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It is important to keep your car properly maintained. This will not only save you from unexpected breakdowns but will also ensure your safety as a driver. In addition, timely maintenance can save you a considerable amount of money on gas. Although maintaining every part in your car is important, there are three maintenances that should be your top priority:

Make Sure Your Tires Have Proper Air Pressure

Tire air pressure maintenance is never given much thought. Maintaining the correct air pressure in your vehicle’s tires is as important as getting your engine tuned. If the correct air pressure is not maintained, the tires tend to wear out quicker, resulting in a poor gas mileage and it can also greatly affect the vehicle’s handling. Tire pressure should be checked weekly because tires lose air every day. This is the result of a process known as permeation. In cooler climates tires loose 1 to 2 psi of air every month. In warmer weather the pressure loss is greater.

Change Your Transmission Fluids Regularly

Changing the transmission fluids depends on the type of transmission that your car has. If you have an automatic transmission, you should change the transmission fluids more frequently. With manual transmission the fluid changing frequency is rather relaxed. For correct frequency of changing your transmission fluids you should check the owner’s manual of your car or consult a reputed mechanic. On the other hand, transmission fluid levels should be checked every week. This applies especially if you drive your car under stressful conditions, like slow-moving traffic, which requires more shifting.

Replace Your Timing Belt Every 60,000 Miles

The timing belt is one of the most important maintenances of a car. The timing belt is responsible for running the crank shaft and the valve cams in a synchronized manner. The belt makes sure that the valves do not hit the pistons while opening and closing. If the timing belt gets worn out and misses a tooth on the cam shaft, it could result in a valve hitting a piston. This is an extremely costly failure and will require an engine rebuild. Timing belts should be replaced every sixty thousand miles, ideally.

If you want your vehicle running at its best, it is important that you keep an eye out for these simple maintenances!