Attention N.C. State commuters, as well as anyone on campus who owns a car: there are certain things you should know about maintaining your vehicle that will significantly lengthen the life of your car and improve your overall enjoyment of the driving experience. These are not trade secrets, but they are the top five things everyone should know about maintaining their cars, with just enough detail included in order to do the job right.

1.      Oil Change. Starting with the most basic consideration of car maintenance, oil changes are an integral part of keeping your car running smoothly. The oil in your car serves a crucial purpose – to lubricate the various moving parts in your engine – but it also cleans, seals and cools the engine in various ways. Now, the classic barometer for when to change your oil is “three months or 3,000 miles, whichever comes first,” but in many newer cars, this is no longer the prevailing wisdom. In newer Honda models, for example, the manual only instructs you to change the oil every 7,500 miles. One further consideration is the type of oil that you use. While user’s manuals for each individual car will recommend a certain viscosity grade — i.e. 10W/40 – some people use different oil during different seasons. Then there is the matter of whether to use regular or synthetic oil, or a synthetic blend. Basically, what you need to know is simpler than all of that. Consult your user’s manual for the type of oil the manufacturer recommends and how often it should be changed. It is in Jiffy Lube’s best interest to tell you to change your oil every 3,000 miles, but that may not be necessary for your car. And about synthetic oil? The prevailing wisdom is not to bother with synthetic if your car is even relatively new because the minimal value is not worth the extra cost. However, when your car reaches the 100,000 mile mark, synthetic oil is proven to help extend the life of your engine.  2.      Tires. As you drive your vehicle on a daily basis, your tires are slowly wearing away, but they do not all wear down equally if left to their own devices. If you have a front wheel drive car, for example, your front tires will wear much faster, especially if you accelerate quickly off the line. To prevent your tires from wearing out unevenly, tire rotation is recommended about as frequently as oil changes, or every 3,000 to 5,000 miles. You can have this done at the same time as an oil change, and sometimes it is even included in the cost. That way, you won’t be driving on what my Grandmother liked to call “Baloney Skins” any time soon. Maintaining proper tire pressure and monitoring tread wear are also important things to do to prevent skidding or loss of control, and you should consult your manual for those details.  3.      Brakes. Everyone has heard their friend’s beater car squealing to a halt as it pulls up at your house, right? It’s embarrassing, sure, but not maintaining your brakes can also be rather dangerous. Far before they become dangerous, however, they will become sonorous. Some newer cars actually have sensors on their brakes that artificially create the sound of squealing brakes to let you know it’s time to change your brake pads. And when you hear that squeal, either actual or simulated, you should take your car in before you do damage to your brake rotors and have to pay a lot more for the repair. As a general rule, however, I have heard that every 25,000 to 35,000 miles, you should have them changed. The key here is to find a repair shop that you trust that will tell you honestly what condition your rotors and pads are in. Good luck!  4.      Various Fluids. Fluids are another important aspect of keeping your car running smoothly and well. There are either four or five crucial fluids to check, depending on your car’s transmission type. In automatic cars, which are most common these days, you need to check the transmission fluid regularly. Keeping your transmission fluid at the proper level will prevent your transmission from failing, which is a costly repair. To check this or any other fluids, you first need to locate the container that holds that particular fluid inside your engine. There is no exact science to this as all cars are different, but your manual will usually contain a diagram, and the Internet is also an excellent resource. When you have located the fluid container, carefully unscrew the lid and using a towel or rag, wipe off the attached dipstick until it is clean. Next, reinsert the dipstick in one motion and pull it out again. Each dipstick will have markings on it telling you where the fluid level should be, and you can then compare what should be with what is. The other important fluids to check are: coolant, brake fluid, power-steering fluid and windshield washer fluid. This will prevent overheating in the summer, sundry braking and steering problems, and that ever-frustrating situation where you have a filthy windshield and your “squirters” aren’t squirting.  5.      Cleanliness and Windshield Wipers. It may seem like a solely aesthetic consideration, but keeping your mirrors and windows clean is of the utmost importance to visibility. Seeing what is ahead, around and behind you is probably the most important aspect of safe driving because without data, decision making is impossible. Therefore, you should be particularly concerned about dirty windows and mirrors, for they can obscure your view of surrounding traffic and other drivers that may not be as careful as you hopefully are. The windshield is obviously the most important, so make sure your windshield wipers are new enough to do their job, and also pay attention to the inside of your windshield, which needs to be wiped down more often that you would think. Mirrors and other windows are also important data sources, so keep them clean as well.Keeping your car clean and in excellent running order affects both the way you drive and how you feel about your vehicle. We spend a good portion of our lives in our cars, and keeping them in good shape will dramatically improve that experience. Plus, it is something in this chaotic life that is well within your control. And while it’s hard to give advice on where to park once you arrive at school, these tips will dramatically improve the experience of getting there, allowing you to commute in style. After all, the journey is everything.