Today's cars and trucks are built better than they used to be, despite anything you may hear. They are designed to go many miles between maintenance stops, but there are some things you need to look at before you drive each day.

Walk around the car to do a quick visual check of the tires. Are any of them low on air? You don't have to actually check the pressure unless they do not appear to be standing up in a normal way. You should take mental note as to their appearance when you have just used an air pressure gauge on them and that should serve as a reference. Does the car or truck have any fluids pooled beneath it? Look for any sign that a leakage occurred since the vehicle was parked. This is a sign of trouble.

Start the engine and observe the gauges. Do they all move up to their normal position for a cold engine? Take a few minutes to warm the engine and listen to it. If all appears fine, then drive away. Some engine drive belts will squeal when the engine is first started. This is a sign of old, hard, or loose belts. Have someone knowledgeable to check them out as soon as possible. Don't wait for a belt to break on the road and cause multiple problems.

As you drive, listen for signs of trouble. Any unusual sounds or vibration? Does the car follow the road as usual? Do the brakes respond well? If anything seems abnormal, and you are not mechanically inclined, have someone with experience check the car out. It may be experiencing worn brakes, steering misallignment, or flaws in one of the tires.

At least once a week, take time to raise the hood and check the oil level and condition. If low, top off the oil level to bring it to the full mark. The water level should be checked when the engine is cold. Never try to uncap the radiator when the engine is warm. The pressure and extremely hot temperature of the coolant can severely injure you. You can top off the coolant with clean water. The coolant is a mixture of antifreeze and water and as long as you don't replace the mixture every day, it will be fine. A couple of times a year, you can check the coolant mixture using a gauge that measures specific gravity. That will verify the ability of the coolant to prevent freezing. In an emergency, you can drive your car with just water in the cooling system. But, not in freezing weather, because it will freeze in the radiator and overheat the engine.

Check the brake fluid and refill it to the marked level on the master or brake cylinder. Top off your windshield washer fluid level.

If you have an automatic transmission, check the level once a week. The engine and transmission must be warmed up by driving a few miles before you do this, as transmission fluid will expand when warm. So, drive a few miles, open the hood and being careful not to burn your hands, locate the automatic transmission dipstick and withdraw it. If needed, add a small amount at a time until you bring the fluid up to the full mark. You will need a narrow funnel to accomplish this because the fluid must be added through the dipstick tube. If you have a manual transmission, this will have to be checked by a mechanic from beneath the car and is only done a couple of times a year unless shifting becomes noisy or stiff or unusual sounds are coming from the transmission.

Doing these things will help you to keep your car in driving condition and save you from most breakdowns on the road. And, you will have a safer care to drive.