What to do when you have collected your new ride

In order to keep your car driving well into older age, you want to perform servicing every so often. Servicing is pretty simple. After the first 5000 miles, you should get a multi-point inspection done, as well as get the tires rotated and inspected. The wheels should be checked for any squeaking noises as well. By now, the engine will be broken in and the car should be running pretty smoothly.

After 10000 miles, your service will include the multi-point inspection and tire inspection and rotation along with an inspection for the high voltage battery A/C filter and an engine oil change with an oil filter replacement. Some mechanics advocate getting an oil change earlier on in the breaking in process, as it helps the engine to reach optimal performance. But most new cars won’t need it done until this point.

If you are buying a used car, there are some specifics that you want to check for. First, you want to make sure that the car is on level ground. This will allow you to see if the car’s frame is sagging. You also want to perform a careful check of the exterior and interior of the vehicle—look to see if there are any scratches or grooves that could reduce the value of the car. Inside of the car, you want to check for damage of the seats and the upholstery.

There might be stains or tears that could reduce the car’s value. Looking under the hood of the car is perhaps the most important. You want to see if there are any dents, rust, or damage that might indicate the car could cause you trouble in the future. In particular, the belts and hoses should be in good condition, and the radiator’s hoses should be hard. If they are soft, or you see any damages under the hood of the vehicle, you should be weary of buying.

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