What are the benefits of maintaining your vehicle? A well-maintained car will run smoothly, will give you good mileage and it will also look appealing.
On the contrary, a not so well-maintained car will be in a rough condition, it won’t work efficiently and it is quite possible that it will end up shutting down in the middle of the road.
All the machines require maintenance for efficient working but people fear that it would require a lot of time and energy which is certainly not true.
You can maintain your car, ensure its efficient working, save a lot of money and you can prevent break down of the car just by following these basic car maintenance tips that we have gathered for you.
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Top 5 Benefits of Maintaining Your Vehicle
01. Monthly check of the tires
The first and the most essential step of car maintenance is the maintenance of the tires. The tires must be in good condition because they will be constantly in contact with the road.
If the tires are not in good condition then there are higher chances of the risk of accidents.
You need to check the pressure of air in the tires with the help of a gauge. You must have the correct air pressure because over-inflation or under-inflation of the tires is quite risky.
High tread wear is caused by over or under-inflation of the tires. You need to check it every two weeks so that you can ensure the smooth running of the car.
Another thing that you need to keep in mind is to check the condition of the tread of the tire. The tread of the tires must be at least 3mm or otherwise, you can end up in an accident.
If you observe that the tread of the tire is below 3mm, you certainly need to get them replaced as soon as possible.
The last thing regarding the tires is that you must have a spare tire in your car at all times.
Unfortunately, if you do end up with a punctured tire, you can replace it by yourself without being dependent on others and without waiting for help.
So, for tires, you need to see the condition, whether the tread is in good shape or not, secondly, you need to check the air pressure every week or every two weeks and lastly, you need to have a spare tire which is also in a good condition.
If you keep these three things in check then you will never face trouble with the tires of your vehicle.
02. Oil change
The smooth functioning of any car is dependent upon its oil. You must add good quality oil and then you need to check whether it needs replacement or not.
Once your car’s engine has cooled down, you need to get hold of the oil dipstick and there you will be able to see whether the oil is fresh or dirty and unclean.
Even then, if you are unable to figure out when your car requires an oil change, you can set a benchmark of the mileage.
Most people believe that after every 3000-5000 miles, the oil needs to be replaced. You can follow this method as well.
Once you have gotten the oil changed, you will instantly feel that the car is running very smoothly.
You can get the oil changed by a mechanic or you can do it by yourself. Doing it by yourself will save you a lot of money but only if you are experienced.
Changing the oil might be tricky for some people so they get it changed by the professionals instead of taking a risk.
If you don’t replace the oil on time then there will be gunk piling up and it will be harmful to the engine.
It will cause a decline in the life of the engine as the oil lubricates various parts of the engine and also prevents corrosion or deposition of harmful particles.
You can literally end up on the side of the road with a car break down if you don’t change the oil.
03. Check of the battery
The car battery has a life, once it has expired, you will have a hard time starting the car. Eventually, you will not be able to start the car when the battery has expired.
The first thing that you need to make sure is that you keep a record of the time when you got the battery so that you can have an idea of when it is going to expire.
Secondly, make sure that you never ignore the low battery signal. It will give you the benefit to get the battery changed before it completely expires.
On a weekly or monthly basis, clean your battery with a brush when you can observe the need.
Make sure that there is no leakage or buildup of any particles because this can harm the efficient performance of the battery.
04. Working of the Air Conditioning and Brakes
You must be able to stop the car at all times and for that, you need to have properly functional brakes. The brake pads can wear off after a while which can lead to the failure of brakes.
Most people say that after every 20,000 miles, the brake pads need to be replaced. However, you can get them checked from a mechanic and get them replaced when needed.
Now coming to the air conditioning of the car, the ACs have gas which needs to be refilled.
You need to get the air-conditioned checked by a mechanic to make sure that the gas is filled properly. Also, you need the vents unclogged by the mechanic.
05. Car wash and cleanliness of the interior
Lastly, you need to take care of the appearance of the car as well. You need to get regular car washes to get rid of any dirt or dust.
For a shinier and smoother surface, you can get your car polished or waxed. It will give a very sleek and luxurious look to the car.
Coming to the interior of the car, you need to make sure that the interior is well maintained along with the exterior and internal body. You need to get the seat covers replaced if they are dirty.
You can also clean the dashboard and other parts using different cleaning fluids specifically designed for car interior. The interior will not only look great but it will also give you a feeling of satisfaction.
WH Questions of Maintaining Vehicle
Q1) What happens if the oil is not changed?
The oil is responsible for the smooth running of a car. If the oil is not clean then it will definitely have a negative impact on the efficient working of the car.
The oil is a lubricant and prevents the engine from deposition.
If the oil is not replaced, it will become dirty with impure particles and it will lead to deposition.
The dirty oil will cause wear and tear and will definitely reduce the life of the engine. Also, it will heat up the car as well.
Q2) When should the battery be replaced?
It is usually said that most batteries last for 2-3 years. However, some of them can last for up to 4 years.
When your car gives you the low battery signal, you must replace it because it will save you from a lot of hassle.
It depends on a battery to a battery as well. Some expire earlier while others last longer. You can even get the battery checked by a professional or a mechanic who can guide you about the replacement.
Q3) Why do the tires need replacement?
The tires are constantly in contact with the road. The friction produced causes wear off of the tires after a while.
