As a person who knows almost nothing about cars, what should I keep an eye on when looking after my car?

I know that you gotta check the oil. But I don't know how often you should. What else do you have to check and how often?As a person who knows almost nothing about cars, what should I keep an eye on when looking after my car?
I would suggest that you refer to your owner's manual for routine maintenance schedules. If you no longer have your owner's manual you may buy a repair manual at your local auto parts store for a reasonable price. Almost all repair manuals come with maintenance schedules along with the proper procedures for performing such tasks. Certain cars require that you check car specific items while other will give you a general list of what you should check on most vehicles.





thunder31634: How often do you check your differential fluid? Brake pads/shoes and rotors/drums? C/V joints (if allocable)? Spark plug cables(if allocable)? Fuel filter? Air filter? Transfer case(if allocable)? Coolant? etc...?As a person who knows almost nothing about cars, what should I keep an eye on when looking after my car?
If you're driving a rotary (Mazda RX-7, Cosmo, RX-8) you check it every time you get gas, or more.





If you're driving anything else and you don't suspect a leak and know you're not burning oil, every thousand miles or so is fine. I've been going longer than that...and I'm overdue for an oil change... Anyhow, at the minimum, you should check it every 3000, even if your car is really good on oil. You usually don't really need to change it every 3k, but you should MAKE SURE you don't need to.





If you have a leak, keep an eye on the leak and check more frequently.





Also, check ALL of your fluids periodically. (Transmission, coolant, windshield washer) If any of them are low, or dirty (they shouldn't be very cloudy, except maybe the washer fluid in extreme cold), remedy it.





Check your tire pressure as well. Go by either the pressure in your owner's manual, or the pressure on the sidewall of the tire, whichever is lower (for safety, you don't want to exceed what the tire can handle).





If you ever carry drugs or any other contraband in your car, you drive drunk, or you're an asshole to cops, you check your turn signals and headlights and taillights religiously, every time you're going to drive anywhere. That way the police never check them for you.





All these things should be checked any time you go to an oil change place...any decent one, anyway.








Otherwise, just know how your car sounds and feels when it's running right, and investigate any change in that.
RTFM... and take it to the dealer or a trusted mechanic for maintenance.





Stay away from all jiffy quick lubes.
If you drive alot in the city, have your oil changed every 3000 miles, go to a jiffy lube, etc, they will check everything for you. use the same gas every time you fill up, trying to fine cheaper gas doesn't help your performance.
i normally check all my fluids once a week (oil, transmission, power steering, brake, clutch(manual transmission), water). Check your air pressure once a month (or whenever a tire looks a lil low). Keep your battery terminals clean(wire brush/baking soda and water mix). Check you belts for cracks/tears (just visual inspection when you check you fluids)once a week. Check all your lights/wiper/washers, once a day. Other than that just keep an ear/eye out for anything unusual
They say to check the oil every time you get gas. If you get it changed regularly though I would just check it every 800 miles or so depending on how old your car is.





Also everytime you get an oil change, if you take it somewhere, they usually will check everything that needs to be checked regularly for free for you. If they notice something they will put it on your bill and point it out to you.





Remember though they don't do much but oil changes, depending on where you go, if you go to just an oil change place it is best because they will be the most honest about needed repairs.





If you know almost nothing, than you may want to leave it to the regular checkups at oil changes. If you want to learn than there is tons to learn about them but cars can be difficult to work on.