Little Known Ways To Take Good Care Of Your Car

Dear car owner, you would undoubtedly love to know little known ways to take good care of your car. It may be new or somewhat old – I know but that doesn’t make any difference. You know what I mean: in fact, a well-maintained old car can live longer than a newer one without proper maintenance.

To the mere fact that your car won’t magically take care of itself, taking good care of it is a very important part of the whole car ownership thing. It’s actually not that difficult. Quite often, it’s only the little things that make the big difference in the long run. This being said, allow me to draw your attention to some simple tasks that ensure your car is well maintained.

1. Clean the inside of your car. Seriously.

The most important part of taking care of your car is keeping it clean both inside and out. Maintaining your car’s interior is surely the first thing you ought to be doingto keep your car in good condition and it’s worth any investment. Asking for convincing reasons to do it?  Well, keeping your car’s interior tidy and clean increases its resale value and besides, this simple practice can reduce stress in your life and make your driving experience even more enjoyable.

You may be busy but you should take some time to clean your car’s interior at least once a month. Is that too much to ask? If you’re too busy to do it, I’m pretty sure there is always a car wash somewhere around. No more excuses yeah?

2. Wash your car regularly.

If you’re one of those people who drive to work every day, you ought to wash your car weekly. Every day, your car is subjected to things that can eat up the paint and eventually eat at the metal in your car and washing it regularly is the only effective way to avoid such damage. True, failing to wash your car won’t result in immediate damage, but it will give it such an awful look and if you keep ignoring it, things will get even worse with time.

When washing your car:

• Use the right cleaning formula. Do not use dish cleaners since they can do more harm than good on your car’s paint. Instead, use car washing soaps. Also, make sure you use a clean bucket, pour in the soap, and then water.
• Use a clean (without any dust or small sand particles or stones which can lead to scratches) and well soaked with water and soap car wash mitt. While cleaning, move the mitt in one direction and stick to it.
• If you are making your car wet or cleansing out the soap, using a water pump, put your hand in front of it, and see if it doesn’t hurt it. If it does, that’s too much for your car.
• Don’t use paper, an old T-shirt, or a sponge while drying up your car. Use a soft towel or something with a similar softness that absorbs the water really well. It’s always good to dry it off in one direction-From top to bottom.

3. Always go with clean mirrors

Assuming that you are good enough not to drive without mirrors, we are not going to talk about that. Talking about mirrors…you may be the best driver in the world but driving with dirty mirrors makes you everyone’s  least favorite driver and can cause you a lot more troubles on the road as well.

4. Change oil at regular and reasonable intervals

Your car should have fresh oil. It relies on it to lubricate, clean, and cool its engine parts, preventing metal-to-metal contact and the resultant friction. If you don’t change the oil regularly your car will have performance issues, and it can eventually kill your engine-which you wouldn’t like.

5. Check your tire pressure

The tire pressure is something you should keep an eye on, as it constantly changes and when it gets too low or too high can cause serious problems. On a plus side, tires with the correct pressure have a longer life and increase your fuel efficiency. Making it a habit to check your tire pressure at least twice a month would be a wise move.

The recommended tire pressure of your car is often labeled on a sticker inside the driver’s side door. Car manufacturers spend a lot of time coming up with this number for a good reason-It’s the one you should use.

Before we get to the  next point, let’s talk about the spare tire. It’s not just a matter of having one but rather a matter of being certain that it will be useful when the need arises. So, you need to keep an eye on its condition. Do check its air pressure too and confirm it won’t mismatch when you install it.

6. Replace any bad headlamps as soon as you can.

Driving in the dark when one of your headlamps isn’t working or showing a very dim light is very dangerous plus the police don’t look kindly on it at all. You may have been in a similar situation and maybe got through it safely. Thank God but as a note for future reference; before you start your car, take a few seconds to check on your headlights and ensure neither of them is burned out or malfunctioning. Replacing a bulb is relatively inexpensive. Make sure you solve the issues as soon as it arises.

7. Park your car properly

This includes a number of useful practices including not to throw your car into the park before it comes to a full stop. You should as well avoid sharp acceleration and abrupt braking as they appear to be extremely harmful.

Parking properly also suggests the idea of leaving your car in good condition while parked. Are you going to spend the whole day at work with your car parked outside there? Parking in the shade would prevent damage to your car and some sorts of faded painting jobs.

You can’t always find a parking place in the shade and parking under the tree isn’t always the cool thing. So it’s wise to buy a sunshade and keep it with you.

