Novice drivers as well as experienced drivers have at one time or another fallen victim to car maintenance issues.

Whether it be a flat tire, a dead battery or a not-so-kind encounter with a mischievous curb, you've undoubtedly been there before.

Stranded. Alone. Desperate.

"One time I was on the interstate; I was in the far left lane and my car shut down," said Jordan Backs, a recent University graduate. "I had to get over to the right side [of the road] and there were tractor trailers going 70 miles an hour past me."

Backs had several incidents with his 1991 Pontiac Grand Prix. Eventually the vehicle's doors and windows wouldn't even open, and at one point he had to talk with a police officer through his back window.

Since his stint on the side of I-20 he's learned a few things about cars.

Some people might think they don't want to pay the 30 bucks to get their oil changed this time around, but if you don't take care of it you'll pay for it later. Jordan Backs, recent UGA graduate

"You have to expect everything [on the road]. Maintain [your car] as well as you can," he said. "Some people might think they don't want to pay the 30 bucks to get their oil changed this time around, but if you don't take care of it you'll pay for it later."

Ryan Schmidt, a sophomore from Douglasville, also had his fair share of automotive problems with his 1985 Chevrolet Blazer.

"I was coming back [home] from my girlfriend's house one night and all the sudden [my car] just stopped accelerating," he said. "The transmission went out and I started rolling backward, down a hill. I rolled back into a church."

The incident cost him about $1,500 in car repairs.

Schmidt admitted he didn't keep up with regular oil changes, but said he has applied more care and concern with his new car, keeping up with regular maintenance and inspecting the vehicle every week.

"With my new car, I found a nail in my front, right tire," he said. "If I hadn't walked around my car, I wouldn't have noticed it. You want to make sure you're taking care of [your car]. You don't want to be stranded on the side of the road."

Whether you just can't remember the last time you got your oil changed, or you have a case of bad luck with your vehicle, there are some basics to owning and maintaining a car that can save you a lot of time and money.

OIL & FILTERS

"The most important thing a person can do for their car is change their engine oil and oil filter on a regular basis," said Michael Adkins, automotive program director at Athens Technical College.

With 30 years of automotive industry experience under his belt, Adkins said students should change the oil every 3,000 to 5,000 miles.

"Whenever you do an oil change, you ought to do things like rotate your tires, change your engine oil filter and check your air filter," he said.

Adkins said air filters should be changed about every 30,000 miles. Air filters keep dirt and grime from getting into the engine and causing wear and tear.

TIRES & BRAKES

Tires are an essential part of a vehicle and require a great deal of attention.

Kenny Hipps, store manager at Tires Plus on College Station Road, has 12 years of experience working on cars. He recommended a 30,000- to 60,000-mile life expectancy for brakes, but warned this can vary depending on the driver.

If you experience "squealing, grinding, pulsating, screeching or a spongy pedal," you should get your brakes inspected immediately, he said.

Hipps also said to watch for wear patterns on tires.

"[Look for] edge wear - where it looks like it's balding on the edges, center wear - where it's really smooth in the center but it looks like the edges are still OK, pulling - if your car is pulling to one side while you're driving straight down the road and you have to compensate for the pull by holding the steering wheel a certain way," he said.

One thing to keep in check is air pressure. Every driver should have a tire-pressure gauge in their vehicle.

SPARK PLUGS

Spark plugs - electrical units in the engine that ignite the fuel and transfer heat - are another vital organ in your car's beating heart.

"You should just replace them anytime your scheduled maintenance recommends it," Hipps said. "On some cars it's every 60,000 miles, some it's every 90,000 and some even go to 100,000. It just depends on the manufacturer. And you can't really tell anything's wrong with them until it starts skipping or something of that nature."

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Bottom line: pay attention to your vehicle.

After all, it gets you from point A to point B, and many students don't have the luxury of having their parents close by when things go awry.

Editor's Note: This story was originally published in the Red and Black by Tanhi Segars on Sept. 29, 2009. Click here to view the original story.  Published through the agreement of the Intercollegiate Online News Network.