“Grease it before it squeaks”: How important is routine maintenance?

Routine maintenance is important for everything, including your car. Instead of ignoring a problem until it becomes too big to handle or has serious consequences, take care of even the smallest parts of your life.

In some cases, ignoring or poorly performing simple upkeep can have serious or even tragic outcomes. Obviously, we tend to focus much more on the big issues that simply can’t be ignored, but small things in your life are just as important. Don’t just hope that a problem will go away, and don’t overlook the small, simple steps that can keep a problem from growing. Pay attention to the small details. When it comes to routine maintenance, change the oil in your car regularly; check the batteries in your smoke detector; balance your bank accounts; listen when your children are talking. This will give you the opportunity to stay on top of the squeaks in your life.

As it applies to your auto, you should stay on top of routine maintenance, such as:

1. Read the owner’s manual for your vehicle and follow those guidelines.

2. Change the oil regularly.

3. Check the fluids.

4. Check tire pressure.

5. Check the batteries, belts and brakes.

6. Clean it inside and out.

Taking care of potential problems before they develop can save lives and money.