Basic car maintenance ....

[EdiePA]

Okay, maybe I'm going to sound stupid, but I really don't know this stuff and have never had this responsibility -- my soon-to-be-ex husband took care of the cars.

So, I know that I need the oil and filter done every 3,000 or so miles. But what about everything else?? Like tire rotation, alignment, tune-ups??? How often will it need new tires?? Help!!

I have a six-year-old Ford Windstar van with 72,000 miles on it and I need to baby it as long as possible. The budget just won't cover new wheels!

Thanks,
Edie

 

[DukeStreetKing]

I change my oil every 5,000 miles, not 3,000. I've had cars with over 100,000 miles on the engines, so it hasn't hurt them at all.

I usually get the tires rotated every other oil change. Most automobiles today don't need a tuneup. Just make sure the oil filter gets replaced with every oil change and check the air filter. If it is dirty, have it cleaned or just replace it.

If you have the Maintenance Schedule that came with the vehicle, it should tell you the routine maintenance schedules. Also, it wouldn't hurt to become friendly with a mechanic or with a Ford dealership.

Cars today are pretty well built and Ford makes a great engine. I wouldn't expect you to have too many problems as long as you take care of the van and don't abuse it.