Many used cars available today give new meaning to the old used-car come-on, "Like New." A lot of them really are like new, thanks to the large quantity of high quality cars being returned to dealerships at the end of their lease terms. Whether you buy almost-new or truly-used, it is important to take good care of the vehicle. Once it's yours, the key word is maintenance.
Doing Maintenance
Simply put, maintenance is keeping your car working well and looking good. There are basically two maintenance theories: do-it-yourself and let-someone-else-do-it. Most do-it-yourselfers have a fundamental knowledge of how an automobile works and how to keep it working. They can, and most prefer, to do routine maintenance like changing the oil or replacing spark plugs. They have an intimate relationship with WD-40 and seem to enjoy getting grease on their new sweat suits.
Used cars, as you might suspect, require more attention than new cars. Even those in the let-someone-else-do-it camp who have bought used cars have a number of tasks they must do regularly to keep that vehicle in good condition.
Do-It-Yourself Tasks
Even the person who has trouble finding the car's gas tank can do some simple, but essential, maintenance checks.
Tires
Belinda, who has trouble keeping track of which guy she's dating at the moment, is a stickler for keeping tabs on anything that could go wrong on her old Honda Civic. Every time she puts gas in the car, for example, she whips out her tire tester and promptly checks the air pressure in all four tires. Belinda bought this tire tester at a parts supply store and carries it everywhere with her. She's afraid the one at the gas station won't be accurate, or there may not be one there at all. This simple tire check ensures Belinda of the best possible steering and handling, equal wear on the tires, and good fuel consumption. Since she usually puts gas in her car first thing in the morning at a station close to where she lives, she checks her tire pressure at the most opportune time. After the car has been driven for awhile, the tires heat up and the air expands so the reading isn't accurate. Because outside temperatures affect tire pressure, it is important that this simple maintenance check be done regularly. Be sure to take a minute or two at least once a month to do a tire check. The recommended pressure for your car's tires is in the vehicle's owner's manual. No manual? Look on the tire's sidewall. You might also find the information in the glove compartment or on the driver's door.
Even if your tires are warranted under a protection plan such as that offered by Volvo Certified Pre-Owned Car Program, it is necessary to perform regular maintenance to keep the tires functioning properly and to ensure the validity of the warranty.
Windshield Wipers
Another important maintenance check do-it-yourselfers will find easy is keeping an eye on the windshield wipers. This may sound trivial, but being caught in a sudden downpour with worn, cracked or dirty wiper blades will quickly illustrate the importance of this simple maintenance check. A brief inspection of the wiper blades while cleaning off the windows will do it. Replace the blades once a year. If blades are purchased a parts supply store, ask for advice on how to put them on. And don't forget to keep the windshield wiper fluid full. Dirty windows are a safety hazard.
Veteran race car driver Lyn St. James wrote an excellent car care and more book that was first published in 1984 and reprinted in 1989, so it could be about the same age as the used car you're buying. Appropriately titled "Car Owner's Manual," the book spells out, among other things, the importance of simple, but regular, car maintenance. St. James feels strongly about developing good car maintenance habits, such as keeping the car clean.
Cleaning
"In racing," says St. James, "we always say the best-looking cars are the best running cars. I can't overemphasize the importance of keeping your car's interior and exterior looking clean and sharp. Not only will you enjoy driving more, but your efforts will pay enormous dividends when you sell or trade in your car."
Vacuum the seats and carpets frequently with a good home vacuum or a coin-operated machine at the car wash. "Small, battery-operated vacuums simply won't do the job," says St. James, who also reminds us to remove the floor mats for a thorough cleaning. Other parts of the interior requiring care include the dashboard, door panels and ceiling.
"The most obvious sign of a well-maintained car is a bright and shiny exterior," says St. James. She suggests washing your car regularly and offers numerous suggestions for self-washers. "Use a non-detergent soap made especially for waxed surfaces or a liquid soap used for dishwashing by hand," she advises. "Start washing your car from the top and work down. The wheels and tires should be washed last. Spray water up inside the wheel wells and under the rocker panels. Salt and debris can get trapped there and cause rust." St. James also recommends working in the shade or in your garage, out of the damaging sunlight. Apartment dwellers can find all the amenities for a good car cleaning job at do-it-yourself car washes.
Head Lamps, Tail Lights, Brake Lights And Signals
One of the most often over-looked simple maintenance tasks is checking that all the lights are in working order. Other drivers might remind you that a headlight is out or a turn signal doesn't work with gestures like flashing bright lights or angry hand signals. A traffic officer might also offer a reminder with a citation. The law requires that all vehicle operating lights work properly. But such unpleasantness can be prevented. Simply enlist the help of a friend or neighbor to check head lamps, tail lights, brake lights and signals as you sit in the car operating them. If a bulb is out and you can't, or don't want to, replace it yourself, a repair person will do it for very little cost.
