A MECHANIC has shared a way to keep track of when it’s time for maintenance – and it could save you hundreds of dollars in unneeded repairs.
YouTuber Scotty Kilmer said it’s not necessary to change your coolant or battery very often, but that it might be difficult to remember when to switch them out.
YouTuber Scotty Kilmer, who has over 50 years of experience as a mechanic[/caption]
Kilmer pointing to a radiator cap, where car owners add their coolant[/caption]
The auto mechanic shared his cheap tip of keeping a notebook in his glove compartment to stay on top of his repairs.
With a small notepad, which can cost as little as $2 from retailers like Walmart or Amazon, drivers can save on maintenance by only taking their vehicles to the shop when necessary.
“Who the heck’s gonna remember that crap?” Kilmer said about the specific dates of each part that needs maintenance.
Kilmer is a mechanic with over 56 years of experience who shares his expertise with more than 6.3 million subscribers on his YouTube account.
“Get yourself a little notebook. Keep it in your glovebox,” he advised.
“You can write it down – here’s when I changed the coolant, here’s when I changed the oil, keep a record of it.
“It might even say, here’s when I changed the battery, so you’ll know how old the battery is.”
Kilmer said that car batteries don’t last as long as they used to and that drivers are lucky to get five or six years out of them.
Knowing how often to change car batteries could save drivers hundreds of dollars so that they don’t change them before they’re ready.
Batteries are typically replaced every three to five years.
Meanwhile, how often you flush your coolant depends on the type of coolant you get or the kind of car you have.
Silicated coolants are typically green in color and should be flushed every two to three years.
Extended drain coolant is what Kilmer uses in his vehicle. Typically pink red in color, these coolants can last up to 100,000 miles, which is up to five years for the average driver.
Kilmer said the extended coolant used for Toyotas can last for eight years, adding, “you don’t need to change it very often.”
Little-known Car Features
How often do you look at features on your vehicle and not know why they are there? Here are some answers:
Gas Tank Locator:
- Drivers may or may not have noticed the small arrow next to the gas symbol on the dash.
- This indicates which side of the vehicle has the gas tank so you don’t need to stretch the hose over the car or get out of your vehicle to check before parking at a pump.
Road Condition Indicator:
- A snowflake icon might flash up on your dashboard when driving in cold weather.
- This informs drivers that temperatures outside are cold enough for the roads to freeze.
Secret Key:
- Vehicles that come with a key fob that uses buttons to open the doors often have a secret key for emergencies.
- On that one day that the fob battery runs out, drivers can often find a manual key contained inside the fob.
- There is often a button to press or a cap to slide off to reveal it.
The recommended coolant change interval for your car is typically explained in your owner’s manual.
Kilmer explained in a previous video how he got his Toyota SUV to run for over 300,000 miles.
CHEAP FIXES
He said it’s important for drivers to pay attention to their engine’s oil and filters.
He then added that he changes his oil every 5,000 miles, which helps him save money in the long run.
“Oil is cheap,” he said. “Engines are very expensive.”
On top of engine oil and coolant changes, Kilmer said that drivers have to pay attention if their engine uses a rubber timing belt.
He suggested swapping out the band every 100,000 miles.
