version that illuminates a warning light when one or more tires are low, but leaves the guesswork to you to figure out which one or ones need a good once-over. If you think you have a low tire, there's an easy way to check, and it requires nothing more than an inexpensive tire pressure gauge-a tool that's a must-have in every car's glove compartment.
First, check the label inside the driver's side door jamb for the manufacturer's recommended tire pressure for your vehicle. It should be listed in PSI (pounds per square inch). Next, remove the protective plastic cap from your tire's valve stem and press your pressure gauge down onto the metal tip. Your gauge will show the PSI reading of the tire. If it's lower than recommended, it's time to fill it up.
We recommend keeping a portable air compressor in your trunk for just such an occasion. Our Gear Team has even tested a number of them to find out which ones work best. If you don't have one, there are public places you can go to get air, like gas stations and tire shops.
But be very careful if you are driving on a low or flat tire. In the latter case, it's best not to drive at all and call a tow truck instead. Public air compressors often won't work unless you put quarters in them, so it's a good idea to keep a few dollars in coins in your car just in case.
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