Car owners should understand their vehicles the way they understand their own bodies in order not to damaging your car. They should develop a sensitivity to the car`s aches, pains, rhythms, and complaints. Used car or new, high-priced or low, every car sends signals that need your attention. Your car or truck is a major investment, so you really should study the owner`s manual to hit the road smoothly. It will cover all the parts inside and out, the mechanical and electrical systems.
The manual will tell you when to change the oil and what lubricant to use. It will recommend the appropriate tire pressure to keep the tires turning efficiently. The instructions will cover how to maximize your fuel economy, and much more. You must read it before you drive and refer to it when you have questions and concerns.
That manual will also explain what you must do to comply with the warranties involved. Any guarantees may require scheduled check ups and maintenance. If you have the car serviced where you bought it, they will keep records on the work done and parts used. If the dealer is a recognized brand, all your service info will be shared with other like dealers.
Each car and every brand differs.
Cars have their own peculiar identity and habits. Each one is subtly different from another though they bear the same brand. One might be a lemon while another is gold. So you must pay special attention to its perks and quirks. Recent models might be expected to perform for 200,000 miles, but they won`t do it without care.
You can consider regular care as preventative care. Routine and conscientious maintenance will improve safety, cut down in long-term expenses, and energize the car`s performance. A little forethought will protect the car and your wallet.
Caring for your car — even those things happening without your knowing — saves money, avoids breakdowns, and sustains your vehicle`s value. Writing for US News, John M. Vincent says, “The moment you drive your car off the dealer’s lot, it starts to lose value. The good news is that you can partly control the speed of the plunge by taking care of your new ride. By spending a bit of time and changing a few habits, you can avoid killing your car.”
7 ways you might damage your car:
- Watch the signals. Any recent car comes with extraordinary information and resources — online, in its manual, and in its dashboard warnings. Today`s dashboards and infotainment screens offer up dozens of signs and signals about the vehicle`s operating status and well-being. Icons also light up with prompts to change your oil, check fluids, correct tire pressure, and much more.
The dashboard will report mileage per gallon, trip distance, and more depending on the car model. Many vehicles will run a periodic systems check and report performance and problems. If you service the car at the brand`s dealership, they will share the service analysis record to comply with car`s warranty.
- Do not tempt fate. The car will perform better, last longer, and retain its value if you schedule the routine maintenance recommended in the manual. If the car is due for an oil change, you should change the oil. If you stop for fuel, you should check the tire pressure. If the car is overheating, you can check the coolant.
There is nothing good about seeking fixes at “off the road” repair shops when it comes to maintenance. The tires need rotating and alignment on a regular basis. You must have the air filter and air filter checked, and the brakes inspected and adjusted. Put these checks on hold, and you can damage the car.
- Hire the best. Your car needs professional care. Leave the servicing to a family member or friend only invites trouble. Sticking with the service center at your dealership can increase your out-of-pocket expense, but the mechanics there are trained to diagnose and repair your car.
If you are looking for top shelf vehicle, a luxury or sports car, We Buy Exotics can help match you with quality and performance. Once you are in the driver`s seat you will want it serviced by licensed or ASE certified mechanics familiar with the brand and its models.
Alex Leanse, a contributor to Popular Mechanics, writes, “don’t skimp on paying for a qualified mechanic to make repairs with high-quality components. Using cheap parts or ignoring your car’s maintenance needs is only going to damage it in the long run, and investing in repairs is almost always going to be less expensive than buying a new car.”
- Watch the tread. Tires are where the rubber meets the road. In addition to the tire pressure, alignment, balancing, and rotation already mentioned, the tire tread tells its own story. The tread can reveal other problems if, for example, it is wearing on one side more than the other.
If the tread is wearing sooner than it should, it is a sign the pressure has not been maintained. The tires should be double-checked if they have not been run for some time. And, the tread must be appropriate to the weather and seasonal changes.
Although recent cars come with TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) sensors in the tire valve caps, they only tend to report after the tire has reached 25 percent of its recommended pressure, so a regular manual check makes sense.
- Tool up correctly. You may not do your own work on your Lamborghini, but if you enjoy working on your vehicle, you should invest in the right tools and parts. Today`s cars challenge most do-it-yourself mechanics. So much of the “engines” now rely on electronics and computerization.
But, to the extent you can do your own work with oil changes, spark plug replacement, or other tasks, you should invest in the appropriate tools and manufacturer`s parts. There are generic versions of everything today, but OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) parts are likely to fit better and perform longer and more reliably.
- Weather kills. Of special note to those living and driving in routinely hot climates is the warning that heat hurts everything. If your car is exposed to scorching heat and sandy winds of some regions, you must garage it or cover it to protect its finish. It is not worth investing in a high performance vehicle if you can`t invest in secure coverage.
But heat is tough on things under the hood, too. Sustained high temperatures tax mechanisms, fluids, and cooling systems. Heat thins vital lubricants and dries out rubber and belts. Filters clog, and air conditioning strains to handle the load. And, you can`t forget steering, transmission, and brake fluids.
Cold climates cause their own problems. The salts and chemicals used to thaw snow and ice will damage the car`s paint and undercarriage. It thickens and slows the same fluids that heat thins out. And cold, sleet, and snow require use of special tires for safety and performance.
- Keep the tank full. Letting you fuel burn down risks damage to the car. You do not want to risk running on empty, so you should try to keep the gas tank at least half a quarter. Even with a working fuel indicator, you will want to keep the fuel level high considering the risk to high performance vehicles.
When the fuel is low, it strains the fuel pump and the systems it supplies. It is the pump`s job to move gas from the fuel tank to the motor. The flowing fuel also cools the pump and its parts. Driving the car on fumes can stir up dirt and debris to damage the flow through fuel lines, filters, and pump.
Back up and drive well!
An investment in sophisticated high performance vehicles comes with some higher risks. The most prized cars are engineered for speed and power, and they require specialized care to prevent damage and sustain their high-level performance. The risk comes with the investment.
Then, there is a class of less exotic but top-rated vehicles that still cost a pretty penny. These cars are also sensitive to road and weather conditions, and they perform best when diagnosed and treated by mechanics qualified in their specific brand.
If you own a lower-priced vehicle or a previously-owned car, you may prefer to care for it yourself. But if you do, there are things to learn and tools and parts to select for quality and OEM warranty.
Finally, you should also consider how you drive. You must allow the car to warm up before driving so its parts and fluids get moving to the joints, filters, and pumps that need them. If you are limited to stop and go traffic driving, you cannot underestimate the stress on the vehicle. And when you can, you should floor the motor to run its through its engineered paces.
Whatever vehicle you own or shop for, you must remember there are ways drivers damage cars without even knowing it.
