As a single mom, it’s often the little things that overwhelm us. One of those ‘little things’ is basic car maintenance.
Women make up approximately 3/4 of the automobile purchases in the nation, but only about half of these same women claim to know anything about simple car maintenance.
Your vehicle is one of your biggest investments and will cost the most to replace or repair. With that in mind, it’s time to learn about a little preventative maintenance.
If you follow these tips you can prolong the life of your vehicle and save yourself from being stranded with your little ones onboard.
Basic Car Maintenance – Finding a Mechanic
Your auto mechanic is just like your family doctor. You wouldn’t wait to find a family physician until your child is seriously ill, right?
Well, same thing goes for your automobile. If your alternator suddenly fails and you are left on the side of the road, –that’s not the time to look for a mechanic.
The best way to choose a mechanic is by word of mouth. Ask your friends, relatives, and especially people who you know are frugal with their money (and take good care of their vehicles).
If a person likes their mechanic, they will be more than happy to sing their praises. Once you have a few options written down, make a phone call to find out how much each shop charges for diagnostics. This is important for single moms who are often on a tight budget.
Some shops charge $80-$100 just to inform you what’s wrong with the vehicle. A fair price is about $25.
Basic Car Maintenance – Upkeep
- Regular Oil Changes – Once you have a reliable mechanic, plan out your upkeep. There are several things that will prolong the life of your vehicle. The most important of these is having an oil change every 3,000 to 5,000 miles. My automotive shop has weekly coupons that offer an oil change, filter change, check of all fluids, tire rotation, brake inspection, and battery test for just over $25. If your vehicle has high miles (over 100k) you’ll want to use higher performance oil.
- Maintain Fluids – If you aren’t sure how or where to check your fluids, break out your manual. There should be a diagram with all the fluids and the dipstick locations. Note: The dipstick is where the fluids are checked, but they are actually added in a different location. The fluids you’ll want to pay attention to and check regularly are power steering fluid, radiator coolant / antifreeze, brake fluid, washer fluid.
- Battery Connections – Keep an eye on your battery and look for signs of corrosion around the clamps. Water and baking soda can be used with an old toothbrush to scrub off any corrosion (or you can buy a battery brush). Before cleaning, always remove the battery cables. This is done by loosening the nut that holds each cable clamp. Once it’s loose, you can wiggle it upward until it comes off of the metal post.
- Tire Pressure – Regularly check the air pressure in your tires. You’ll need a tire gauge, which can be purchased at any auto parts store. Your owner’s manual will tell you the proper psi (pound per square inch) recommended for your tires. Keeping them all at the same level improves your gas mileage and provides you with a smoother ride, so this is important.
You’ll also want to check your tires for balding of the tread, nails, or tears. The last thing you want to deal with is a blow out while you are driving. This is not only dangerous, but can be pretty scary.
Besides these tips, you’ll also want to pay attention to noises, leaks, odors and warning lights on your vehicle. If you have a good mechanic that isn’t charging much for diagnostics you’ll be able to take it in whenever there’s a strange sound or warning light to find out what’s wrong.
Take care of your car and it will take care of you. I’ve seen cars go for 200k – 300k miles and the secret is always maintenance.
As a single mom, how are you doing with car care?
Do you take care of these things yourself or do you have a ‘family mechanic’ who helps you with your vehicle upkeep?
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