Top 5 Costly Mistakes Car Owner's Make when it comes to Vehicle Maintenance

1. Don't Follow the Maintenance Schedule from the Manufacturer. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. This applies to maintaining your car or truck. Following the recommendations for maintenance listed in your Owner's Manual will help prevent costly repairs. If you don't have your Owner's Manual, don't worry. Many shops, like Walt's, can provide a computerized print out of the manufacturer's recommendations for any given mileage interval.

2. Don't change your Antifreeze often enough. Cooling system failure is the #1 cause of roadside breakdowns. Most cooling system repairs can be prevented by regularly flushing and refilling your vehicle's cooling system. Walt's recommends replacing traditional antifreeze every 2 years or 30,000 miles. Just because your antifreeze is still green doesn't mean it is still good. Having your cooling system inspected once a year, including testing your antifreeze, will allow you to avoid costly cooling system repairs.

3. Don't replace your vehicle's Timing Belt when it is recommended. Most vehicles with timing belts recommend replacing the belt between 90 and 100,000 miles. Because the Timing belt is an integral engine component, failure to replace it can lead to extensive engine damage. What could have been a few hundred dollars in maintenance services can quickly become a major repair.

4. Don't check your brakes once a year. Having your brake system inspected once a year will ensure that this key safety component is working as intended. Frequent inspections will allow you to perform maintenance services to your brake system that will prolong its useful life. Too many people wait until they have no brakes before visiting a repair facility costing higher repair bills and placing the vehicle's passengers in potentially dangerous situations. Walt's performs free brake checks.

5. Don't replace filters often enough. Most manufacturers recommend replacing your fuel filter every 15,000 miles. Doing so can help improve fuel efficiency and help avoid costly fuel pump repairs. Changing your Air Filter when clogged or dirty can greatly impact your engine's efficiency which will help stretch your gas dollar.