You know that taking proper care of your body keeps you healthy. That means fueling it with the right foods, spending enough time dedicated to fitness and dropping all of the bad habits that keep you from maximizing your overall health. Taking care of your car is quite similar – if you don't show it enough attention, it's bound it leave you stranded in the breakdown lane.

According to a 2015 survey conducted by the Car Care Council, about 84 percent of vehicles failed at least one inspection component, which shows drivers often neglect to take proper care of their ride.

Nobody wants to wait around for a tow truck to haul their car for an unexpected and expensive emergency operation. To keep small problems from turning into larger ones, it's important to put your car through routine maintenance services.

Don't let your car fall apart. Instead, follow this maintenance timeline so that you'll never fall behind in taking proper care of your vehicle.

Windshield wipers – 6 to 12 months
Driving with a clear line of vision is important, especially during a harsh downpour. That's why you need to make certain you're changing your windshield wipers when necessary. Real Simple magazine reported you need to do this every 6 to 12 months and it'll only cost you about $10 to $20.

Battery – every five years
Did you forget to turn off your lights when you went into the grocery store? No worries – you can just ask someone to give you a jump for a quick fix. However, that's not always going to be good enough. Make sure to replace your battery every five years.

Getting someone to jump your battery is a quick fix, but not a permanent one.

Oil – every 7,500 miles or more
You may have been told you need your oil changed every 3,000 miles – or every three months – but according to Cars.com, that's simply not the case. Because of the advances in engine materials and improved quality of oil, manufactures recommend you change your oil every 7,500 to 10,000 miles. Check your owner's manual or contact the manufacturer of your vehicle for more information.

Brake pads – every 50,000 miles
As long as you're using your brakes properly – this means not riding them or slamming on them – Real Simple magazine noted that you only have to change your brake pads every 50,000 miles. The cost of this service generally ranges from $50 to $100 dollars depending on the wear.

Tires – between 25,000 and 50,000 miles
According to Kelley Blue Book, the life of your tires depends on a number of different factors. This includes the type of car you have, how often you drive it and how well you take care of your tires. All tires are designed with tread, which is the pattern of grooves and ridges that increase car's traction on the road. Over time, the tread wears down, which ultimately results in needing to replace the tires. The source said the average life of most tires is between 25,000 and 50,000 miles, but it all depends on the type of wear they go through.

Engine air filter – varies
Every time you take your car in for a service checkup, ask the mechanic to check the air filter. He'll be able to help you determine if it needs to be replaced, because this is a service that varies from vehicle to vehicle. Cars.com said some manufacturer's recommend the filter gets replaced every 45,000 miles, and others say 30,000 and 15,000. Ultimately, the maintenance worker will be able to tell if your filter needs changed by the amount of black residue trapped in it.

Check these elements on a frequent basis
There are a number of elements you should be checking on a frequent basis, according to the Car Care Council. Those include:

• Dashboard lights – Never ignore these! If an indicator is lit, take your car to the auto shop
• Lights – Keep an eye out for bulbs that need replaced
• Windshield washer fluid – Keep the stuff in your trunk for easy refills
• Tire Condition – Most cars will notify the driver if tire air pressure is low

Could your vehicle use a little TLC? Head over to NJ Auto Junction, where the mechanics will take great care of your car and make sure every service is up to date.

Winter has come and gone, so it's likely that you're feeling better about your teen driver being out on the road. However, according to AAA, the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day is known as the "100 Deadliest Days" due to the heightened rate of teen deaths in car accidents. In fact, in 2013 alone, 371,645 people were injured and 2,927 were killed in car crashes that involved a teen behind the wheel.

The warmer weather of summer surely inspires more joy rides, and it's important that your teen takes precautionary measures when driving this season. The roads are going to be busier than usual, with traffic from normal 9-5ers, to vacation-goers and college kids traveling home from school. Pass these words of advice along to your teen driver to ensure he understands the importance of driving safely throughout the summertime.

1. Buckle up
Before your teen even starts the car, he should make it a habit to buckle his seatbelt. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease and Control Prevention, wearing a seatbelt can reduce the risk of death by 40 percent and serious injury by 50 percent for drivers and front-seat passengers. If you're still deciding on the perfect car for your teen, you may want to consider one that uses an alarm to notify the driver until he buckles up.

Your teen needs to understand the importance of buckling up before driving.

2. Never text and drive
Did you know that over eight people are killed and 1,161 are injured in car crashes that involve a distracted driver every day? This involves anything that takes the mind, eyes, or hands away from concentrating on driving. The most common form of distraction is handling a smartphone or texting, so instill it in your teen's mind to never text and drive. Regardless of the conversation he may be having with his buddy, the text can wait. If it's too important to wait to talk about until later, he needs to pull over and handle it without risking his life.

