Keeping your car out of the repair shop

As much as Americans rave about their cars, they're not taking very good care of them.

Every year, American drivers neglect more than $60 billion worth of basic auto maintenance, according to the Car Care Council.

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Slack on auto maintenance and you risk undermining the safety of your car and voiding your warranty. The damage you inflict on your car will shorten its lifespan.

And all those extra trips to the auto repair shop will put a big, fat dent in your wallet.

Ready to start doing right by your car? Follow these tips.

Change the oil
You'll want to change your engine oil and replace the filter every 3,000 to 5,000 miles. Changing your oil on a regular basis will extend the life of your engine.

"If you don't do anything else to your car, get the oil changed every 3,000 miles or at the very least every three or four months," says Bill Csogi, an 18-year ASE certified master mechanic and owner of Car Critic, an automotive inspection, appraisal and investigation company.

"That's one thing that will save you a lot of grief."

Each time you get your oil changed be sure to ask your mechanic to do a quick, safety inspection.

"Ask for a general safety inspection of the vehicle," Csogi says. "Most responsible dealers and mechanics will do that automatically."

In a safety inspection, a mechanic will check everything from fluid levels, belts and hoses to lights and tires and brakes to make sure your car is ready for the road.

A safety inspection is a good way to learn about an upcoming repair before it becomes a problem. For example, a mechanic may tell you that a hose or brake pad is starting to wear down and you'll want to get it replaced in the next couple months. Doing so could spare you the headache of a bigger, more expensive repair down the road.

Change coolant
Keep your car's engine cool by changing the coolant every one or two years.

Coolant, a mixture of water and chemicals, protects your car by carrying away the heat created by your car's internal combustion engine.

Coolant also contains a number of additives that aid your car's cooling system. These additives wear out over time and must be replaced.

Failure to replace your car's coolant could cause your engine to overheat.

"If you don't do that, it will overheat and that can be real expensive," says John Nielsen, director of AAA's Approved Auto Repair Network and author of Making Sense of Car Care.

Take care of your tires
Inflate, rotate and replace your tires on a regular basis. Good, well-maintained tires are critical to braking and steering.

Underinflating and overinflating your tires are common driver no-nos.

"Either way you're wearing the tires out prematurely," says Lauren Fix, consumer auto expert. "And it's also not helping your fuel economy."

Get in the habit of checking your tire pressure once a month.

"Buy a digital gauge," Fix says. "Keep it in your glove box."

Be sure to check tire pressure when your tires are cold. A good time is early in the morning after your car's been idle overnight.

Compare the pressure in your tires with the recommended pressure listed in your owner's manual and on the placard in your car door. Inflate or deflate your tires as needed.

Want your tires to last longer? Rotate your tires at least twice a year. Rotating your tires will keep your tires from wearing down unevenly and prematurely.

"Rotate your tires every other oil change or at least every six months," Nielsen says. "And when you get tires rotated ask them to look at the brakes. They can tell how long they're going to last so you can plan for the repair instead of having an emergency."

You'll want to replace tires every 20,000 to 40,000 miles or as needed. Watch out for bulges and bald spots. If you find either, it's a good idea to replace your tires.

Monitor your brakes
Have the entire braking system in your car checked once a year. According to the Car Care Council, a thorough brake inspection should include brake lining wear, brake fluid level, rotor thickness, condition of hoses and brake lines, brake and dash warning lights and a test drive to detect other possible braking problems.

"If brake service is neglected, you're gambling with your safety, as well as the safety of your passengers and other drivers," says Rich White, executive director of the Car Care Council.

A braking system diagram is available on the Car Care Council Web site.

Change your engine air filter
Keep an eye on your engine's air filter.

"It's the lungs of your car. It filters the air the engine breathes," says Fix.

When the engine air filter clogs with dirt, dust and bugs, it causes your engine to work harder and your car becomes less fuel-efficient.

Replacing a clogged air filter could improve your gas mileage by as much as 10 percent, saving you 15 cents a gallon. It's a good idea to have your engine air filter checked at each oil change. Fix recommends changing the filter every six months.

Replace the timing belt
If a car's timing belt fails, the engine won't run. Neglect your car's timing belt and you risk much more than an unexpected pit stop. The snapping of a timing belt could severely damage your car's engine.

And you won't know a timing belt is about to break until it snaps and leaves you stranded on the side of the road.

"With timing belts there's no warning, it just goes," Nielsen says. "If it breaks it could cost you well over $1,000."

Replacing a timing belt costs $200 to $300. And you should do so every 60,000 to 75,000 miles.

For more auto care guidelines check out this free maintenance schedule from the Car Care Council.

The most specific advice for caring for your car can be found in your owner's manual. Follow those maintenance guidelines to a T. This will go a long way in lowering your repair bills and lengthening the driving life of your car.

Don't put off repairs no matter how small they may seem at the time.

For example, an antifreeze or coolant leak may not seem like such a big deal, but a leak could be a sign that a hose is about to go. If a hose fails, you risk damaging a car's engine. Replacing an engine is definitely a big deal.

"If you think something is wrong, take it in as soon as possible," Fix says. "It's a domino theory. The longer you wait the more it costs."