Regular car maintenance is crucial for a number of reasons. First off, it keeps your vehicle in top working condition, so every drive is as smooth as the last. Secondly, it prevents component failure and breakdowns, meaning fewer trips to the repair shop — and fewer unwanted repair bills. Thirdly, maintenance is often required under extended warranty terms, so if you can’t keep up with your manufacturer’s recommended schedule, you’ll soon find yourself without coverage.

The big problem, however, is that our working lives can be incredibly demanding. Time spent at the office (plus commuting to and from it) often takes up most of the day, and the last thing you want to do on the weekends as a car owner is more work on your vehicle.

To help you get the essentials done as quickly and painlessly as possible, we’ve put together this handy how-to guide. Keep reading for a checklist of time-efficient car maintenance tasks, as well as scheduling strategies and the ways an extended warranty can make your life even easier.

Time-Efficient Car Maintenance Tasks for Busy Schedules

Time can be tight for busy professionals, but you’ll have trouble getting to work if your car isn’t running properly. While you might not be able to carry out any in-depth regular maintenance, there are some essential tasks that will take you less than ten minutes. Stay on top of these at least once a month, and your vehicle should be in pretty good shape:

Check Oil Levels

If your vehicle has a gas or diesel engine, one of the most important things you can do to keep the car running smoothly is to ensure that the engine always has enough oil in it. Oil is crucial for lubricating the engine’s moving parts, and components can fail prematurely without it. In the worst-case scenario, it can even lead to engine damage or failure — costing thousands of dollars in auto repairs.

To check up on your oil levels, first ensure your vehicle is parked on level ground. Next, pop the hood and locate the dipstick. By pulling the dipstick out and cleaning it with a piece of paper towel, you’ll see two lines: the upper indicating that the oil is “full” and the lower indicating that it’s one quart low.

Slowly insert the clean dipstick all of the way back into the tube, making sure it’s pushed all of the way down. Then slowly remove it again and check the tip. If there’s no oil on the dipstick, or if it’s at (or below) the low mark, add a quart of oil and recheck after a few minutes.

You want the oil level to be between the lower and upper marks. The closer to the upper mark, the less likely you’ll need to top up again in the near future.

Monitor Tire Pressure

Keeping your tires at the correct PSI ensures proper traction, avoids unnecessary wear, and can prevent dangerous blowouts. You can find the tire pressure rating for your vehicle on a sticker in your driver’s side door jamb or by looking in your owner’s manual. Some brands of tires may also have the recommended PSI printed or embossed directly onto them, but be careful, as it’s usually just the maximum PSI the tire can handle.

To check your tire’s pressure, pick up a tire pressure gauge at an auto parts store or gas station. You’ll also find that most air compressors have a pressure gauge built in, so keep an eye out next time you’re filling up. Whichever you use, remove the cap on your air valve and press the gauge onto the open valve stem. Note the reading and compare it to your manufacturer’s specifications. You may find you need to add air, and if the weather is warm, you might even need to let some air out. Just be sure not to over- or under-inflate them, as either can cause problems.

Inspect Lights

Your vehicle’s lights are crucial for safety, as without them, you can’t see others at night, and they can’t see you either. If you want to check that they’re working correctly, it can really help to have someone with you who can see the car’s exterior while you press pedals and push buttons from the driver’s seat. Switch on the ignition and run through the lights in this order:

1. Sidelights
2. Dipped beams
3. Main beam
4. Fog lights
5. Front indicators (left and right)
6. Brake lights
7. Reversing lights
8. Rear indicators (left and right)
9. Hazard lights

If any of them aren’t working properly and need replacing, thankfully, they’re generally easy to access — sometimes with no tools necessary. For example, you can often switch out tail lights by pulling the socket from inside the trunk. At most, it might be held in by a screw or two.

Top Off Essential Fluids

There are a number of fluids that run through your car, much like blood through the human body. Without enough of these, things will very quickly grind to a halt. Just like when inspecting your engine oil, you’ll want to make sure you’re parked on a level surface before you do anything with fluids, or readings that could be off. Your car should also have had a chance to cool down so that nothing can burn your skin.

As well as engine oil, you’ll want to check and top off your coolant, brake fluid, and transmission fluid. Coolant can usually be found in a translucent container on the upper-right-hand side of your engine, with an ‘L’ for low and an ‘F’ for full. Similarly, for brake inspection, a brake fluid reservoir should be located on the master cylinder. A dipstick for transmission fluid will be on the back side of the car’s engine near where the transmission meets the engine block. Any fluids that are lower than they should be can be topped off by simply unscrewing the cap.

