Make Your Truck Last With These Tips

Koons Clarksville Chevrolet Buick GMC knows that truck owners rely on their trucks not only for transportation but also for work and play. Buying your truck costs you a lot of money, so you want to protect that investment as much as possible. Unfortunately, many drivers ignore the basics of caring for their trucks. That’s why we created this list of tips to help your truck last longer and save you money in the long run.

Check and Change Your Oil

Image via Flickr by nan palmero

Nearly every driver understands that your truck’s oil needs to be changed regularly. Yet, many don’t know the interval. Mechanics generally agree that it should be changed every 3,000-6,000 miles, but that’s a pretty extensive range. Some models require changing the oil at 3,000 miles, while others recommend 6,000, and some fall in between. Check your owner’s manual for your truck’s exact recommendation.

In addition, you should use only the manufacturer’s specified oil. Your engine operates at high temperatures, and the manufacturer designed it to work with an oil of a specific viscosity and weight. Using something different can damage your engine, seals, and more, leading to serious repairs. As your truck ages, a high mileage oil might be better as these protect older engine parts. Not all oils are created equal, so consult your dealer for a recommendation.

Checking your oil between oil changes can help you avoid engine problems before they occur. It only takes a minute, and you can do this while you fuel up. You should look at the color and consistency as well as the level. The oil should be light brown, almost like maple syrup. If your oil looks black, it needs replacing. If your truck isn’t due for an oil change for another 2,000 miles, you might have a more severe problem that’s causing your oil to expire, or you might be using the wrong oil.

Low oil levels could indicate a leak somewhere. Top off your oil and recheck it the next time you fill up your gas tank. If the oil level has dipped again, bring your truck in for an inspection right away. At Koons Clarksville Chevrolet Buick GMC, our service center technicians have the expertise to diagnose the problem and fix it. In most cases, your service takes less than 30 minutes, getting you back to your busy life quickly.

Wash and Wax Your Truck

Not only will a good wash and wax make your truck look shiny and new, it helps protect your investment from rust and corrosion. If you drive in wintry weather, salt and sand pose a constant threat of corrosion. If you live near the ocean, the salty air coats your truck, slowly corroding it. A good wash will clean this off. Spring for the wax while you’re washing your truck. Wax provides the shine, but it also acts as a barrier to help prevent those corrosive materials from penetrating the metal.

If you love off-road adventures, pay more attention to your undercarriage. Mud bogs are fun to blast through, but that mud gets everywhere underneath your truck and even in the engine compartment. It can cake on in warmer climates and cause all sorts of problems, from superficial rust and corrosion to damaged engine, steering, braking, and suspension components. So clean your truck as soon as you can after taking it through the mud.

Take Care of Your Tires

Your monstrous 33-inch off-road tires look great on your lifted truck and can handle the rugged terrain. However, taking care of them requires maintaining the proper air pressure, and this goes for any tire, not just off-road tires.

Too little air causes uneven and quick wear. Too much pressure can lead to raised treads and more uneven wear. Many off-road enthusiasts lower their truck’s tire pressure for more traction. This practice works, but return your tires to the proper pressure when you get back on the pavement. A portable compressor can do the trick and costs less than $100.

Rotate your tires regularly. Your owner’s manual will have a recommended interval. You should know that the pattern for rotating tires on a 4×4 vehicle differs from that of a 4×2 truck. In addition, directional tires change the pattern as these were designed. We know the difference at Koons Clarksville Chevrolet Buick GMC and can rotate your tires correctly in minutes.

An unbalanced tire can also lead to uneven wear. We attach small weights to the rims to balance a tire, which eliminates wobble as the wheels turn. Unfortunately, these weights can break off, especially on a truck that drives over rugged terrain often.

Steering and Suspension Maintenance

Your truck works harder and in different ways than cars or SUVs, thus putting additional pressure on your steering and suspension. You should have your steering system appropriately aligned to help avoid uneven wear on your tires.

Unless you have a very expensive machine to align your steering system, you’ll need to find a quality service center to do the job for you. At Koons Clarksville Chevrolet Buick GMC, we can check your alignment and balance your tires, if necessary, in minutes. It costs much less than you might imagine and can save you money in more expensive repairs to your steering and suspension systems or having to replace those 33-inch tires due to uneven wear.

You shouldn’t ignore your truck’s suspension either, especially if you love off-road excursions. Inspect your axles, springs, shocks, and coils after every adventure. That rugged terrain bites back every so often, cracking and breaking components that you might overlook. If you feel something different in the way your truck handles, you should take your truck to a competent mechanic for a thorough inspection.

We Pay Top-Dollar for Your Trade

At Koons Clarksville Chevrolet, Buick GMC, we love trucks. We love them even more when they come in with 100,000 miles, 200,000 miles, and even the occasional 300,000 miles on them. When you have us service your truck, we take special care of it so that someday, you too might reach 300,000 miles.

If you’ve taken extra special care of your truck, we’ll pay top dollar for your trade. We are so confident in our trade offers, we’ll buy your truck from you even if you don’t buy another vehicle from us. You can use our online trade evaluation tool to get a true cash offer. When you’re ready to sell or trade, come on in and we’ll cut you a check.

Tags: Truck Tips
Posted in Fleet | No Comments »