8. Get rid of bird crap as soon as you can.

You may have left your car under the tree and the time you were back, bird droppings were all over it. Frustrating! Worse still, bird droppings are very acidic so that can ruin your car’s paint and we know that new paint jobs are not cheap. So, if you see it land on your car, quickly clean it off. While removing it from a completely dry car, consider using some moisturizer and a soft trowel. Remove it in the upward direction and then cleanse the place in the downward motion.

9. Change your air filter regularly

Having a new air filter every other time is so important especially if you drive on dusty roads. You know why? Your car’s air filter functions like lungs in the human body. Just as your lungs must be kept clean and healthy so that you breathe easier and stay healthy. Your car’s air filter must be clean so as not to hurt your car’s efficiency. If you think that your car isn’t going to explode from a dirty air filter, you are right but it’s possible that leaving one in can cause your engine to fail. Remember, the air filter helps to circulate air in your engine to improve power and performance. It also stops dust from accumulating in your engine, preventing a choked up engine.

10. Don’t drive recklessly.

Sometimes, speeding may be necessary. However, always driving like you’re the next racing sensation will eventually take its toll on your car. That speedy driving trip after trip makes your engine work harder than it should normally work, using excess fuel, forcing the pistons and all the other moving parts in your car’s engine to work at faster-than-optimal speeds, which will eventually lead to more stress on your car so that you will face some maintenance costs soon. On the other hand, driving a bit more calmly will save you these repairs or any life-risking scenario.

11. Go for the best car insurance

Even Though you make sure to always drive with a sound mind, one reckless driver can leave you and your car out of action just in the blink of an eye. Well, it seems like there is no way to save your neck from this terrible situation but choosing the best insurance would be of much help. Well, it’s quite common sense that you should never drive a car without insurance. But what about quality? Good insurance can get a bit expensive, but it allows you to stay covered for accidents, repairs, and medical bills, while cheap insurance may not cover it all. When choosing your insurance company make sure you have enough coverage just in case.

12. Regularly check the oil level

Motor oil does the job of lubricating all the moving parts in your engine so they don’t grind and tear themselves into disfunction. If your engine doesn’t have enough oil, your car is running at risk.

You won’t know your car doesn’t have enough oil without checking. It’s important to get in the habit of regularly checking it.

Checking your car’s oil level is super easy. It actually takes about only three minutes, plus five minutes you need to wait before checking right after you turn the engine off – this five minute gives the oil a time to drain back into the pan.

Donno how to check the oil level?

You just need a clean paper towel and enough light. All you have to do is to locate your engine’s dipstick and pull it out. Wipe it clean with your clean towel and then put it back-Make sure it goes all the way in. Now pull the dipstick out again and here comes the reading section. The dipstick has two marks at the bottom. You will read the oil level read by looking where the oily part ends and the dry part begins. If the oil line is between the two marks, then your car’s oil level is good to go. If it’s below the bottom mark, you need to add some more oil but not too much as too much oil isn’t good for the engine. Yuhu! Now you know to read a dipstick. Note that your car should be on the ground level to get an accurate reading.

13. Drive Your Vehicle Regularly

Driving your car regularly keeps the battery charged. This helps you understand that if you leave your car stagnant at the parking lot for weeks without any action, your battery may fail when you need it. For that reason, if you won’t be driving your vehicle for a few weeks, make sure you turn it on every so often to keep the battery fresh. Otherwise, if you’re traveling and there is nobody around to help you out, you can disconnect the battery before you leave or better still, buy a battery tender which makes sure that your car battery is charged at appropriate storage voltage when not active.

14. Check your fluid levels: Your car runs on fluids. They keep your car safe and running. You can check if you have enough and even top it off yourself if you’re running low. But before topping off any fluid, refer to your owner’s manual to make sure you use a product that matches your car manufacturer’s specifications.

 15. Do replace your wiper blades.

Your visibility is extremely important for your safety, especially during inclement weather. When it comes to visibility while driving, wiper blades do such a great job. Always be sure to replace your wiper blades if your old ones are dried, cracked, or leave streaks on your windshield. It will save you some headaches along the way.

16. Consult the user manual

Your particular car has unique needs. Take the time to look over your owner’s manual and follow any maintenance schedules or advice it recommends, such as the duration of a “break-in” period, and when in doubt, contacting an expert will save yourself a lot of trouble and frustration.

17. Tend to minor repairs in a timely manner

That strange sound or any other kind of little issue can become a big one when left unattended. Take care of these small problems at your earliest convenience to prevent further – and more costly – damage to your car down the road.

Hopefully, this piece helped you realize that taking good care of your car ain’t a hard thing at all. It’s just a little bit of concentrated effort that goes a long way. Do take at heart these simple tips. They are actually not too much. I mean there is no such thing as too much maintenance. Just do all you can to keep your car in good condition. This will help you take good care of your car on and off the road.