Car Maintenance

You don’t need a college diploma in automobile engineering to be able to do some of the basic maintenance work on your car. Today we will list out all those tasks you can carry out all by yourself even if you are not a skilled mechanic or tool user and know very little about the internal workings of a car.

Changing Wiper Blades

If you live in a rainy area then you might need to change the wiper blades as often as once every 6 months. Do not worry. This can be easily done by you and you do not need any special tools either. See how the wiper blades are attached to the metal rims and you will get an idea on how to remove the old ones and replace them with the new ones.

Changing The Air Filter

You should do this once every year or every 12,000 miles. This is one of the easiest maintenance work you can carry out on your car by yourself. Simply locate the filter box. This can be made easier by referring to the car owners manual. Open the box and remove the old filter and replace it with the new one.

Changing The Oil

Do this once every 5000 miles or by the specific make and model recommendation. This too is not very complicated. You will have to get a bit dirty though. First, you will have to locate the oil pan under the car. There will be a drain plug. Open that to let the old engine oil drain out. Once it is drained out completely, securely reattach the drain plug.

Find the oil filter cap and open it. Again the car repair manual can be used to find the exact location. You should change the oil filter as well at this point. Fill the right amount of engine oil. A dipstick can be used to determine that. Screw back the oil filter cap and you are done.

Battery Test And Maintenance

You will require some tools and supplies for this. A basic multimeter to check the voltage and current levels. Some cleaning liquid specifically meant to remove rust and a wire brush. Make sure you are also wearing a rubber glove to avoid being electrocuted.

Disconnect the cables ensuring that you remove the negative cable first. Put some of the battery cleaning solutions on the terminals and clean it with the wire brush. Check the voltage and current level and see if it is within the recommended levels as per your car’s manual. If it is, reattach everything. If not then get your battery recharged or checked out by a technician.

Some of the other things you can do on your own are cleaning the radiator, cleaning the fuel system, replacing the fuel filter and replacing the brake shoes and brake pads. Even if you carry out only the very basic maintenance work on your car, you will be saving a lot of money and a lot more time while also getting a proud feeling every time you go out for a ride.

We all know the worst oil filters can be easily found by not doing the proper due diligence in a quest for the best oil filter for your vehicle. There is nothing more musical than the sound of a smooth engine or the feeling of driving such a car. For an engine to sound and feel smooth, there should be minimal friction between all the mechanical parts that make up a car’s engine and this is done by the oil. This oil can get dirty which will increase the friction and make your engine sound all rough and feel really out of place to drive.

To keep the oil clean an oil filter is used so that your engine stays in the best shape and purrs or roars just the way it’s meant to every time you go for a ride. Being such an important component of the engine, it really matters which engine oil you use and we will review five of the best oil filters in the market.

We will list the good and the bad about each so you can choose the perfect oil filter for your car. We have included a “miles vs dollar ” indicator throughout all the oil filter reviews to give you a rough idea of how often you have to replace the oil filter and how it measures up to the cost of buying a new one.

Bosch 3323 Premium FILTECH Oil Filter for Select Acura MDX, RDX, RSX, TL, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, Honda Accord, Civic, CR-V, Pilot, Infiniti, Nissan + More

• Bosch recommends the use of Castrol motor oil

$9.12

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1.) Bosch 3323 Premium FILTECH Oil Filter

If what you are looking for is something that will perfectly fit, is dependable and from a reputed brand, then you can’t go wrong with this oil filter It is easy to fit and is designed to the perfect specs so that there are no leaks. The filter component is larger than a stock filter, which means that there is more filtering surface available and all of this at an unbeatable price. Read the reviews from the customers who bought it.

Cost: See the updated price
Ease of use: 4/5
Durability: 5/5
Miles vs dollars: 5/5

Models supported: Almost every make, model and year. Recommended for cars by Asian manufacturers.

Mobil 1 M1-110 / M1-110A Extended Performance Oil Filter

• Synthetic fiber blend filter element uses advanced technology for maximum cleaning power

$13.83

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2.) Mobil 1 M1-110 Extended Performance Oil Filter

This is a premium car filter. It is a bit on the expensive side but is worth the extra money it costs. All the components of this filter are made of high-quality materials. That ensures that there won’t be any filter material breaking off after extended periods of use.

A lot of propriety technology has been applied to this to ensure there is proper filtration all the time. If you own an expensive car or if you love your car a lot. then don’t look any further. Read the reviews from the customers who bought it.

Cost: See the updated price
Ease of use: 3/5
Durability:4/5
Miles vs dollars:2/5
Models supported: Almost every make, model and year

Sale

Mann-Filter HU 816 X Metal-Free Oil Filter

• Optimum protection for the engine

$13.90 −$3.86 $10.04

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3.) Mann-Filter HU 816 X Metal-Free Oil Filter

The Mann filters have their own fanbase for its reliability. Its revolutionary design ensures all its surfaces filter equally. Which means the rate of flow of the oil is optimum and the filtration is efficient.

Being moderately priced also furthers its cause. If you occasionally go over the recommended life of a filter, which is not recommended, this filter will give you a few extra miles. Read the reviews from the customers who bought it.

Cost: See the updated price
Ease of use: 4/5
Durability: 5/5
Miles vs dollars: 5/5
Models supported: Almost every make, model and year. Recommended for BMW’s

Bosch 3330 Premium FILTECH Oil Filter for Select Audi, Ford, Lexus, Lincoln, Volkswagen + More

• Bosch recommends the use of Castrol motor oil

$7.51

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4.) Bosch 3330 Premium FILTECH Oil Filter

Another quality product from the house of Bosch, this filter is designed from the ground up to avoid dry starts. Dry starts happen when the filter does not fit snugly and there is a leak. Multiple measures have been taken in the manufacture of this filter to ensure that it fits as tightly as possible while still being easy to remove. It is very cost effective as well. Read the reviews from the customers who bought it.

Cost: See the updated price
Ease of use: 4/5
Durability: 4/5
Miles vs dollars:5/5
Models supported: Almost every make, model and year

5.) FRAM XG7317 Ultra Synthetic Spin-On Oil Filter with Sure Grip

Fram XG7317Ultra Synthetic, 20K Mile Change Interval Spin-On Oil Filter with SureGrip (XG7317)

• Ultra Synthetic is the filter for consumers looking to get the most out of their investment in full synthetic oil

$8.57

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If you are not able to find the oil filter for your car filter with other manufacturers, you will find one from FRAM. While making sure that every filter they manufacture measures perfectly to the specifications, they also ensure that high quality of components is maintained.

Its price can only be beaten by the Bosch’s. So if you are looking for something different that will work better than the oil filter your car came fitted with, then this is the one for you. Read the reviews from the customers who bought it.

Cost: See the updated price
Ease of use: 3/5
Durability: 4/5
Miles vs dollars: 5/5
Models supported: Every make, model and year

I would like to end this article with a word of caution. Your oil filter is going to be only as good as the oil is. Ensure you change the oils regularly and with quality options. Happy driving.