How to: What can YOU do to keep your car in shipshape?

If we could, we’d all prefer our car to be in perfect condition 24/7 — smooth-running transmission, properly-inflated tires, full tank of gas… Sadly, life doesn’t work that way, and our vehicles always seem to break down at the most inopportune times.

Instead of having your car towed to the nearest dealership for repair, we’ve come up with some simple methods you can do to keep your car running as smoothly as possible!

1. Once a month, check your tire pressure! This’ll take an extra five minutes at a gas station if you know what you’re doing, and is totally worth the extra time (it can save your life!). Invest in a tire pressure gauge, and know the amount of air your tire is supposed to have (minimum and maximum). This can be found along the side of your tire or in your owner’s manual, and is dubbed the “PSI” number. Then, just keep an eye out for tire pressure stations at your local gas station. Remember, once a month, and especially before you head out on road trips!

2. Air filters, all cars need ’em. They give you increased fuel efficiency, prolong your engine’s life, and reduce your emissions. Every 12 months, or after 12,000 miles, it’s good to change out your air filter. And instead of giving up your car to busy auto-mechanics, you can do it yourself in about ten minutes. All you’ll need to do is fork over ten dollars at the nearest auto parts store. From there, it’s simply locating the old air filter (black box with metal clips on the sides) and exchanging old for new!

3. Replacing your own windshield wipers mean zero tools, $10-$20, and about 15 minutes of your time. First off, these suckers need to be replaced every 6 months to a year. You know when your windshield wipers aren’t doing their job because, well, they don’t wipe away the rain properly. To change ’em out, simply pop your wipers up so they’re sticking up, and located some form of a small tab under the wiper that allows the blades to slide off, no foul. Different cars obviously yield different wipers, so it might change a little from car to car. Then just put the new ones on, and voila!

4. Changing your oil/oil filter may sound like a daunting task, but it’s really not bad and it saves you so much time and money when you do it yourself! This process will take some tools — you’ll need a ratchet, an oil filter wrench, an oil pan, and a funnel. Some rules to keep in mind: Never ever change your oil when your engine is hot. You can’t just pop the hood after a 400 mile road trip and expect everything to go smoothly. Also, you need to jack up your car, so make sure you know how to use a car jack, or have a buddy with you in case of emergency. Now, the actual process:

A. First slide under your car and locate the vehicle’s oil pan.

B. Unscrew the drain plug and drain all of the oil into your oil pan. Then replace the drain plug.

C. Now slide out from under your car and head back to the engine. Remove the old oil filter with your oil filter wrench.

D. Use new motor oil to lubricate the rubber gasket on the new oil filter.

E. Fill the new oil filter up about two-thirds with new oil.

F. Screw in the new oil filter, using your hands to tighten — no tools!

G. Using your funnel, fill up the engine with the new oil.

H. Then, using a dip-stick, double-check your oil level to make sure there’s enough in there.

I. Get rid of the old oil filter and recycle the old oil at a local gas station.

5. Have you ever experienced your car dying because you left your light on? It’s the worst. Our recommendation? Well, first, don’t leave your car lights on! Second, check your own battery connection! All you need to do is remove the battery cables from your battery (be sure to start with the negative cables first!), clean the posts with a wire brush and corrosion removal liquid (Coca-Cola can work, but it’s safer to use liquid that’s meant for this job), clean the battery terminals with the wire brush, rinse the cleaning fluid with water and dry off, and then re-install your battery cables starting with the positive!

And there you have it! Some easy DIY car maintenance that you can tackle from your very own garage or driveway!