Preventative Automobile Maintenance

Preventative maintenance is a phrase we all hear and is misunderstood.
  Let me tell you what I think it is and why I believe in it.  As a
mechanic I am trying to repair or fix problem on the automobile before
it breaks down or starts giving the owner problems.  I have been a
mechanic sense 1959 and have worked on many brands.  I chose early in
my career to work on foreign automobiles.  Much of my information I am
talking about is gained through years of learning and being taught by
good mechanics,  reading, hands on experience and making some of my own mistakes.
    When I first start working on a car I walk around it to check it out. 
The appearance tells me a lot about the car and its owner.  I check out
the tires looking for abnormal wear and tire inflation.  This tells me
if the wheels are out of alignment and I also see it there are matching
brands and sizes.  Many times the owner only changes the two worst
tires in order to save money.  This only complicates maters when it
comes time to rotate tires. Next I check the headlight lens for cracks,
moisture in the bulb area and the condition of the lens.  Many of the
plastic lenses have become dull or cloudy over time.  This last
condition can be repaired by ether polishing with a product made for
cleaning plastic and if they are too bad then treating them with a
restoration kit.  I then check the windshield for cracks and the 
rubber condition of the wipers and their pressure on the windshield.  When I open the
door I am checking the outside door handle and the door hinge, remember
this door is opened every time the car is operated and sometimes more. 
If the outside of the door drops down when it is opened, I assume the
owner leans on the door getting in or out of the drivers seat.  I make
a note of this to talk to the owner when they pick it up.  I then use a
piece of wood between the door and a floor jack to lift up the door by
bending the hinges up to bring the door back to its proper place.
    Well, its time for a test drive to check out the car and verify any
owners list of problems if any.  Usually the list goes like this, "The
steering wheel wobbles when I apply the brakes while making a long
stop".  Or "There is a noise when driving slow and it goes away when I
apply the brakes".  The tough one is," The car makes a clicking noise
when I turn out of the driveway onto the road in the morning".  I ask,
"Does it make the noise any other time? " and the answer is "Only in the
morning"!   So its warm when I test drive the car and I am sure the
noise wont be there.  I leave my drive way and accelerate quickly to
make some tests and then apply the brakes gently to check some thing
out.  I then accelerate with the one foot on the brake and then I take
my foot off the pedal and stop very quickly.  I then go to a dead end
road that has a turnaround area ware I turn the car to the right and go
in circles about four times then go in circles to the left four times. 
Then I drive on the interstate before returning to the shop and start
the maintenance service with the information that I just collected.
    Next article I will explain what I have just learned about the car and
talk about the maintenance system that I believe in and why I have come
to use it.  I hope this will be interesting to you  and give you some
ideas about your car and maybe generate some questions.