5 Underappreciated Car Parts

Cars are made of many systems, often with hundreds of individual components. Our team at Sheehy Nissan of Glen Burnie has the details on five of the most underappreciated car parts on your car:

1. Tires – Nothing is more important to your vehicle’s performance and safety than the tires you select. Beyond the usual conversation of summer/winter tires and tire wear, the brand and model of tire you select can make an enormous difference in your car’s ride and handling. Tires - the big, black, donuts on your car – may not look like much, but they actually represent a wealth of design, technology, and manufacturing development. There is an abundance of research and reviews available online, so take the time to make a well-informed decision on your tires, as specific to your driving habits, needs, budget, and climate.

2. Oil Filters – if you’re like most drivers, you’ve never seen your oil filter, and have no idea where, what kind, or what quality filter you have. More so than most other commonly replaceable components on your car, oil filter quality can vary tremendously. Oil filters protect your oil and thus also your engine. Ask your technician for advice, but we’d recommend spending a bit more for a reputable brand, and if they offer two lines, buy the better one. It’s money well spent.

3. Permanent Automatic Transmission Fluid (aka ATF) – means less maintenance and therefore expense for most drivers, but not all drivers should refrain from changing their ATF, even if the manual states that it’s not necessary. Towing, constant stop-and-go driving, hot climates, hills, and dusty conditions can strain the properties of your ATF. Ask your technician if s/he’d recommend a fluid change.

4. Shocks and Struts – Next to tires, these are the components most necessary for safe driving and decent handling. They are responsible for keeping your tires firmly in contact with the road. Shocks and struts typically wear and begin to fail slowly, so it’s easy to overlook and forget about them. Failed shocks and struts can burst, leak, crack or break, and as they fail, so does your handling and braking. Ask that they be inspected next time your car’s up on a lift.

5. Headlights – Here again, headlights tend to be overlooked and underappreciated, namely because they typically go about their business quietly and without notice, until one of them burns out and you get pulled over or notice your illumination is down by half. Headlights are easy and inexpensive (in most cases) to replace, and a little-known fact is that halogen bulbs dim slowly over time. Another factor which can affect your headlight’s output is the clouding of headlight lenses caused by sun, rain, road rash, and environmental chemicals. This can often be removed by professionally polishing the headlight, but if they’re too far gone, ask about replacing them with new units, to be assured of safer night-time driving.