Car Care Tips

Car Care Tips

Boulevard Tire & Service

Tips From Our Experienced Technicians

Here at Boulevard Tire & Service, we want you to know how to properly care for your car or truck. We want you to understand why and how your tires wear; how to get the best gas mileage; and how to get the best value out of your tires. Hopefully, with these helpful car tips, you'll be able to improve your gas mileage and reduce your tire wear while driving around the Kansas City Metro Area and wherever else your travels take you.


You'll hopefully also understand when and why your car needs to be serviced by Boulevard Tire & Service, your local Kansas City auto repair shop. Give Boulevard Tire & Service a call at (913) 262-0111 today to schedule your next maintenance appointment.

Car Maintenance and Care

  • Change your fluids on time, every time.
  • Change your oil every 5,000 miles for regular, longer for full synthetic oil.
  • Change antifreeze fluid every 100,000 miles.
  • Change brake fluid every 100,000 miles.
  • Change transmission fluid every 100,000 miles.
  • Air filter is to be inspected every year.
  • Fuel filters are now attached to the pump which is inside the tank and not checked or changed unless the pump fails.
  • For modern cars, sparkplug replacement is done every 100,000 miles.

Tire Maintenance and Care

  • Rotate your tires every 5,000 miles or every 6 months.
  • Check your tire pressures approximately once a week. Low tire pressures can affect fuel economy, handling and comfort. To accurately measure your tire pressure, check tires when they are cold. Wait at least three hours after driving.
  • Always make sure that your wheels are properly aligned. Badly aligned wheels will increase the risk of wear on the tires and lead to premature tire failure.
  • Check your spare tire annually and keep it properly inflated so it's ready to go when you need it most.
  • Use the penny trick to determine if the tread on your tires is worn to low. Take a penny and put Abraham Lincoln's head into one of the grooves of the tread. If part of his head is covered by the tread, you're ok. If you can see all of his head, it's time to replace the tire. When the tread is worn down to 1/16 of an inch, tires must be replaced. Bring the tire/vehicle into our shop to determine the actual tread depth of the tires, especially if there are concerns surrounding the alignment of the vehicle.

Gas Mileage Tips

  • Unless you live in a very dusty environment, there is no need to change an air filter every 6 months. Inspecting the air filter during an oil change is enough.
  • Don't top off. Don't bother topping off when filling your car's gas tank. Any additional gas is just going to slop around.
  • Tighten up that gas cap. Gas will evaporate from your car's gas tank if it has an escape. Loose, missing or damaged gas caps cause 147 million gallons of gas to evaporate each year.
  • Go for the shade. The hot summer sun that makes the inside of your car feel like a sauna also evaporates fuel from your gas tank if the cap is not on properly.
  • Use the right oil. You can improve your car's gas mileage by 1 to 2 percent by using the manufacturer's recommended grade of motor oil.
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