If you’ve had a car for a while but are thinking about getting a truck, or if you’re going the other direction and downsizing from a truck to a car, or even if you’re just adding one, there are some changes you can expect to experience. From figuring out how to maneuver a vehicle of a vastly different size to adjusting your monthly budget for gas, there’s a very real period of adjustment. One of the important differences you’ll need to get a handle on, and quickly, is the difference between maintaining a car versus maintaining a truck.
Different Tools
If you prefer to do some or all of your vehicle maintenance, it’s important to have the right tools on hand to get the job done. Because of the difference in size between a car and a truck, the size of the tools you’re going to need will likely be different as well. By way of example, it’s important to make sure you choose the right jack for your vehicle. Because trucks are much heavier than cars, you’ll need a jack that can handle a greater amount of weight than what you would need for a car.
Different Engine Cleaners
All vehicles benefit from having cleaner engines. That said, there are some important differences in the engines of trucks and cars that can impact how you maintain them. Generally speaking, truck engines tend to be bigger than car engines, which means that you’ll need larger quantities of cleaners. The changes to maintenance needs differ further if your truck has a diesel engine. If you have a diesel engine, you need to make sure you clean your diesel injectors regularly. It’s also important to make sure you use oils designed for diesel since they have additives and detergents that are intended to help keep the engine cleaner.
Different Maintenance Schedules
Cars and trucks can differ greatly in how they are used. Trucks can be used to tow things, haul heavy loads, and traverse terrain that a car would struggle with at best. Cars, on the other hand, tend to be used more to get from one place to another. Because of the difference in use, the maintenance schedule is often quite different. Trucks can benefit from following a special or severe use maintenance schedule that cars may not require to stay in good condition.
Understanding the differences between maintenance for trucks and cars is an important part of making sure you can keep your vehicles in good working order. The different tools needed, different engine cleaners required, and the different maintenance schedules are just a few examples of changes you can expect to encounter when going from one to the other. Keep your vehicle running smoothly and extend its life by making sure you know how to take care of it properly.
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