Radiator coolant actually raises the boiling point of the water, allowing it to carry more heat away from the engine, and that means cooler running. If you're running low, things can get steamy fast. Think of your coolant as a spring dance chaperone, there to keep things nice and cool even when you're doing a lot of moving around.

Most cars still have a spark plug or 8 in there someplace, and even today's technology hasn't stopped them from wearing out. It's an easy maintenance procedure that can make your car run more smoothly and increase your gas mileage.

Spark plug wires are pretty durable. They aren't a moving part so they don't wear out too often. A careful inspection of your plug wires can avoid any problems. The only thing that can really go wrong with a plug wire is a break in the insulation. The insulation keeps the electricity where it needs to be so it sparks on the inside of your engine, not someplace else before it gets there.

A clean windshield is important all year long, but as long as you use real windshield washer fluid, you have a built-in anti-icing system, too. Washer fluid doesn't freeze, so if you spray it onto your windshield when you have some freezing problems, it helps to break down the frozen layer.

Regular maintenance should always include a check of your car's fluid levels. Power steering may seem like a luxury you could live without but if it fails you could be putting yourself in danger. A car designed to have power steering can be very hard to steer without it. If it goes suddenly, you could lose control of the vehicle and end up in a very bad place.

To check them for tightness, you don't need to follow any sort of pattern like you do when you are tightening them for the first time. Just check that they are all nice and snug. What's snug? With the wrench on the bolt, lean over and put most of your body weight on the lug wrench. When it stops moving, you're snug. I like to start at the top every time so that I know where to stop.

Brakes are pretty much the most important safety device on your car. If you've even partially lost your brakes in the past, you'll remember the change of underwear that followed. Inspecting your brakes twice a year for wear and damage can protect you and your passengers while saving you money by catching any damage before it becomes too costly

If you checked your motor oil and found the level to be low, you should add a quart. Motor oil is sold in quarts, so if you grab a plastic bottle at your local giganti-gas, you've got a quart.

A clogged air filter affects your car's performance on a number of levels. It robs your car of power, something you need every ounce of when you're navigating a freeway on-ramp. Perhaps more important is the effect a clogged air filter has on your gas mileage. It takes 10 minutes and usually costs less than $20.

Checking your car's oil level is the single most important thing you can do to extend the life of your car's engine. In the time it takes to snap into a Slim-Jim, you can use a dipstick. Oil is the life blood of your car. Without it, you wouldn't make it three miles.