There’s no better feeling than driving your shiny new – or old – car through the city with your windows rolled down and the breeze sifting your hair. Your car creaking every which turn and flat tires halting your smooth ride aren’t situations any car owner is fond of. Owning a car indeed comes with many responsibilities, and those don’t stop at just changing the tires or cleaning your windshield. There’s a lot one can do to keep their car in excellent condition.
If you’re looking to learn how to take care of your car like a pro, then you’ve come to the right place. The tips we have for you will take you from a novice to an expert on how to maintain your car.
- Fuel and Filters
Fuel is your car’s lifeblood and any indolence when it comes to fuelling your car can drain the life out of it. Along with regular fuel changes, there are many other things you need to pay continuous attention to. Every once in a fortnight you should check your engine’s oil. To do so, open your car’s bonnet, remove the dipstick, clean it, and put it back in. When you pull it out again, the level of oil should be between the minimum and maximum markers. For petrol run vehicles, dark and dirty looking oil should be replaced immediately. You should also check and replace your filter on a regular basis. In an attempt to save money by not refilling your fuel tank until the last second, you’ll end up building a hefty repair bill. When low on fuel, your fuel pump will draw on debris present at the bottom of the fuel tank. These particles, however, clog up your car’s fuelling system by corroding the fuel pump and filters, ultimately rendering your car inoperable. So, keep an eye on the fuel level in your tank and make sure to buy fuel only from trusted gas stations.
- How to Keep Your Battery Alive
If fuel’s the blood, then the engine’s the heart, and not keeping the heart healthy can be detrimental to your car. Not using your car for extended periods will cause the battery to deteriorate and go flat. Once that happens, you’ll need to jump-start your car. Read your car’s service protocol before you jump-start the car or ask a car technician for assistance if you’re unsure how to go about it. In some situations, you might have to change the battery altogether. To prevent your car’s battery from degrading, use a trickle charger throughout the duration it’s left unused. If not a trickle charger, try taking your car out for a ride once a week to keep the battery alive. You can also inspect your car’s spark plugs, high tension leads, and engine guards occasionally and make replacements if needed.
- Check On Your Tires
It’s easy to overlook taking care of your tires with how durable they are these days, only paying attention to them when there’s a puncture. But tires are an important safety feature of your car, and faulty ones can put your life in danger. Checking and changing tires are things you can do easily by yourself. You should check your tires’ pressure regularly for over or under-inflation. If the pressure is imbalanced, top it up according to your car’s service handbook. Do note that front and rear tires, based on your car’s brand and model, might have different optimum pressures. Flat tires can increase fuel consumption and are very dangerous when driving at high speeds. Rotating your tires after long-distance travels will prolong their life.
- Air Filters
Regular oil and air filter changes will help keep your car in top shape. Filters get clogged easily over time, so swap them out for new ones every now and then. You can save some money by changing out your car’s air filter yourself. It’s an easy process you can get done quickly in your free time. If you think the filter is in good condition but is just a bit dirty, then clean it rather than replace it. Don’t compromise on the quality of your engine filter, because using a bad one can do a lot of harm to the engine.
- Follow a Maintenance and Repair Schedule
Keeping up to date with your car’s service schedule is probably the most important thing you can do to maintain your car in good condition and prolong its life. You can schedule service for your car based on either time intervals or miles driven. On top of regular minor servicing such as filter changes and tire pressure checks, you should also get major servicing done to your car yearly. A quick look at your car’s handbook will tell you when servicing is due.
Keeping repair tools on hand is also useful when minor repairs need to be done. If you’re unsure about what equipment you need, taking a look at the Beta Tools by Unipac will give you comprehensive knowledge about the tools you should keep on hand. Knowing just the basics of car repair will go a long way, but taking a simple course on car repair can be of much more advantage. Ask your servicer questions about car repair and other related fundamentals because you never know when the knowledge might come into use.
- Car Insurance
No matter how careful you are and how regularly you invest in your car’s maintenance, it isn’t possible to account for every possible situation. In situations where your car is compromised or damaged, you should have a backup to rely on. This comes in the form of car insurance, which will ensure all damages are compensated for. Make sure to take insurance from reputed providers only, who guarantee the highest standard of repair and will pay for the replacement of damaged parts with new ones produced by the original manufacturers. Don’t let the care you put into your car be wasted by neglecting the insurance aspect.
- Don’t Ignore Small Issues
Paying attention to every aspect of your car will help you optimize its functionality. Don’t ignore small issues just because they seem trivial at the time. The little things pile up and become bigger problems in the long run. Get minor nicks around the edges of doors touched up regularly to avoid rusting, replace interior lights as and when required, look into unusual car noises, and keep your car squeaky clean. Fix any brake or steering issues immediately to avoid landing in unsafe driving circumstances. Check your car dashboard for warning lights indicating any issues and if you’re unsure about anything, ask a car expert for help.
Taking care of your car won’t feel like a dreary errand if you have the appropriate knowledge regarding car maintenance. The long list of what to and when to get done will not puzzle you once you begin regular servicing and take the time to understand what your car needs. You’ll know sooner than later the mechanisms of car care if you keep the tips we’ve given you in mind.