If you have a new interest in cars, but don`t have the technical knowledge necessary to look after them, then you need to do your research. No matter how much you love cars, if you don`t know how to look after them you will never be a good car owner. If you don`t properly look after your car then it will begin to fall apart and deteriorate. This can be disastrous if you are investing in classic or expensive cars. This article will offer six tips for maintaining your vehicle and keeping it running:
Suspension Maintenance
Without a doubt, suspension maintenance is one of the most important things that you can do to maintain your car`s health and performance. Your vehicle`s suspension system prevents passengers from being thrown around inside the vehicle when your car hits a bump on the road. This system essentially keeps your vehicle`s tires firmly stuck to the road, despite driving over bumps. If you don`t maintain this system, then your car can begin to deteriorate very quickly. It is relatively easy to look after this system, as long as you use quality replacement parts and proper tools. If you are struggling to maintain your vehicle, then you should take it to a mechanic, however. Trying to fix your car if you have absolutely no clue what you are doing can just result in further breakages occurring.
Fluid Top-up
Another thing that you need to make sure that you do is to top up your vehicle’s fluids. If you do not top up your car`s oil, brake fluid, windshield wiper fluid, and coolant, then when they get low problems could occur. The easiest way to determine what to use (and how much to use) is to consult your vehicle`s operating manual. All of this information will be included there. More often than not, car manufacturers will recommend that you use their own products, but that`s not usually necessary. You can likely pick up fluids that are just as good from your local hardware or vehicle supply store.
Tire Pressure
The good thing about modern cars with console systems is that you can easily find out what your tire pressure is. It`s very important that you regularly check your tire`s pressure. If the tire pressure gets too low, then they could deflate. If they get too high then they could burst. Whether they deflate or burst, if you are driving when this happens, then you are considerably more likely to be involved in a crash. Check your tire pressure once a week. If you notice that it is low (or high), then visit your local mechanic`s garage or petrol station and either deflate them or pump them up. You can usually find air pumps at petrol stations; they are very cheap to use, sometimes even free.
Tire Damage
In addition to regularly checking your tire`s pressure, you also need to check whether or not your tires are damaged. It`s very common for a vehicle`s tires to become damaged, so make sure that you check them often, especially if you have been going on long journeys. If you identify any damage to your tire early, you should be able to patch it up and repair it. If you allow damages to worsen, however, then it could be very difficult to repair them.
Air Filter
If you want to ensure that your car runs properly, then make sure that you replace its air filter every 20-30k miles. This is so that your engine can receive enough oxygen. If your air filter isn`t working properly, then it won`t be able to supply your car`s engine with enough oxygen to keep it working. You should also clean your air filter often, which you can do with water and a washcloth. Replacing your air filter is relatively easy to do. If you aren`t sure how to do it, then you can take it down to a mechanic`s garage, where they can do it for you.
Engine Compartment
If you want to keep your car running properly, then make sure that you check its engine compartment properly. If you aren`t a mechanic then realistically you won`t know what to look for when you are checking your engine compartment out. Mainly, you should be looking out for anything that`s loose. You also need to take your car to a mechanic at least once a year for service and routine maintenance. If there are any serious issues present, then the mechanic will tell you when you have your car serviced.
If you want to keep your car running properly, then maintenance is key. If you don`t maintain and look after your car, then it will deteriorate and fall apart on you. This could be very costly if your car was expensive.