Jump to Inventory

So, you’ve chosen the perfect used vehicle for yourself and your family and driven off the forecourt. Whether you opted for a truck, a station wagon, or a smaller vehicle, chances are that your car is a big investment. You may need to rely on it for several years. Regular essential maintenance is the key to achieving that and keeping your car looking sharp.

On top of ensuring your car runs reliably, essential used vehicle maintenance will also save you money in the long term. It allows you to spot problems early and fix them cost-effectively. Caring for your car will extend its lifespan and help retain its value until you’re ready to look for another vehicle.

Plus, giving your car the attention that it deserves doesn’t need to be difficult or time-consuming. In this article, we take a look at what basic used vehicle maintenance encompasses and how to get started. It’s easier than you think. Having said that, don’t worry if you’re too busy to maintain your car yourself. The team at Arrow Point Auto Mall is here to advise you and lend a hand when you need it.

Let’s get started with five key parts of essential maintenance:

• Oil and filter changes
• Checking and replacing fluids
• Looking after your tires
• Maintaining your brake system
• Caring for your battery

Regular Oil and Filter Changes

Oil and filter changes are among the most basic types of vehicle maintenance, but their impact on the longevity of your vehicle is enormous.

Let’s start by looking at oil changes because they are arguably the most essential component of vehicle maintenance. Most car manufacturers recommend intervals for renewing your engine oil. Every 3,000 miles is one of the more common recommendations. Regular oil changes extend the lifespan of your car’s engine and improve its performance.

Clean oil also helps your vehicle achieve or maintain its peak gas mileage, saving you money in the process. Ask our team to show you how to check the oil level on your used vehicle and which oil we recommend to help keep your car running at its best.

Don’t worry, we’re not expecting you to take over from our highly qualified and experienced service team. Of course, our Arrow for Life lifetime engine guarantee includes oil changes and oil filter changes.

Oil filter changes are just as essential as oil changes. As your oil filter gets older, it can become clogged and reduce the amount of oil passing through and into your engine. Without oil, your car’s engine can’t run optimally. Over time, a lack of good-quality oil can severely damage it. That’s why we routinely check the health of your oil filter whenever you visit our service center at Arrow Point Auto Mall. Schedule an appointment today!

Checking and Replacing Fluids

Oil and fuel are not the only fluids that are essential to keeping your car running reliably and your engine in top condition. So, let’s look at checking and replacing transmission and brake fluid, coolant, and power steering fluid.

Transmission fluid: transmission fluid is essential for your gearbox, whether you’re driving a manual or an automatic vehicle. In a manual gearbox, transmission fluid prevents bearings and metal parts from grinding down when they’re moved. If your vehicle has an automatic transmission, transmission fluid provides the friction and pressure necessary for things to work well. Without it, your car would literally grind to a halt.

Brake fluid: when your foot presses down on the brakes of your car, brake fluid transfers that movement to your brake pads. In a nutshell, brake fluid is essential to keep your car working well and running safely. If our team finds that brake fluid levels are low, it’s often an indicator of an underlying problem with your brakes. Keep reading to learn more about that.

Coolant:as its name suggests, coolant keeps your vehicle’s engine from overheating. Most coolants are made from a mixture of antifreeze and water that circulates in your engines and absorbs excess heat.

Power steering fluid: have you ever driven a car without power steering? If not, please take our word for it – it’s hard to turn even a gentle corner. Power steering fluid makes driving used vehicles easy. Checking its level regularly prevents damage to your steering system.

Tire Maintenance

Now that we have made sure your vehicle’s fluids are topped up and filters are clean, it’s time to look at your tires. If you’re not generally a car person, looking after oil levels and transmission fluids may seem like a bit of a stretch. However, few aspects of vehicle maintenance are as simple as keeping an eye on your tires.

When you buy a used vehicle from Arrow Point Auto Mall, our team makes sure that your car is fitted with high-quality, safe tires ready to take you anywhere. When you make an appointment with our service technicians, they will check that your tires are properly aligned and inflated to the right level. Tire inflation is something that you can check every day simply by looking at your car.

Alignment is a little more complex. In short, aligning your tires is about tuning your suspension to ensure you can drive comfortably and efficiently with all tires wearing evenly. What throws alignment out of balance? Potholes and hitting curbs are all it takes. This is why we routinely check tire alignment when you’re visiting our service center.

The tread on your tires allows them to grip the road safely and enhances traction. It also helps you to accelerate and brake more efficiently as well as increasing the number of miles to the gallon you get. To ensure your tires remain safe, we use a tread depth gauge to check for excessive wear.

Lastly, you may want to consider rotating your tires from time to time. Despite optimal inflation, alignment, and ideal tire tread, your tires may wear unevenly. Rotating them from back to front and left to right helps balance this type of wear and tear and keeps your tires running for longer.

While not difficult, changing tires can be time-consuming, so don’t hesitate to ask our team for help.

Brake System Inspections

You don’t need to be a car expert to understand the importance of maintaining your brakes. When brakes start to fail, driving becomes unsafe. Brake system inspections are essential parts of any service we perform at Arrow Point Auto Mall.

We’ve already mentioned that low-level brake fluid can be a sign of brake wear. Other signs include squealing noises when you’re trying to stop or extended braking distances. Both point toward brake pads wearing down. If you start feeling your car pull to one side or feel pulsating movements in your brake pedal, it’s time to visit our fully-stocked service center.

Like your tires, your brakes are essential for safe driving. Dents and paint chips are cosmetic repairs that can perhaps wait a little. But if you feel any change in how your vehicle is braking, don’t hesitate. Make an appointment today to have an expert examine your brake system.

Battery Maintenance

How important is it to maintain your car battery? Simply put, a weak or dead battery will make it challenging, if not impossible, to start your car. If that’s the vehicle you’re relying on to get to work on time or drop the kids off at school, looking after your battery is critical. Most modern car batteries last around three years. However, with a little extra care, your battery could serve you well for as long as five years.

Regular car battery maintenance includes checking the voltage and making sure the battery’s terminals are clean and free from corrosion. Checking for corrosion is simple: look under the hood of your car at the terminals of your battery. If you can spot white, green, or blue powdery residue there, you have some corrosion.

Professional battery cleaning fluids and a wire brush will help you remove the corrosion. Alternatively, simply make an appointment with our qualified technicians and let us take care of your car battery for you.

Arrow for Life

Used vehicles are a great investment for families and individuals alike. At Arrow Point Auto Mall, we pride ourselves in offering you well-maintained and fully serviced vehicles, no matter their age. Plus, we believe that customer service does not end when you drive your vehicle off our premises. That’s why we designed our Arrow for Life lifetime engine guarantee.

The expert team at our fully stocked service center is also ready to help keep your car safe, well-maintained, and reliably on the road. Of course, you can take care of basic tasks like oil and fluid checks or tire inflation yourself. However, if you find yourself too busy or simply feel a little too unfamiliar to take care of car maintenance yourself, don’t hesitate to contact us and schedule a service today.

We’re here for you – whether you simply need some advice or want to book your car in for a full service. Talk to us today and make sure your used vehicle stays on the road for years to come.