It takes very little time and money to make sure your car runs properly. Although breakdowns happen, they can definitely be minimized by taking a few extra preventive maintenance steps. The Week gives you some tips to get you started. [break]
Protect your vehicle
It’s best to keep your car covered when you aren’t using it. This is a must if you don’t have a garage at home and need to park your vehicle out in the open. Invest in a car cover, depending on the make and model of your vehicle. Excessive dust and heat can cause your car to look older and unkempt and can also result in damage in the long run. Also, use a reflective sunshade to protect your car’s interiors from excessive heat and sun damage. Apply quality vinyl or leather protectant on your dashboard and seats to save it from discoloration. Regularly vacuuming the interiors and polishing the exteriors will also help in maintaining its look.
Drive with care
Don’t race your car’s engine during startup. This is a quick way to add years of wear to your engine. Accelerate slowly when you begin your drive. The most wear to the engine and drive strain occurs in the first ten to twenty minutes of operation. Warming the engine by letting it idle in the garage is not a smart idea. The engine doesn’t operate at its peak temperature, resulting in incomplete fuel combustion, soot deposits on cylinder walls, and ultimately damaged components. Put less strain on your engine by shifting to neutral at red lights. Otherwise, the engine will still be working to push the car even while it’s stopped.
Monitor tyre pressure and wheel alignment
Maintaining optimum pressure in the tyres is extremely important as less pressure can result in punctures as well as damage the alignment of your vehicle. Check your tyre pressure at regular intervals and keep them inflated at the recommended pressure.
Another thing to look out for is uneven wear. If you have properly maintained the tyre’s pressure, then uneven wear might suggest that it’s time for wheel realignment. Improper wheel alignment shortens the life of your tyres as well as it causes steering problems. See if your steering is stiffer than usual, or if your car pulls to one side while driving. If it does, you need to have your wheel alignment checked and adjusted.
Lighten up your keychain
Many of us tend to keep our keys bunched up with a single chain, or use multiple key chains for a single key. While doing so may prevent you from losing your keys, or make your car key look fancy, it’s a heavy load for the car ignition. The weight, combined with bouncing while you drive, can wear out the tumblers inside the ignition and eventually lead to ignition switch failure. Drive with only the ignition key in your ignition. Keep your car key on a separate key chain and don’t use heavy and bulky key chains – no matter how much you like it. Paying attention to little details can add years to your vehicle’s life.
Care for your engine
Many car owners’ manuals today recommend increasing the interval between oil changes. But frequent oil change is still necessary, especially if you use your car on a daily basis. 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 buildup of oil and dirt particles that will otherwise remain and mix with the new, clean oil. Also top off the radiator coolant tank whenever needed to maintain your car’s cooling system. Check your engine oil and coolant at least once every two weeks and top or change as necessary to keep your car running smoothly.
A lesser known fact - don’t fill up if you see the tanker
If you happen to see a petrol tanker filling the tanks at the petrol pump, come back another day or go to a different station. With the fuel crunch every now and then, we’re tempted to fill up our tanks when we see a tanker. But as the station’s underground tanks are being filled, the turbulence can stir up sediments. Sediments in your gas can clog fuel filters and fuel injectors, causing poor performance and possibly necessitating repairs sooner than it ought to be needed.
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