F R M Blog

The Car Maintenance Checklist Here are 7 easy steps to a long-running car you can rely on. 1. Keep your tires in shape It's easy to take those tires for granted. But according to safercar.gov, more than 11,000 tow-away (that is, pretty serious) crashes annually are caused, in part, by tire issues. Check air pressure: Underinflated tires are 3 times more likely to cause a serious accident than their properly pumped counterparts. Use a pressure gauge to test them at least once a m …

Pre-Trip Check Helps Avoid Road Trip Breakdown School’s out for summer and your family is ready for a much needed summer vacation. But is your vehicle ready for the road? A new video from the non-profit Car Care Council explains the importance of a pre-trip vehicle check and the steps to be taken to be road-trip ready. “A pre-trip vehicle check helps determine if a vehicle is ready for the road so you can avoid the inconvenience, potential safety hazards and unplanned expense of breakin …

Spark Plugs Need to Be Replaced Periodically That little engine part called the spark plug performs a huge job in delivering a vehicle’s power, performance, dependability and fuel efficiency and, according to the non-profit Car Care Council, should be replaced periodically. “Spark plugs are one of the hardest working parts of a vehicle. A spark plug can fire 400 times per minute per cylinder or 1,600 times a minute on a four-cylinder engine,” said Rich White, executive director, Ca …

Care and Maintenance Tips - Keep Your Car Running in Top-Notch ConditionThis is part two in our series of best expert advice, surprising tricks, and car care tips to prolong the life of your automobile!3. Buy gas at reputable service stationsAsk whether the gas you buy is filtered at the pump and if the station has a policy about changing the pump filters regularly. If you get a song and dance, find another gas station. Some stations don’t have pump filters, making you more …

Care and Maintenance Tips - Keep Your Car Running in Top-Notch Condition We’ve compiled our best expert advice, surprising tricks, and car care tips to prolong the life of your automobile! 1. Be patient during the break-in period You’ve bought your dream car and now you want to make it last at long as possible in top condition. Here are some things to remember as you pull it out of the dealer’s lot: During the break-in period, typically the first 1,000 miles (1,600 km), kee …