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Testing Autos: Know your car - Car care explained

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Technician explaining repairs

10 ways to spend less money on car repairs - insider tips

Maintaining your car is not cheap, but there are always ways to save. You already know that by selecting a reputable shop and keeping up with your oil changes you can avoid many expensive repairs, but what else you can do?

Test driving a used car

10 tips on how to spot signs of problems when test driving a used car

A test drive is an important part of the used car buying process. During a test drive, you can catch some signs of problems with the two most expensive to repair components: the engine and transmission.

Engine Maintenance

Does your car really need all the maintenance services and "flushes" that your dealership or repair shop recommends? For example, what is a throttle body and why does it need to be serviced? What are the signs that your car need new spark plugs or tune-up?

Adding oil

How often should you change oil in your car?

Checking oil

How to check the oil level in your engine and read the dipstick

Air filter

What are the signs that your air filter needs replacing?

Drive belt

Signs that a drive belt need replacing?

Timing belt

When does the timing belt need to be replaced?

Water Pump

When does the water pump need to be replaced?

Timing chain

When does the timing chain need to be replaced?

Spark plugs

When do spark plugs need to be replaced?

Throttle body

When does a throttle body need to be serviced?

Valve cover gasket

When does the valve cover gasket need to be replaced?

Tune-up

How often does a car need a tune-up?

Battery and Electrical

Car battery

When does a car battery need to be replaced?

Current draw

What can cause a car battery to drain?

Starter

When does the starter motor need to be replaced?

Side mirror

Broken side mirror: What are the repair options and cost?

Key fob battery

When does the key fob battery need replacing?

Phone pairing

Why a phone won't pair with a car Bluetooth

Transmission and Drivetrain

Transmission fluid

When to change your automatic transmission fluid?

Wheel bearing

What are the symptoms of a bad wheel bearing?

CV axle

When does a CV axle need to be replaced?

axle seal

When does the axle seal need to be replaced in a car?

Rear differential

How often should gear oil be changed?

Chassis, Suspension, Steering

Struts

When struts and shock absorbers should be replaced?

Control arm

Control arms: when to replace?

Tie rod end

When does a tie rod end need to be replaced?

Coil spring

Coil springs: problems, when to replace?

Sway bar link

Sway bar links: when to replace?

Wheel alignment

How often should the wheel alignment be done?

Undershield

When to replace engine splash shield and fender liners?

Ball joint

When do the ball joints need to be replaced?

Top strut mount

Top strut mounts and upper shock mounts: when to replace?

Rusted car

Should you rust proof your vehicle?

AWD, 4WD

Transfer Case

When transfer case oil should be changed?

Transfer Case

Are AWD cars more expensive to maintain than FWD?

Wheels and Tires

Tires

When should tires be replaced?

Balancing Tires

When do tires need to be balanced?

Wheel locks

What to do if a wheel lock nut key is missing or broken?

Brakes

Tires

Why does the steering wheel shake when braking at high speed?

Brake service

How often do brakes need to be serviced?

More Articles

BMW

Buying a used BMW: models, ratings, common problems

Nissan GT-R

What makes Nissan GT-R so fast – technology explained

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Top 10 fast cars for under $10,000

Subie WRX

Top 10 sports cars under $20,000