Basic car care and maintenance tips
A car is an important personal investment, but owning one, whether it’s a new car or a used car, takes a lot of hard work. It has to be well taken care of to ensure its reliability and prevent breakdowns. Used cars especially need extra attention as they are more difficult and more expensive to maintain than new cars.
Following a regular maintenance routine will help extend the life of your car as well as keep your car’s performance at its peak. It will also save you a lot of money in repairs. Here are basic car care and maintenance tips to follow.
1. Drive with care
Do not accelerate your engine during start-up as this quickly adds to the wear of the car’s engine. Accelerate slowly when you begin your drive. Shift to neutral at red lights to give the engine some time to rest. Be car considerate and you will be rewarded with longer time between repairs.
2. Wash your car once a week
Washing your car keeps it clean, shiny and free from corrosion. Remember to clean the car interior too. Dirt particles are abrasive while spilled liquids such as sodas and juices can be corrosive. Vacuum your car interior thoroughly and wipe the lenses on the dashboard with a soft damp cloth. Take your mats out and brush or hose them down. This will remove dirt that may otherwise create wear in your mats if they build up. Dry the mats thoroughly in the sun before placing them back in the car.
3. Wax your car too
Waxing your car regularly protects you car’s paint job by slowing oxidation and by creating a barrier against bird droppings and pollution. It also makes the car look good by adding extra shine.
4. Park in the shade
Parking your car in the shade prevents interior damage by UV rays and protects your car’s paint job. If a shaded area is not available, use a car shade to minimise the sun’s impact.
5. Change engine oil and filter regularly
Many car owners manual today recommend increasing the interval between oil changes. But frequent oil change is still necessary especially if you are maintaining a used car. Frequent oil changes flush abrasive dirt and metal particles out of the engine, thus prolonging its life. Change the oil filters because the old filters contain build up of oil and dirt particles that will otherwise remain and mix with the new, clean oil.
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