Do Not Do This To Your Car

I dread the times a friend of mine travels with me.
Why?
Because he knows cars...a lot.
That means he can tell if something is wrong immediately, or if I've neglected to keep up on regular maintenance.
Annoying, but I know he's right.
It could be as simple as the vehicle needs to be washed, or the door hinges need to be lubricated, or the windshield wipers need to be replaced.
Yes, yes, all in good time my friend.

The website CarMD.com did this little survey of mechanics about maintenance mistakes.
I feel I am guilty of a few of these thing, so my friend can rejoice in the fact he's right.
Doesn't mean I'll be getting to them anytime soon though.

The Do Not list includes:
Put off recommended maintenance. 30,000 or 60,000 is the norm.
Ignore the check engine light. I hate that light. When it comes on, all I see is "time to empty your wallet on this problem!"
Forget to check your fluids - oil, transmission, radiator and brakes. I am good on a couple of these!
Not checking your tire pressure or air filter- tires yes, air filter - I tend to forget about.
Drive your car when the engine is overheating. Happened once. That's all it took. I miss that old Toyota Van. RIP.

Your vehicle is a big investment and keeping up on regular maintenance should help keep it around longer.