At Heartland Ford, we love helping our customers find a nice, new vehicle. What’s just as important, though, is helping our customers maintain the car they love so it will stay in commission for a long time. If you neglect regular car maintenance, you will have to pump money into big repairs and your car will rapidly devalue. It’s best to take preventative measures throughout the year to ensure your car will maintain a long lifespan and serve you for years to come.
As we change seasons from summer to fall, we thought it would be a good idea to remind you of a few maintenance tips which will help keep your car in good shape.
1. Change Your Oil
Changing your car’s oil is the single most important thing you can do to extend the life of your car. Oil is the lubricant which keeps the engine running. If your oil levels are low or the oil grows old, it can become dirty and cause your engine to corrode. A simple oil change every six months or 5,000 miles will extend your engine’s lifespan and keep you from spending money on expensive repairs. We have a nice service center at our Heber Springs location which performs oil changes quickly and easily. Click here to schedule an appointment.
2. Check Your Tread Depth
Keeping good tread on your tires is key for safe driving. All the bumps and grooves on the tire serve a purpose. If they wear down, you’ll lose traction and run the risk of a bad accident, especially in rainy or icy road conditions. To check your tire tread, use the penny method. Simply stick a penny upside-down on the shallowest part of the tread. If all of Lincoln’s head is visible, then it’s time to get new tires. If you’ve bought a new car with Heartland Ford, you qualify for Tires for Life. Simply come into the dealership, and we’ll put new tires on your car for free. Click here to schedule an appointment.
3. Rotate Your Tires
Fortunately, you can extend the lifespan of your tires by rotating them. Front-wheel drive cars put more wear on the front tires, so rotating which tires experience that pressure extends their lives substantially. We recommend doing that once every six months. Our service center offers tire rotation for a low, fair price. Click here to schedule an appointment.
4. Check Your Lights
Headlights, taillights, turn signals and parking lights are all critical to vehicle safety. However, it’s easy to overlook them once they’ve gone out. Failing to change a broken light can not only risk your safety, but also cost you a good deal of money if you get pulled over and issued a ticket. We recommend testing your lights once a month to make sure they are in order.
5. Get Your Car Washed & Waxed
There’s nothing like looking at a clean, shiny car just after it’s been washed and waxed. Most people don’t realize that there’s more to washing and waxing a car than simply making it look nice. Washing and waxing protects your car’s paint and keeps it from rusting or corroding. Not only will this maintain your car’s clean appearance, but it will also maintain its value if you’re ever looking to sell or trade it in. You can make an appointment for a car wash and wax at our service center in Heber Springs by clicking this link.
Car maintenance is important, and it’s easy to forget the little things that make a big difference in the life of your vehicle. At Heartland Ford in Heber Springs, we’re always here to help you. Our factory-trained technicians are more than qualified to work on your vehicle and are dedicated to keeping it in tip-top shape. If you ever need anything or have any questions about car maintenance, give us a call or come in and see us. Heartland Ford is always on your car maintenance team.