3. Give your car proper maintenance
It's likely that your teen is going to play his favorite tunes to the highest volume while he drives, which means the chance of him missing signs that his car needs maintenance is pretty high. Therefore, you should always stress the importance of taking care of the car to your teen. Auto Trader reported that this means checking the tire pressure, getting the oil changed on a normal basis and looking out for any telling signs that the car needs a little extra TLC. If he doesn't show his car proper car, it won't be up and running much longer make sure he knows that!

4. Don't drive when it's not necessary
When your teen starts driving, it's likely that he's going to want to be in that car every chance he gets. Regardless of if he has to be anywhere, he will find something to do so that he can go for a ride.

However, Consumer Reports suggested convincing your teen not to drive when it's not necessary to reduce the risk of being involved in an accident, especially during inclement weather. Let him know about the dangers of driving on slick, wet roads – sometimes, it could be worse than snow.

5. Never drink and drive
This may seem like an obvious one, but unless you stress the importance of not drinking and driving, your teen may not see it as such a big deal. Even though they are below the drinking age, teens have still reportedly been involved in fatal vehicle accidents that involved the consumption of alcohol. To keep this from happening, make it a point to have the discussion with your teen about drinking  and driving – let him know that he should call you if he doesn't think he can drive or he is in a situation with a friend who has been drinking. Being honest with your teen about the risks of drunk driving will make him feel more comfortable in opening up to you.

Spring has finally arrived, and for some, that means it's time to enjoy a much needed vacation. But before you head out on the road with your best friends, you need to make sure your car is ready for the long haul. Did you know that April is National Car Care Month? Now is the perfect opportunity to show your vehicle some love and give it the much-needed attention you've been putting off for far too long.

It makes sense, though, because why would you bother getting anything done during the winter? You're just going to keep rolling over potholes and road salt until the ice and snow is gone, so what's the point? Well, unfortunately, if you wait too long to fix the damage winter caused, it could result in an unexpected break down on the side of the road. You don't want to spend that hard-earned cash you were saving for your trip on a tow truck, do you?

Don't neglect your car and cross your fingers that it makes it to your spring break destination. Instead, head to the shop and request the following maintenance services to maximize your safety during your road trip.

1. Get rid of that salt
First and foremost, you need to make sure your car drives and looks smooth. That means giving it a good cleaning and making sure all of that leftover salt from the icy roads is completely removed. Nothing screams "I've been neglecting my car" quite like remnants of winter, so show your car some love and get rid of it! Salt doesn't only make your car look dirty, it can also cause your ride's undercarriage some serious damage, according to Angie's List. Consider asking your maintenance man to give the bottom of your car a good clean and polish to get rid of any rust or salt.

2. Change your oil and fluids
If your car hasn't had its oil changed in a while, now's the perfect time to take care of it. It's recommended that you get an oil change every 3,000 to 5,000 miles. Your oil isn't the only thing that needs changed, though. Flushing your transmission fluid is important, too, and it could keep you from paying a pretty penny on a damaged transmission, according to the information auto repair shop owner Scott McClure shared with Angie's List.

"It's one of the most neglected services," he says. "It's a very costly repair – between $2,200 and $4,200 – if you have to rebuild or repair [a transmission]."

3. Service your cooling system
If you're heading to a southern state for your spring break road trip, the temperature is bound to raise during your route. You'll probably go from wearing a jacket, to opening the windows and then suddenly finding yourself turning up the air conditioning as high as it lets you. You're not going to be the only one warming up, though. You car needs to stay cool, too, so take the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's advice and get your coolant levels checked. This is a great step to take to make sure your system is running smoothly. You may even want to consider getting it flushed and refilled. This can up the chances that your system is running at its best during your road trip.

Who wants to sit and wait for a tow truck because the engine overheated?

4. Check your wipers and lighting
They say April showers bring May flowers, so your chances of driving through a rainstorm are more than likely. To maximize your safety while driving through precipitation, the Car Care Council suggested making sure your lighting and wipers are working properly. Worn wiper blades and broken head lights can make driving through rainfall extremely dangerous, so take precautionary measures to make certain everything will run smooth.

5. Inspect your brakes
Angie's List reported that getting your brakes inspected might be the most important maintenance service steps you can take before heading out on a long road trip. Ask your maintenance technician to check the brake pads and rotors for you to ensure your car is safe to drive. If you fail to get them checked, you could find yourself smashed into someone's bumper on your way down to the beach.

Your car needs to be just as ready for this trip as you are, so stop by NJ Auto Auction where our mechanics will make sure your ride is safe enough for your road trip.