Why You Should Get The Maintenance Records For Your Vehicle

After Buying A Car, Be Aware of this Maintenance Schedule

If you have bought a car, especially a used one, then you’ll want to keep the vehicle running for as long as you can. That means you’ll need to take good care of it, whether it’s two years old or ten. Part of car maintenance is having a schedule for all of the little tasks associated with keeping the vehicle running smoothly, so let’s take a look at some of the things that you should have marked on the calendar so you can schedule the maintenance at the local auto repair shops in Huntington Beach.

The Oil and Oil Filter

One of the first things that you should think about when you’ve procured a vehicle according to an auto repair shop in Huntington Beach Ca is the last time the oil and oil filter were changed. You can ask the dealership for the service records, and this should give you some indication of the next time you’ll need to worry about this essential car maintenance task.

The reason that your oil and the filter need to be changed is that as the engine runs, tiny bits of carbon, dirt, and metal can cause wear on the engine over time. Non-synthetic oil usually has a hard-and-fast rule of replacement after 3,00 miles. These days synthetic oil is often used, though, and it is typically good for 5,000 or even 10,000 miles in some cases.

The Air Filter

As for the air filter, it’s best to switch it out every 15,000 to 30,000 miles. Again, if you’ve bought a used car, then you should ask for the service records to see the next time your car will need attention in this area. A clogged air filter is harmful to your car’s engine, and if you live in a desert or some other dry, dusty environment, you should certainly switch yours out closer to 15,000 miles.

The Fuel Filter

The fuel filter will also affect your engine’s performance. If it gets clogged, then your engine will run rough, or it might stop running altogether. You will have to check the manufacturer’s suggestion for how long your car can go between fuel filter changes, but generally speaking every 30,000 miles or so is a good rule.

You can change all of these filters yourself easily enough, though some of the more complicated aspects of maintenance are better off performed by a qualified mechanic at an auto repair shop in Huntington Beach. At the used car dealerships in Huntington Beach or Orange County, you are better off finding a vehicle that has extensive prior service records, but failing that you can take it to an auto repair technician so that they can assess the status of all of the fluid levels and filters. You need to take care of your used car if you want to get the most use out of it, so don’t ignore these basic maintenance elements.