Chris Hardesty is Senior Advice Editor for Cox Automotive. He edits and writes articles for Kelley Blue Book and Autotrader, advising consumers on the financial aspects of buying and selling cars, educating shoppers on safety features in today’s automobiles, and sharing maintenance and ownership tips. Chris spent nearly three decades in newspapers, including leading research departments at The Mercury News in California and Newsday in New York. After that, he was the How-to Guides Editor at The Wall Street Journal until moving to metro Atlanta. Chris was a judge for multiple Emmy Awards News & Documentary competitions. With two children under 10 years old, he’s very familiar with the challenges of keeping minivans clean. , Taking care of your car by performing preventative maintenance helps ensure you have safe and reliable transportation. Use this guide to learn about common automotive maintenance issues., Regular preventive maintenance for vehicles is crucial for ensuring your car’s reliability, longevity, and safety. Adhering to a structured car maintenance schedule not only helps improve fuel efficiency and performance but also prevents unexpected and costly breakdowns. Here, we’ll delve into essential maintenance tasks and tips to keep your vehicle in top shape. We’ll explore .