The global automotive aftermarket industry is expected to reach $722.8 billion by 2020. There are all kinds of vehicles out on the roadways, but, unfortunately, many of them aren’t in as good shape as they probably should be.

Getting your car inspected is an essential part of vehicle ownership, but it can also be quite costly if you’re not careful. If your vehicle isn’t ready to pass inspection, not only are you going to stress about driving a car with an expired inspection sticker, you’ll likely have to spend a lot of money getting everything fixed.

That’s why it’s so important to stay on top of your auto maintenance before you head to your next vehicle inspection.

Here are some important things you should do before you think about getting your car inspected:

• Replace your air filter — Luckily, you can replace your air filter without needing any tools or really any automotive maintenance skills at all. All you need is a few minutes and you should be all set. You should replace your air filter every 12 months (or 12,000 miles). Your filter is located under the hood of your car in a black rectangular box — check your owner’s manual if you can’t find the box as soon as you open your hood.

• Replace your spark plugs — You should be replacing your spark plugs after about 30,000 miles, unless your owner’s manual says otherwise. Though this project is a little more time-consuming than simply replacing an air filter, you can still get it down in under a half hour if you know what you’re doing. All you need is a socket wrench and some new spark plug sockets.

• Keep air in your tires — Neglecting to keep your tires filled with air will cause all sorts of problems. Not only will your car not run properly due to the deflated tires, but you’ll also risk doing significant additional damage to your vehicle down the line. In addition to keeping your tires filled with air, make sure you get them rotated in between your oil changes, as well.

Whether it’s brand new vehicles or classic car inspections, make sure you take care of your automobile beforehand to avoid high costs. If you want to learn more about preventative auto care, getting your car inspected, or schedule a pre purchase car inspection, give IMC Inspection a call today.