How to Maintain your Vehicle: A Basic Overview and Checklist

When you buy a new car it will have a high level of performance right from the start. But over time if you don’t put effort into maintaining it properly, various parts will start to wear down. When this happens it can have a large impact on the performance of your vehicle, and it also impacts its safety.

To make sure that your car performs at its peak for longer, and stays safe for the duration of your use of it, there are basic maintenance steps that you must take. If you carry these steps out on a regular basis you will actually save money in the long run by preventing the need for expensive repairs bills later on.

Taking good care of your car will also keep it looking nice. For instance if you take care of the paint, the car will be much shinier in the years down the line and therefore it will sell for a better price.

The steps we cover in this guide are a basic overview, but for more detailed guidance you should read through a blog dedicated to providing automotive tips like motodeets.com, a blog that Bernard Walker created to help out everyday car owners. With the right information at your fingertips, keeping your car running well for longer becomes considerably easier. So it is definitely worth keeping an eye out for good automotive blogs.

So without delaying any longer, let’s go over the key points that you need to remember in order to maintain your car and keep it in top shape.

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Check the Tires

One of the main things that is important to a car being safe on the road is the tires. There are two key things that you need to check. First, make sure that the tires still have enough tread depth (this is so that they can grip to the road well). And then you also need to make sure that the tire pressure is set to the level recommend by your vehicles manufacturer (or a qualified automotive technician). For more guidance on finding the right tire pressure for your car you can check out cars.com they have a lot of good information on the matter.

Check the Oil level

You need to periodically check the levels of the engine oil in your vehicle. And while you’re checking the oil level it’s not a bad idea to check the coolant while you’re at it. If the level of either is too low, the engine can easily overheat causing massive damage and an expensive repair bill that might run up into the thousands of dollars.

Check all lights and turn indicators are working properly

It’s of the utmost importance to your safety on the road that all lights are working as they should. If they’re not, you might think that you’re indicating to turn, but other cars on the road won’t actually be able to tell. These kinds of issues could easily result in a car crash!

Engine Air Filter

The air filter makes sure that the air that flows into the engine is clean, and free from any unwanted dust and debris. If it’s blocked up, or  not working properly this will cause major issues for you. It can also make your car performance a lot worse, costing you more dollars in gas due to inefficiency. If you don’t know how to change the air filter on your car by yourself, then this is definitely one thing that’s best left to a mechanic.

Car Wax

Periodically you should wax your car to keep its coat shiny. Make sure you do it after giving it a thorough wash so no debris can cause any scratches to the paint. Waxing your car doesn’t just keep it shiny, it actually adds a protective coating to it that will keep rust at bay. On that note, it’s also preferable to store your car in an indoor garage rather than outside, but if you must leave it outside then you can put a cover over it to protect the paint.

Spark Plugs

Spark plugs are responsible for igniting the fuel, so if you have any issues with them it could result in your engine not starting. They can get blocked up with debris and dirt over time and this can even prevent your car from being as fuel efficient as it would normally be. Changing a spark plug is usually a simple and cheap procedure, so you can most likely do it yourself with the help of some guidance.

In Conclusion

The above list contains some basic tips to keep your car in top shape. These tips will also help you sell your car for more money when you decide it’s time to put it on the market. Most importantly carrying out regular maintenance will keep you and others on the road safe. Hopefully you’ve found some helpful pointers, but always remember, if you’re unsure it’s best to consult a mechanic.