With so much emphasis on car buying, few people consider the maintenance requirements of an automobile. The modern car may have as many as 75,000 parts, and the malfunction of just one can make your car behave very strangely. Maintaining a car in good condition will help you to keep it safe, drive it for a long time, and someday sell it for a better price. Stay in touch with your mechanic and ask questions! Mechanics are used to people asking car questions, and most handle the questions admirably. If a mechanic isn't in the mood to give you two minutes to answer a question, ask whether he would take the time to maintain the machine you will drive down the freeway at 65 miles per hour. Read your owner's manual. It has lots of information specific to your car. If anything seems out of place, have it checked as soon as possible. An unusual smell, a new noise, a vibration, a new light on the instrument panel coming on, anything, have it checked! As a driver, your responsibili...