A vehicle is surely an expensive item. Taking good care and maintenance of your car is the most effective way of increasing longevity.
When well taken care of, you even keep your vehicle powerful and smooth-running throughout its lifespan.
In this article, we are going to share some of the great car maintenance tips that really work.
10 Effective Car Maintenance Tips
1. Drive carefully
If you avoid aggressive driving, you will less likely need to repair your car.
You should follow the things below for driving carefully.
- You should accelerate slowly while starting the engine of your car each time.
- Always, try to put less strain on the engine.
- Drive at moderate speeds.
- Don’t hold the steering wheel in an extreme left or right position for more than seconds while turning it.
- Avoid objects and potholes to keep the tires of the car safe.
2. Purchase fuel from reputable service stations
Many service stations do not clean the pump filter regularly. Some stations do not even have any pump filters.
You should always find a trustworthy station that offers better fuel and service as well.
3. Take care of your car for long-term storage
You should take some necessary steps to store your car If you are not going to use it for a couple of weeks or even a month. Let’s see what you should do…
- Keep the gas tank full of fuel.
- Drive the car for a while after adding a fuel stabilizer for proper distribution of the additives to parts of the engine.
- Before storage, make sure to wash it thoroughly.
- Place vapor barriers on the floor and wall of your garage to resist the diffusion of moisture.
- Detach the parking brake for avoiding corrosion.
- Place your car on jack stands in order to take its weight off the tires and wheels.
- Detach the battery from your car and place it on a trickle charger. You can also re-charge the battery using a low-voltage charger.
- Plug the exhaust pipe with a rag in order to prevent moisture.
4. Maintain scheduled washes
Wash your car at least once a week. It’s better to make a schedule and clean the car accordingly.
Maintaining wash on time, you can keep the appearance of your car new and stylish throughout the years.
5. Replace the vital parts on time
As a part of regular maintenance, you have to change essential components when expected.
Here is the average lifespan of some essential parts below.
Cabin air filter: Change every 15,000 to 20,000 miles
Emission filter: Change every 100,000 miles
Engine oil filter: Change every 3-months or 3,000 miles
Engine air filter: Change every 15,000 to 30,000 miles
Fuel filter: Change every 30,000 miles or 2-years
Spark plug: Change every 10,000 miles to 100,000 miles, depending on the type
Ignition coil: Change every 100,000 miles approximately or more
6. Check the fluids on a regular basis and change when expected
You should always maintain the level of fluids appropriate to keep your vehicle running smoothly.
Here is a list of fluids below that you should check regularly.
- Engine oil
- Power steering fluid
- Transmission fluid
- Brake fluid
- Coolant
The lack of any of these fluids will affect your vehicle while driving.
7. Test the front and rear lights
A burnt-out or broken bulb is a safety hazard, and you might get a ticket. You should check each bulb on your car thoroughly.
If you find any faulty ones, you will need to make sure of the replacement as soon as possible.
8. Replace windshield wipers
The windshield wipers ensure better visibility when you drive during a snowstorm or heavy rain.
So you should always make sure that the wipers are functioning well. If they do not work properly, you will replace them immediately because of your safety.
9. Inspect and maintain wheels and tires
Maintaining wheels and tires is a crucial task of car care. You should check the level of tire pressure daily, and inflate or deflate the tires according to the recommended pressure by the user manual. It’s also better to rotate the tires every 5500 to 10500 miles to avoid an unexpected blowout.
10. Check the car insurance policy
It’s really better to review your auto insurance policy from time to time, similar to the regular car check-up. More specifically, you should have regular updates on the insurance coverage, limits, and deductibles.
Check the web portal of your car insurance company at least once a week to ensure that all is appropriate and up-to-date according to your current situation.