Yes, the forces that manufacture these vehicles set down all the rules and instructions in one place. It tells you what all the lights on the instrument cluster mean, how to adjust everything from the air conditioner to the seat angle and what to do when you have a flat tire.
In addition, it spells out in detail what kinds of fluids the machine uses, where to add them and which lights are visible when they are low. Most importantly this book lists what the owner must do to stay within the good graces of the car maker. If your spark plugs are good for 100,000 miles, it's in there, and if you should change your cabin air filter every 15,000 miles, it's in there too.
Although it may seem counter intuitive to a creature of higher intelligence many owners of these earth bound vehicles rarely read this manual, which necessitates the need for my other four important maintenance facts.
Change the oil
The oil change is the building block upon which all auto maintenance is built. Earthlings need to acknowledge that motor oil degrades over time and that they need to follow the manufacturer's recommendations for renewing it. This can take the form of responding to a handwritten sticker attached to the windshield or scheduling an appointment when the oil life monitoring system signals the need for new oil.
The useful by-product of changing the oil religiously is that a trained professional will be under the hood and underbelly of your vehicle and be able to point out significant issues. This assumes that you have chosen a facility with a skilled staff.
Resolve check engine lights promptly
When you think about one system that monitors all the emission and many of the performance functions of your car and signals when something is amiss, you realize the sophistication of today's vehicles. Unfortunately many people ignore the presence of a check engine light and the results can be costly.
One in ten of the cars on the road are being driven with the check engine light on and half of these have been untreated for three months. These vehicles risk damage to expensive parts like the catalytic converter or as in the case of an evaporative leak, the vehicle could be leaking fuel or fuel vapors into the atmosphere.
Start out with a decent vehicle
Sometimes the worst day in your relationship with a vehicle is the day you bought it. Since the degree of deceit involved in used car sales is beyond belief, the need for a knowledgeable person to evaluate a potential purchase is a prerequisite. A low purchase price should be viewed with extreme caution rather than as an opportunity.
There are many vehicles that are being sold that may never be registered. These include cars that have title issues and those that have been flooded or salvaged. People seeking a decent vehicle at a fair price fall victim to unscrupulous sellers that either entice buyers with lowball prices or mask serious defects. Buyer be aware!
Keep good records
There is much more money to be saved from knowing what has been done to your car as there is from shopping for a bargain. Knowing your car's repair history enables you to ask the right questions when services are suggested. For example, you should know when your timing belt, spark plugs and specific fluids were renewed.
How old your battery is and if the tires are due to be rotated are other bits of information that may cost you money if your mind is a blank. Don't accept the shops suggestions without checking your own records.
While I am not holding my breath for an other-worldly being to ask for this information, I would hope that it can serve as a way to avoid an auto maintenance melt down right here on earth.
Courtesy of Yahoo
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