It is very important to keep the tread in check because the tires will lose their shape and it can cause accidents.
In order to prevent any sort of accident, the tires must be replaced if the tread is less than 3mm.
We all want to keep our cars looking all new and clean, Washing your car is a very important maintenance tip.
Keeping your car clean by washing it regularly is the easiest and cheapest maintenance tip to make your vehicle look beautiful and preserve its worth.
Natural pollutants like dirt and dust can really destroy not just the outer look of the car but can also distort the whole complete internal functionality especially when it accumulates in the engine.
In order to preserve your car, try to always clean your car as often as possible. You need to wash it regularly maybe every week depending on your environment.
Cleaning your car at home by yourself can be a pretty simple task when you purchase all the equipment you need to clean the car.
Even though some of the equipment can be a little expensive, you can still wash your car using some simple tools at home.
This practice of always washing your car regularly just as you change in the oil in the car is a very good practice to maintaining its look.
Just like the engine, dust and dirt are very disastrous for the paint on the car so it is very important to always keep it clean. The next question now is how exactly can we wash the car?
It’s not all about just washing your car but it’s also about washing it the right way to make to avoid scratching the car.
When you want to begin washing your car, make sure you have the necessary car washing materials like buckets about 2, a car wash solution, a soft towel, wheel detailing brushes, air compressor with air nozzle but this is an optional tool for those who can afford.
Washing your car at home can definitely yield specialist results without taking it to the washing station.
These car washing tips in this article will certainly not just help attain expert results when washing your car at home, however, it will provide just the best washing tips to keep your car looking all fresh and clean.
This write-up will certainly aid you to discover exactly how to wash your car and achieve the best outcomes at your home so let’s now begin the process.
Benefits of Washing Your Car
The Car Washing procedure
After assembling the necessary car washing equipment, park your car in a shady area out of direct sunshine.
You need to always make sure you wash the car in a shady location because direct sunshine can distort the whole process as it will certainly always make the soap and water to dry quickly and leave some annoying spots on the car paint.
If your car’s wheels are covered with dust, first begin by cleaning the wheels by scrubbing them.
But If you are just from using the car, it is very important for you to not start with washing the wheels especially as the brakes are still warm because the heat will easily dissolve the soap and cause it to evaporate rapidly which may as well cause some problems to the brakes.
You can then continue with pouring some water on the wheels using a bucket or a spray to rinse the wheels and tires.
You can now clean the dirt on the wheels using a sponge. After this, make sure you do not use the same sponge to wash the body in the car.
If you go ahead to use the very same sponge, you may carry the tiny dirt particles from the wheels and scratch the paint on the car.
As soon as you are done with cleaning the wheels, then you can begin cleaning the body of the car. You begin by just pouring some water on the car, and then you start washing the car from the top then move down slowly.
Always make sure you put in extra effort when cleaning the areas with accumulated dirt.
Fill one bucket with water and put in the washing soap following the instructions on the car’s soap container. Then fill the 2nd bucket with fresh water.
The water in this bucket will certainly be used to cleanse the sponge to avoid contaminating the soapy water with the dirt from the car.
Now use the Sponge to start cleaning the top of the car moving down slowly. In order to make sure you wash the car perfectly, I will recommend you wash it in sections.
First wash the top of the car, after that wash the hood, the trunk, and then wash the doors.
Before moving to the other sections, endeavor to rinse the soap from each section before moving to the next.
Washing the car in different sections will enable you to effectively clean all the parts of the car and also make sure the soap does not dry out on the car.
As you move to the other sections make sure you always keep the car wet by pouring water on the car so it does not easily dry off and that is the importance of washing the car in a shady area.
When washing your car, some precaution points include:
When washing the car, do not go using too much force when scrubbing the car with your sponge because you may accidentally grind the dust around the paint and possibly scratch the car.
Also, make sure you don’t ignore any gap because these are the places where dust easily accumulates and can easily be missed out when washing the car.
After you must have finished washing the car and it is looking all bright and clean, it is now time for you to dry it.
When drying your car, the key emphasis to allow it dry normally, don’t go exposing it to direct sunshine because it can overheat the paint which is the importance of washing the car in a shady area.
Also, make sure you are using quality shampoo products when washing the car. Trust me, investing some additional cash to get these products is money well spent.
After you are done following all these simple steps in washing your car, I am sure the look on your face now is that beautiful smile.
Some people actually think that washing your car by yourself is a tedious process, but honestly, it’s much more fun. In fact, you should develop the habit of washing your car by yourself so you can take time and wash it perfectly.
Conclusion
Car maintenance has a lot of benefits, it ensures safety, enhances car performance, saves you from accidents and expensive repair costs, maintains the resale value and so many others.
People ignore car maintenance thinking that it’s a wastage of money but it is actually the saving of expensive costs that you might face in case of the lack of maintenance.
We are sure that this list of the 5 basic car maintenance steps will ensure that the internal parts of your car are properly functional, the exterior and interior look sleek and above all, you can save money, time and energy.
By keeping these little things in check on a daily basis will save you a lot of your time in the future.
Your tires will be in a good condition, the oil will be properly lubricating the internal parts of the engine while increasing its life, the air conditional will work efficiently and you will be able to stop your car at all times.
You will achieve all of these things while ensuring an appealing and luxurious look as well. We hope that this piece of information will be useful to you. Happy Car Maintenance!