Taking the time and effort to make sure your car is running smoothly is needed to ensure you car lasts a long time. Many people neglect taking care of their car and see it as having another expense on top of the price of the car they just paid. Your well kept car will be safer to drive and will hold its value respectively than a neglected car.
Being a safe and good driver can increase the life of your car, as well as get yourself “safe-driver discounts” from your insurance company that can lessen the load of your monthly bills. Here are 7 tips to use to ensure that your car runs properly.
Taking care of your tires
The simplest aspect of a car, its tires, are neglected by many Americans across the states. Almost 12,000 tow-away crashes have a direct correlation to the tires not being up to standard.
As simple as checking your tire pressure on a regular basis to see the amount of tread left on the tires is a great start to keep your tires in great shape. Many people regularly get their tires rotated every 6,000-7,000 miles to make sure they get the most out of their tires before they need a fresh set. Getting your tires aligned regularly will ensure that your tire has equal tread throughout its life.
Check and change the oil and fluids
A fairly easy rule that many people use to check their car’s oil and fluids, is making sure that they check at the beginning of each month for those individuals that drive pretty regularly.
A list of areas to check for example would be the car’s general oil, power steering fluid, automatic transmission fluid, windshield wiper fluid, and brake fluids.
Checking all your car’s lights
Start by simply checking your headlights, taillights, brake lights, and your turn signals as your car is parked and on. Making sure your hazards work in a case of emergency is a major key to making sure your car’s lights function properly. If you have a broken bulb, the best thing is to fix the bulb as it may get you a fix-it ticket.
Replace worn out windshield wipers
If you can see that your windshield wipers are not working properly, do not let the problem get out of hand and go to your local auto parts store to pick up a fresh pair. Making sure that your windshield wipers work and get replaced when worn out is the simplest way to keep your car running smoothly.
Replace the air and Cabin filter
If you do not know how to change your air filter, see your car’s manual and it will direct you to the engine bay. Take out your air filter and with a bright light check if you can see through it, if not then it’s time for a new air filter. A clean air filter will help to improve your car’s overall performance.
Checking the core components
This has to be done once every couple of months to ensure your engine and other components are working great. Clean up any loose dirt or debris near the engine bay and check if the wiring for the battery is securely connected and does not show any signs of rust.
Regular Maintenance
The major car task such as exhaust, brakes, valves, and hoses is done by experts at your local repair shop or dealership. It is important to make sure that you get your car’s maintenance done regularly to ensure that your car runs efficiently.
These 7 steps will help to ensure that your car’s maintenance is at its top level and will help you from the headache of dealing with a car that has its maintenance neglected. In the end your car will have the best maintenance records that will ultimately help your car retain value.
Visit us at Madera Auto Plaza where we make sure our inventory of used cars are all very well taken car.