If you’re looking for value and a smart long-term investment, used cars beat out new cars hands down. And to further minimize your costs and maximize your investment, it may be worth handling some of the easier jobs yourself. The good news is you don’t need to be a mechanic to learn about some preventative maintenance on your quality used car. In fact, you can save (even more) money and hassle with a few easy-to-remember tips to keep your car in good working order year-round.

First things first, read your owner’s manual. Your owner’s manual will tell you everything you need to know to help extend the life of your used car, including recommended scheduled maintenance, what type of fluids work best with your car, what those indication lights on your dashboard mean, and more.

Know the basics. Even a car novice can learn a few basic things that will prolong the life of your car and keep it safe on the road!

• Windshield wipers. If your wipers have started to make your windshield streaky, it’s probably time for new ones. Wipers are relatively cheap and easy to replace yourself.
• Monitoring the health of your tires is crucial for keeping your car safe on the road, as well as ensuring you get better gas mileage. Keep a tire pressure air gauge in your car and check your pressure once a month.
• Every so often, double check to make sure your headlights and brake lights are in working order. And keep them clean! Many auto repair shops sell cheap restoration kits to buffer them back to new.
• Air Filter. Air filters prevent dirt and debris from getting into your engine. An easy way to start getting comfortable under the hood is to replace your car’s air filter by opening the new air filter box, removing the old filter, and popping a new one in its place.

Check your fluids. Even if you don’t ever learn how to change fluids in your quality used car, you can quickly learn how to check them. Some of these easy-to-check fluids include antifreeze, power steering fluid, and wiper fluid. In some cases, you can see the fluid tank level directly, but some will have gauges or dipsticks you can pull out to check current levels.

Stay on top of your oil. One of the simplest ways you can extend the life of your used car without paying for costly maintenance is to check your oil level regularly. Oil provides the vital function of keeping your engine lubricated enough to work. This is another fluid that is easily checked.

Finally, keep track of the maintenance you’ve done to keep your used car in top shape. There are several apps you can download to keep tabs on your vehicle’s maintenance history, mileage, service reminders, expenses, and more.

Are you in the market for a reliable used vehicle? As a premier buy here, pay here dealership in Hampton Roads, The Auto Connection helps people in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Richmond, Eastern Shore, Smithfield, Chesapeake and Newport News, VA get the financing they need to drive away in a quality used car, truck, SUV or van. Find out how easy it is to get a quality pre-owned vehicle of your own with buy here, pay here financing from The Auto Connection.

Get the approval process started from home with our easy online application.

Stop by The Auto Connection today to find your perfect used car. Our Virginia locations include Danville, Norfolk, Newport News and Richmond. Get the approval process started from home with our easy online application.