A Guide to Maintaining Your Used Car

June 22, 2022

Cars are a big investment, and you want to make sure that investment lasts a long time. One thing to pay attention to on cars you buy, especially used ones: They often come with no maintenance records. If your car came with no records, especially one with a lot of miles on the odometer, then it’s best to make sure it’s up to date on maintenance and cleaning. Even if you buy a new car, there’s still a lot of maintenance that should be done over time to keep it running its best. Here’s a list of used car maintenance items to have done or check for:

Oil change. This is probably the most common maintenance item to keep an eye on for your car. Your owner’s manual or an online search should tell you what kind of oil your car uses. Super Star Car Wash offers oil change services at our four Quick Lube service locations, where our maintenance technicians will help you pick the right oil and send your car on its way with a fresh batch. If oil isn’t changed, the engine’s mechanical parts can become damaged and wear down quicker. Some engines burn or leak oil as well, so it’s a good idea to check your oil and keep an eye on it every couple weeks. Make sure to top it off as necessary. If the engine runs out of oil, it will seize internally and need to be replaced, which is among the most expensive repairs possible.

Coolant flush. Periodically, you should have your car’s coolant flushed. A coolant flush involves replacing all of the coolant in your car’s cooling system with fresh fluid. Different cars need this done at different intervals, depending on your specific model. Without coolant changes, the fluid can become contaminated over time and lose its cooling power. With California and Arizona’s hot weather, the last thing you want is to take a gamble on your cooling system. A bad cooling system can result in overheating, which can cause engine damage or failure. Whenever your car is in need of fresh coolant, Super Star Car Wash’s Quick Lube shops are ready to give your car the coolant change it needs.

Power steering flush. Your car’s power steering fluid lubricates and cools the power steering system, making it easier to turn the wheel. Without this essential fluid, your power steering pump can overheat and die. Some cars have electrical power steering that doesn’t require fluid, but for those that do, the liquid gets dirty over time. This contamination can result in damage to the power steering system if left unchecked. If you’re not sure when your car’s power steering fluid was last changed, Super Star Car Wash Quick Lube can replace it for you.

Transmission flush. If the transmission fails in your car, it will result in a very expensive repair. Costs often reach thousands of dollars for a transmission rebuild or replacement. Keep your transmission functioning as long as possible by replacing the fluid on schedule. This will ensure all the parts in the transmission function properly and reduce the wear on them. Super Star Car Wash Quick Lube is happy to help flush your car’s transmission to make sure everything keeps operating smoothly.

Air filter replacement. Your car’s air filter makes sure dirt and other particles in the air don’t get into the engine. Over time, the filter gets clogged with debris, restricting air flow to your engine. This can result in less power and worse gas mileage. If your miles per gallon drop and it’s been a while since you’ve had your air filter changed, bring your car to Super Star Car Wash Quick Lube for a new one.

Serpentine belt replacement. Your serpentine belt, which are also known as drive belts or accessory belts if your car has separate ones, drive(s) a lot of things. If you like keeping your car from overheating, having air conditioning, power steering, and having enough electricity to keep your car’s battery charged, then you should make sure your serpentine belt is in good condition. The dry weather in Arizona and much of California is harsh on rubber components, so if your belt is due for replacement, Super Star Car Wash Quick Lube can make sure your ride delivers the belt’s essential functions reliably with a new one.

Gearbox Service. Every car has a piece called the differential, which ensures the proper amount of power gets to the wheels after it goes through the transmission. The differential has lubricant, bearings and gears inside that wear out over time. A gearbox service, also known as a differential service, ensures your differential functions properly and keeps your car’s wheels turning. Some vehicles, such as 4-wheel-drive trucks, even have two differentials, plus another piece of the system called the transfer case. More differentials mean all the more reason to make sure you don’t get stranded down a dirt road! Super Star Car Wash Quick Lube offers gearbox maintenance to keep everything working properly in your drivetrain.

Tire rotation. Tire rotations move your tires from one spot on the car to another. Tires get different amounts of strain on them, depending on where on the car they are. The front tires get strain from steering, and on most compact front-wheel-drive cars, from driving the car forward as well. Rear-wheel-drive, all-wheel-drive and 4-wheel-drive vehicles receive wear on their tires differently, but some tires always get more strain than others. Super Star Car Wash Quick Lube offers tire rotations to make sure your tires receive wear evenly, ensuring longevity and a better, more balanced ride for your car.

Cabin air filter replacement. Replacing your cabin air filter may not affect how your car runs, but it ensures you’re breathing cleaner air inside your car. The cabin air filter functions just the same as your car’s engine air filter does; however, instead of making sure your engine is breathing clean air, it makes sure coming inside your car interior is cleaner. Super Star Car Wash Quick Lube offers cabin filter replacements for when yours is worn out.

Light bulb replacement. Every once in a while, your headlight, taillight, brake light, turn signal and license plate bulbs will burn out. Super Star Car Wash Quick Lube can replace them for you. Not only are burned out bulbs a safety hazard, but inoperable lights can also be illegal. Save yourself the hassle of a traffic infraction ticket; make sure your car’s light bulbs are in working order.

As mentioned, all of these services are offered at our four Quick Lube locations. Check out our locations page to find your closest Super Star Car Wash Quick Lube and make an appointment.

And when you need your car washed, all of our locations offer free vacuums to clean out your interior. So what are you waiting for? Head to your nearest Super Star Car Wash today for your automotive needs!