Car Maintenance Day

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #FallForPennzoil   #CollectiveBias

Last week, I was proud of myself for getting so much done. Sometimes I’m on a roll, and I just can’t stop. I dedicated half of my Saturday to car maintenance. Fall is officially here, which means, holiday travels and a potentially brutal winter are upon us. Now is a good time to get your car ready for the cold months ahead.

If you own a car, you know how important it is to take it into the shop for regularly scheduled tune-ups. Without that maintenance, the life of your car is dramatically reduced.

As a single mom, I don’t have a husband to rely on for oil changes and I think it’s important, whether you are married or not, to have some kind of clue about car maintenance. I know a woman who has never even pumped her own gas!

Having a driveable car is crucial to me since I can’t just rent or buy another car, and public transportation doesn’t reach out to my suburban area. That’s why  maintaining my car is so important to me. Some things I do myself, for others, I let the experts make my life a little  easier.

My first step to car maintenance started with an oil change at my local Walmart Automotive Care Center. I’ve gone there since we moved to Nashville four years ago. I also bought my tires there and always have a good experience.

This time I went with Pennzoil Platinum because it keeps pistons up to 20% cleaner than required by the toughest industry standard and keeps the engine cleaner than any leading synthetic oil.

Also, full synthetic oil performs much better in extreme hot and cold temperatures. If you live in Tennessee, you know how extreme temperatures can be throughout the year. I guess it’s a good thing Pennzoil® Platinum Full Synthetic is now available in the Volunteer State at your local Walmart. Who can forget our last winter? 

My local Walmart is less than ten minutes from my home, and I can drop off my car at the Automotive Care Center for an oil change while I grab everything else I need inside the store.

At home I vacuumed and cleaned the inside, then washed and polished the car.

Next, I replaced the cabin air filter which took less than five minutes and no tools were required. Replacing the cabin air filter can improve the air quality in your car. It had been two years since my last filter change, so it was time. Recommendations on when the filter should be replaced vary by manufacturer. Check your owner’s manual for maintenance schedule.

Basically, the filter is your car’s HVAC system to prevent pollutants, such as dust, pollen, smog and mold spores from entering. The filter can also catch rodent droppings, leaves and other unwanted debris. Changing the air filter is  on my list of  DIY projects. Let me show you how easy it is.

Step #1: Open the glove compartment.

Step #2: Disconnect the arm by pulling it slightly forward and off the shaft it is hooked to.

Step #3: Next, push in on both sides of the glove compartment while pulling it downward until you disengage the stops (red arrow) on each side of the glove compartment.

Step #4: You can now see the cabin filter cover.

Step #5: Grab the cabin filter cover and pull it straight out.

Step #6: Remove the old filter.

Step #7: Replace it with a new filter. Make sure the edge of the filter is tucked under all the tabs on the frame.

Step #8: Push the filter frame back in.

Step #9: Slide the arm back on the shaft.

Step #10: Close the glove compartment. That’s it!

Here are some other things I check frequently:

*Old and worn out  wipers ( I usually replace them once a year).

*Check headlights, break lights. I replace the bulb if necessary.

*Check fluids monthly.

Ladies, don’t put off your car maintenance no matter how busy you are. And gender should not be an excuse.

Walmart Automotive Care Centers in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Tennessee now offer oil changes with Pennzoil® Platinum Full Synthetic.