Your car needs proper maintenance for it to function optimally and so you don’t end up stopping strangers asking them to help you push your car. It is very much like taking care of your own health in that it is an everyday endeavour.
Companies like Car Smart help with car maintenance but they can only do so much. The rest is ultimately up to you.
If you have just bought your first car or you are a seasoned driver, maintaining your vehicle is a series of daily habits. The following are some tips you can use to keep your car in tiptop shape:
- Regularly Check Your Fluids
A car needs many liquids to function including power steering fluid, engine coolant and motor oil. Such fluids are the lifeline of a car.
You need to ensure that the liquids are always near full. Check the fluids yourself or ask a mechanic friend to do it ever so often or you risk paying a steep price.
- Learn More About Your Car
The key to taking care of your car is knowing your car. Know as much about your vehicle as you possibly can.
Study your car’s owner’s manual and research some more online. There is too much to know about a car to know it all so continuous learning is the way to go.
- Be Aware of Warning Lights
All vehicles are fitted with a system of warning lights to alert you of any malfunction in the car. Use the car’s owner’s manual to learn what every light in your car means and how to correct it.
Be prompt to resolve the issue whenever you see a warning light. If you are unable to do so, take your car to a mechanic as soon as you can.
- Check Tire Pressure Vigilantly
Correct tire pressure is crucial for handling the road. Moreover, when your tires don’t have the right amount of pressure you risk premature wear and tear or even blowouts.
Since tires lose air pressure every day, you should check your tire pressure at least once a week when you visit a fueling station. Remember, overinflating your tires is just as dangerous as underinflating them.
- Feel Your Car When Driving
Driving is not only about using your eyes and limbs, but also about feeling the car when driving. If you can do so, whenever there is something wrong with the vehicle, you can tell without having to visually examine it.
Take note of whenever your car doesn’t feel right. Ensure to clearly portray this to your mechanic when you take your vehicle to the shop.
- Perform a Walk Around
Every morning before you get into your car or every evening after parking your car, you should do a walk around. Check and see if there are any dents, the tire pressure, cracked windows or anything else that may be damaged.
Take your time when doing walkarounds. Five minutes may seem like a long time but it is small when compared to the time it will take to fix you are a car.
Other factors such as keeping your car clean and finding a trusted mechanic are important. Proper car maintenance is a process of ongoing improvement.
