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The Importance of Proactive Car Repairs


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The Importance of Proactive Car Repairs

After I started working full time, I realized that I didn't have a ton of spare time to deal with broken cars. I was tired of struggling with the normal sounds and smells that my car was emitting, so I started thinking more carefully about proactive car repairs. I started abiding by the maintenance schedule and carefully reviewing my service records. It was a lot of work, but I was able to make a complete record of my car care and plan for future services. After carefully tweaking my vehicle, I was able to completely overhaul the system and make things right. Check out this blog to find out why car repairs are so important.

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Take Ownership Of Your Vehicle By Learning To Check Your Own Oil

While having a trustworthy automotive garage near your home can help you feel confident about having even simple jobs done to your vehicle, it's important for every driver to take a degree of ownership in ensuring that the vehicle runs properly. If this doesn't currently sound like you, you can change things around by familiarizing yourself with checking your oil. It's a simple process and can be valuable in terms of showing you when it's time to have your oil changed. If you're a complete novice when it comes to this topic, here are the things that you'll need to know.

Check Your Oil Before Turning On The Car

Although there's considerable debate about the best time to check your oil, many experts attest that doing so when the engine is cool is the best approach. This means that all the oil will have accumulated into the oil pan, which should give you an accurate reading of your oil level. Pop the hood before you go out in the morning and look for the colorful plastic ring near the front of your motor -- this ring is connected to the dipstick.

Pull The Dipstick And Wipe It Off

Checking your oil is easy, but you shouldn't simply pull the dipstick ring and check how things look. First, pull the dipstick and give it a thorough wipe with a piece of paper towel, and then return to dipstick to its hole. Wiping it off means that it will be clean when it enters the oil and will give you an accurate reading.

Check The Oil Level

Pull the dipstick and hold it up where you can easily see it. You should see amber-colored oil along the tip of the stick -- check where the oil stops in relation to the engraved lines. If the oil is equal to the top line, your oil level is fine. If it's slightly lower, it's not a major concern because oil expands as it warms up. However, if the oil is excessively low, it's time to schedule an oil change.

Other Things To Think About

When the oil on the dipstick is dark brown or even black, it's a sign that the oil is old and that you need an oil change. Even if you're not due for your oil change just yet, it's beneficial to have the oil changed. Old oil doesn't provide the high degree of lubrication that newer oil does.