Maintenance tips for your high performance vehicle
An acquaintance loves high-performance vehicles. He has owned several. He babies them gently. He drives them hard too, but only occasionally and only on official road tracks.
After each race, his crew checks the undercarriage and the steering. They examine the tires. They change the motor oil. Then they lift the car onto stands so its high-performance tires are off the ground to prevent flat spots from developing.
Any high-performance production car should be similarly treated, not only after every event but for seasonal storage as well, advised Tony Molla, a certified ASE technician and vice president of communications for ASE, the non-profit National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence.
“Of course, most owners of high-performance vehicles never see a race track, so their routine maintenance needs are not any different than those of a subcompact,” he said. “Those maintenance needs are spelled out in each vehicle’s owner’s manual.”
Many newer vehicles require 7,500-mile oil changes. High-performance models typically come from the factory filled with synthetic motor and gear oils. These lubricants often provide 15,000-mile service intervals.
A vehicle raced may demand more attention.
“A high-performance vehicle driven hard on a race track will certainly need more routine maintenance than will a similar version of that vehicle used as a daily driver,” Molla said.
“For a vehicle driven hard, certainly frequent oil changes and even brake fluid changes are rather standard procedures. Fast and hard driving tends to heat up both oil and brake fluid excessively,” he added.
According to NADA, the National Auto Dealers Association, owners should have coolant systems checked to verify that proper antifreeze capabilities remain. Most newer vehicles come with lifetime coolant. A local dealer can verify that the coolant in your vehicle is satisfactory for your wintertime low temperatures.
Likewise, said NADA, be sure tire pressure is as specified and tire tread sufficient to provide traction on wet or snowy roads. Check wiper blades too to be sure the rubber blade itself is intact.
A good wash and cleaning inside and out is a good idea too.
If you don’t race your high-performance car yet do drive it aggressively on the freeways and back roads follow the owner’s manual maintenance recommendations under severe conditions,” Molla said.
“Cars are machines,” said the ASE executive, “so the harder you are on them the more likely they are to break. The gentler you are with them and the more you service them, the longer the machine will last.
“My best advice is this, whatever you drive daily: Read the owner’s manual. Learn what it says about the care and maintenance of the vehicle. The problem is, no one does that,” he said. “If still in doubt, call your dealer and ask to talk to the service director.”
Follow these seasonal maintenance tips, however high performance your ride might be:
- Read the vehicle owner’s manual
- Follow the owner’s manual recommended maintenance procedures and change intervals
- If you drive aggressively, heed the manual’s recommendations for “severe” conditions
- If driving in colder climates, have antifreeze capability tested by your dealer
- While there, have the dealer check wiper blades, all interior and exterior lights for proper working order, and for tire wear
- Keep tires properly inflated and have tread depth checked frequently
- If the owner’s manual doesn’t answer your questions, your local dealership service director will be able to
Article by Jim Leman, contributor to Sensible Driver. Write to jim.leman@sensibledriver.com.