Minimalist’s Guide to Car Maintenance

This post is part of a sponsored automotive series. All opinions are mine.

Growing up, my dad was always in the automotive industry. This typically meant, he took care of all the vehicle maintenance, selling/buying, and everything in between. When I got to college, I was fortunate enough that this generally stayed the same, however it was more up to me to make sure everything was running okay. I took a “know your car” class in high school which taught me the basics of vehicle maintenance but I was by no means a pro.

After college, I was on my own to take care of things. This is when I started paying attention to things that I really never had before; oil changes, regular maintenance, odd noises or poor performance… the usual culprits. The theory I was always taught was fix it before it breaks and you’ll save yourself money in the long run.

Using this theory, and some help from the pros at this Colorado GMC dealer, I put together a short minimalist’s guide to car maintenance. Now obviously, everyone will have their own take on how they service their own vehicle, but if you’re busy like me and somewhat unfamiliar with what regular car maintenance looks like, then this is a good start for you.

Minimalist’s Guide to Vehicle Maintenance

1) Oil Changes. Though you might not find that you’ll need them every 3,000 miles, if you keep an eye on the oil level and oil color, you will be able to tell when your car will need an oil change. To spread out my oil changes a bit, I opted to switch my oil to synthetic. Typically you can get anywhere around 5,000-6,000 miles in between changes which means less time sitting in the shop and some might say better performance as well.

2) Tire Health. Keeping an eye on your tires can be one of the smartest moves you can make as a car owner. This means keeping up with your tire pressure, alignment, tire rotation and balancing as well. You’ll also want to check your tire tread every now and again to make sure you’re able to grip the road efficiently.

3) Performance. You may notice that your vehicle suddenly seems to be acting up. Whether it’s making a noise it hasn’t made before, or just pulling differently. These are the signs to look for when unfortunately you may want to take your vehicle in for service sooner than later. The last thing you want is for a little problem to turn into a bigger problem and ultimately cost yourself more money in the long run. A little trick you can use is to look at the ground where your vehicle is parked most often. If you see any oil or fluids accumulating, you might want to get that looked at.

4) Brake System. If you notice your brakes squeaking, making odd noises, grinding or taking a while to stop, then you will want to get this looked at as well. Stopping is a critical part of driving and the last thing you want is to not be able to brake properly when you need to.

These are just some of the basics to keep in mind when taking care of your vehicle. I know firsthand how hard it can be to prioritize your vehicle maintenance in your busy life, but just think about how much you rely on it to get you places – on time, and safely. It starts to become a critical part of your life that you need to take good care of!

What tips do you have for factoring car service into your daily routine? I’d love to hear it.