5 Basic Maintenance Tips To Keep Your Car In Tip-Top Shape
When it comes to cars, some people like cheap daily commuters, while others prefer sports cars. Still, most of us dream of owning a car someday. After all, owning a car is pretty convenient. However, a car also comes with responsibilities and repair bills.
As a result, experts advise that one should at least understand basic maintenance. Since cars are machines and can’t service themselves, their owners need to take good care of them, a little like a young child. And obviously, a well-maintained car is less likely to frustrate you and will cost significantly less in the long run. Cheaping out on maintenance is never a good investment. Still, the best way to keep repair costs on the lower side is always to do some of the maintenance on your own, significantly reducing the frequency of your trips to the repair shop. To help you with that, we’ve come up with five basic maintenance tips you can easily do at home.
That’s already a good start.
1. Check the Oil Level in Your Car
Oil plays an important role in keeping the engine working smoothly. To check the oil level, start by turning off the engine. Open the hood and take out the dipstick. The engine oil level should sit right in between the two marks — no more no less. If the level is low, add some more. Replace the dipstick and close the hood.
Voila!
Note: Don’t forget to replace the oil cap if you removed it to top off the level — you really don’t want to see what happens if you start the engine with the oil cap off.
2. Keep the Engine Clean
The engine is the heart of a car, and as such, needs to be kept clean to prevent premature wear and tear.
Start by opening the hood, and spray some engine cleaner. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes and use a pressure washer to clean it off. Make sure not to spray water directly into the air filter, electric connectors, and around the spark plugs. Once done, wait for the engine to dry out before starting it (parking it in the sun can significantly speed up the process).
3. Change the Air Filter Periodically
Air filters help trap dust particles and other impurities in the air, preventing debris from entering the engine. While most manufacturers recommend changing the air filter every 30,000 miles, it’s really a personal question. I would highly suggest inspecting the air filter during each oil change to be on the safe side.
In most cases, inspecting your air filter is quite simple: open the air box, remove the air filter, place a worklight behind it and make sure you can see the light. If you can’t it needs to be replaced. Slide a new one in there and close the airbox. However, some vehicles might be a bit tricky, and when in doubt, make sure to check the manufacturer’s recommended procedure in your owner’s manual.
4. Check the Tire Pressure
While tires play a major role in ensuring the safety of the occupants, they also have a significant effect on fuel efficiency and performance. Therefore, they must be kept in check at all times.
Check the air pressure at least once a month (if you aren’t sure, this procedure is also in your owner’s manual) and inspect the threads for wear and damages. If your tires are on their 3rd or 4th season, you might want to try the “Penny Test” — a quick and easy way to make sure your tires are still safe to use.
5. Have regular inspection
Regular inspections ensure that your vehicle is ready for anything. For example, if you notice that the lights aren’t working, then you should have them checked immediately. Also, if the windshield wipers are slower than they should, it may indicate a problem with the motor lurking in the shadows. Regular inspections will allow you to identify potential problems early on, reducing the risk of having to visit your repair shop again.
(Yes, your mechanic might be a really good guy and maybe you really like to sit in a waiting room, playing Everygame Poker for hours; still, you’d be better playing at home and save yourself from a hefty repair bill, right?)
Benefits of Keeping Your Car in Good Shape.
Put simply, the best way to protect yourself and your car is always to keep it in good condition. You need to remember that maintaining your car doesn’t have to cost you a lot of money. All you need is proper tools and a bit of practice.
Increased gas mileage
When you keep your car in great condition, it will run smoothly and efficiently for a lot longer. As a result, you’ll be saving on time, fuel, and money — what’s not to like?
Minimal repair and replacement costs
Premature maintenance also means you’ll be saving on future part replacements, or at least extend the intervals. Indeed, faulty components frequently have a negative impact on other parts they interact with. For instance, replacing your brake pads in time could allow you to reuse the same rotors. On the other hand, if the brake pads wear out, they will permanently scratch the rotors, which will then need to be replaced too.
Improved safety
This one is pretty self-explaining but we’ll still mention it. As you might expect, running on worn-out brakes, tires, and suspension components can significantly increase the risk of accidents. Indeed, almost 30% of the accidents in the US can be related from near or far to a car in bad condition — better safe than sorry here!
Pride and Confidence
Finally, you’ll be able to show off your pride and joy driving around town with complete peace of mind, knowing that your car doesn’t risk breaking down and leaving you stranded — that’s not to neglect.
Last Words
Car maintenance is a lot more important than some might think and cheaping out is never a good idea. Luckily, basic maintenance is fairly simple to do at home. All you need is the right tools, some elbow grease, and a couple of free afternoons. Trust me; it’s really not that hard. Of course, auto mechanics come with a learning curve, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll even have fun doing it!