Regular vehicle maintenance is essential to keeping your car on the road for as long as possible. When it comes to routine maintenance, a few things immediately spring to mind: oil change, brake checks, tire pressure. But what about the maintenance that we tend to overlook? There are lots of parts in your car that you rarely think about, but repairing or replacing them on a regular basis can extend the life of your car. 

At Weston Automotive, we think about all those things so you don’t have to worry about them. Here are a few things that tend to get overlooked that your local auto repair shop should check out.

Alignment

Drivers often only think about their car’s alignment when it is clearly out of alignment. If your car is out of alignment, it will pull to one side and the steering wheel won’t stay straight when it is released. When your wheels are out of alignment, it reduces your fuel efficiency and causes uneven tire wear. To stay ahead of any problems with your alignment, it’s a good idea to have it checked once a year or if you hit a bump or a pothole too hard.

Battery terminals

If your car battery is bad, your car won’t start. Understandably, most drivers don’t want to tinker with their car battery, but you should at least check the terminals to ensure that your car starts when you need it to. If your battery terminals are dirty or the connections are loose, there is a risk that your car won’t start. Over time, dirt and crud from the engine build up on the battery terminals and movement from driving can loosen the connections.

Air and cabin filters

Most cars have two air filters: one for the engine and another for the cabin. Many drivers are good at remembering to replace their engine air filter, but the cabin air filter is often overlooked. The cabin filter keeps pollen and particles from the outside air from entering the cabin. If smells from the outside—like that skunk on the side of the road—linger in your car, that’s a sign that the cabin air filter needs to be replaced. Replacing the cabin filter is something you can do yourself or have done at an auto repair shop when your car is in for other routine maintenance.

Differential service

The differential is the gearbox that transfers the input from the transmission to the wheels. The differential does not need to be serviced very often, but you do want to stay on top of it before it causes a serious problem with your vehicle. It’s a good idea to have a differential service done after 60,000 miles and every 30,00 after that.

Your search for an auto repair shop is over! Contact Weston Automotive at 781-899-0247 to schedule an appointment today.