Inspect the Battery

Let your battery die, and you won’t be going anywhere fast. Even worse, if it dies while you’re out on the commute, you’ll be stuck at the roadside waiting for assistance. There are a number of ways that you can check your battery, but you don’t need to go too in-depth if things seem to be in good working order.

Remove the negative and positive terminal covers, then inspect the terminals and cables for build up of corrosion. If you see any, clean it off with a wire brush or battery terminal cleaner. By connecting a voltmeter, you can also see whether the battery has enough juice. Anything below 12.4 volts means that it’ll need to be recharged.

Should you have concerns about your battery due to how it looks or performs, a trip to a trusted auto shop might be on the cards. They can test it safely and professionally, accurately diagnosing any issues.

Smart Scheduling Strategies for Routine Maintenance

You’ll have plenty of things on your mind already, so adding maintenance on top probably isn’t a good idea. Instead, you should plan for the maintenance schedule ahead of time so you don’t even need to think about it.

Leverage the Latest Technology

We’re in an age where technology can do the hard work for us, so make the most of it. The most basic form of this would be setting maintenance reminders using your smartphone, but apps like Drivvo are designed specifically to help you stay on top of things faster and easier.

Try Mobile Mechanic Services

There are a number of mobile mechanic services out there that will perform maintenance and repairs on your driveway. By using them, you can have your car needs carried out according to your schedule, with no time spent driving to and from the auto shop.

Visit Auto Shops During Off-Peak Hours

If you’d prefer to go to a certified mechanic or service center, make sure to only visit on their quieter days, or at least during off-peak hours. By doing so, you should, in theory, get your vehicle back faster, meaning less time waiting around. One of the best ways to find out when a mechanic is busy is via a quick Google search, but you can expect weekends and holidays to be when they’re most inundated.

Essential Seasonal Maintenance Checklists

Summer and winter weather can take a real toll on your vehicle and its components, so it’s highly recommended that you carry out certain tasks when each rolls around. For example, recommended summer maintenance tasks include:

• Check your tire pressure and tread depth
• Inspect the cooling system
• Run the A/C system
• Perform an oil change
• Inspect or replace the battery
• Inspect your brake pads and rotors
• Check wipers and windshield washer fluid
• Double-check headlights
• Clean interior and exterior
• Add an emergency kit

Recommended winter maintenance tasks include:

• Check your car battery
• Check and replace windshield wipers
• Check and top off engine fluid levels
• Check your tire pressure and tread depth
• Check belts and hoses
• Check the heater is working
• Clean interior and exterior

The Importance of Professional Inspections and Tune-Ups

There’s a lot you can do on your own, but the importance of professional inspection and tune-ups can’t be understated. Certified mechanics will have a number of diagnostic tools (not to mention expertise) that can spot and diagnose emerging issues much faster and with much greater precision. As a result, you can fix component problems before they happen, potentially saving hundreds of dollars in the process. While it might seem like a lot of effort, it doesn’t need to be with some smart scheduling.

How Endurance Auto Protection Supports Busy Professionals

Most of us depend on our vehicles for work and pleasure, so unexpected car repairs can really throw a spanner in the works. With Endurance Warranty, though, you can drive with confidence, knowing that if your check engine light comes on, you’ll be well looked after.

Not only do our auto protection plans cover the cost of bills for an even wider range of components, but they also include some invaluable benefits as standard. For example, every Endurance contract comes with 24/7 roadside assistance (including towing, fuel delivery, and lockout services), rental car reimbursement, and trip interruption coverage. On top of that, Endurance customers also get a year’s free Elite Benefits access, adding on up to four tire repairs or replacements annually, key fob replacement, up to $500 in collision discounts, and up to $1,000 in total loss protection.* A nominal activation fee applies.

Keep Your Car Protected with America’s Most Trusted Warranty

No matter how well you perform vehicle maintenance, unexpected component failure can never be avoided completely — and it has an awful habit of happening at the worst possible moment. With an Endurance vehicle service contract watching out for you, all covered components will be repaired without needing to empty your wallet. This means you’ll be back on the road before you know it, with minimal disruption to your busy work life.

To find out more about our plan selection and which is right for your needs, contact our plan advisors at (800) 253-8203 to request a FREE quote or shop our eStore. For other helpful articles on DIY car maintenance, saving money on costly repairs, and more, make sure to take a look at our extended warranty blog.