Checking Fluids
In the old days of service stations, whenever gas was purchased, the attendant checked the oil and washed the windows while the gas was pumping. Sometimes, he (not many women worked in gas stations in those days) would also check the water in the radiator and the brake, transmission and power-steering fluid levels. In today's fast-paced world, most drivers make quick stops at handy stations only to fill up with gas; they seldom see an attendant at all. But it is not only gas that keeps a vehicle running, it's brake, transmission and power-steering fluid, water in the radiator and coolant. Checking these fluid levels is an essential part of good car care. It is a quick do-it-yourself job for many people. The owner's manual will describe everything you need to know about checking these fluids, such as where the dip sticks are that determine the level of the fluids and what kind of fluids to use if they are low. For the technically-phobic, from time to time it's worth the higher price of gas at the full service bay to have the fluids checked. All fluid levels, especially the oil, need to be checked about once a week.
Let-Someone-Else-Do-It
Some maintenance chores are best left to the experts. But leaving the work to others still requires some effort on your part. What happens to your car is your ultimate responsibility and the best way to handle this responsibility is to keep a record of all maintenance and repair tasks performed by you or by others. While our concern in this segment of the New Car Buying Guide Used Car Buying Guide sponsored by Volvo Certified Pre-Owned Car Program is with maintenance, not repair, timely concern about maintenance will make future sessions with a repair person much less expensive by helping to identify potential problems before they occur.
Use a small notebook that will fit in the glovebox or buy an auto maintenance log at the store and customize it. Keep a record of all maintenance done on the vehicle -- the date the oil is changed, when the wiper blades were replaced, the date the brakes get checked. In addition to these basic notations, add anything the service person may have said, like "the brake pads will need changing soon." This notebook should also contain a record of fuel economy. Fuel usage is like a thermometer. If your car starts using more gas than normal, it could be a signal something isn't quite right. Mention this fluctuation to your service person.
Maintenance Checks and Tune-Ups
A good relationship with a mechanic or service person is critical to the piece of mind of any car owner. For the used-car owner it is even more important. Ask friends at work and elsewhere who they recommend. Visit a couple shops to see how you are treated. This trip will also show how clean the place is, how busy they are and other useful information. If there's a classic car poster hanging on the wall instead of a "girlie" calendar, it's a good sign the service person is either a serious car guy or a woman.
Most auto service shops offer specials on tune-ups and other service work. These specials are usually advertised in flyers stuck in the mailbox and are a good reason to sort though that junk mail. Try one of the maintenance tune-up specials or a brake service check. If the service people are courteous and do what you consider to be a good job, go back again for other routine maintenance.
Be sure the maintenance special you buy includes the basics: new spark plugs, idle and time set (if necessary), charging system and battery check, Positive Crankcase Valve (PCV) and ignition system inspections, and air-filter replacement. Many shops will test drive the vehicle themselves as part of this check-up. Ask about that service. A complete maintenance tune-up needs to be done every 20,000 miles, more often (at least once a year) if most driving is stop-and-go in the city. This tune-up should include the above routine inspections plus checking the hoses, fan belts, brakes, wheel bearings and shock absorbers. Have the tires rotated at this time also.
Lube, Oil and Filter
Changing the oil is a popular task of auto do-it-yourselfers, and one of the least expensive for let-someone-else-do-iters. Just don't forget to do it about every 3000 miles. The oil change should include replacement of the oil filter to assure smooth running of the vehicle. A lube, oil and filter special can usually be found for under $20.00. Clean oil ensures longer wear of the internal parts of the engine. Lubrication of the chassis helps prevents costly replacement on front-end parts. A vehicle needs lubrication of the chassis at least twice a year, regardless of weather conditions.
Air Conditioning
Remember to keep a close check on the air-conditioning system. All cars built after the 1995 model year use environmentally-friendly refrigerants because freon production was stopped at about that time. If the used car you purchase was built in the early 90s or before and requires freon to operate the air conditioning, you can still buy the product. It's just very expensive. Depending on the car's make and model, it may be possible to retrofit the current air-conditioning system to use a more environmentally-acceptable refrigerant. Federal law requires technicians who work on auto air conditioners to be certified by an Environmental Protection Agency-approved training program. They must also be certified in the proper use of freon recovery and recycling. The EPA web site at http://www.epa.gov has links to specific environmental information for the region in which you live.
In Conclusion
Maintenance is the most important word in a car owner's vocabulary. Learn all you can about it. Start by visiting the USED CAR BUYING GUIDE Maintenance section. There is coverage of most types of maintenance and simple repairs. USED CAR BUYING GUIDE even answers specific questions from readers through our FemmeTech section. There are several books written by women filled with excellent information to help better understand how your vehicle works and the maintenance needed to keep it in good working order. In addition to Lyn St. James' book mentioned earlier, check out Mary Jackson's "Greaseless Guide to Car Care" and Lesley Hazelton's "Everything Women Always Wanted to Know About Cars, But Didn't Know Who To Ask."
Living with a car is essential for most of us today for both work and play. Living happily with a car requires playing by some rules -- do simple maintenance checks yourself, keep the car clean, keep good records, have regular tune-ups, and get the car serviced periodically. Do-it-yourself or let-somebody-else-do it. But do it -- because it is important to the reliability and longevity of the vehicle, its long-term value, and your safety.
