One of the most satisfying things anyone could own is a car of their own. I mean, in many countries of the world today, a car is a necessity, and hardly a luxury item. For ease of movement to and from the workplace, run errands, beat deadlines, and do so much more, a car is just what you need. For some people, a car is as good as an office. Imagine persons who sell items from the booth of their cars. So, any way you think about it, a car is always, or better still, in most cases a fantastic addition to your assets.
However, car maintenance is a big deal for many people. It’s one thing to save up to get the car of your dreams, it’s another to keep that car in great shape. In some parts of Africa, cars are referred to as second wives because of the amount of maintenance required. Don’t get scared hun, if you keep to these basic rules, you’ll enjoy your car far longer than you’ve ever imagined. But, if you choose to treat your car poorly, trust me, your bank account will feel it as well because you’d spend so much on repairs every other day. So, whether you have your car already, or you plan on getting one in the near future, this is for you. Happy reading!
Understand Your Car
There is no better start to maintaining your car than having a good understanding of how your car works. I mean, how will you intuitively know that something is wrong if you barely know the car you drive? It is important that you pay attention to every single detail that concerns the vehicle you drive. If you can, go through your car’s manual, especially if you bought it brand-new. By so doing, you get to know the important features of your vehicle, as well as the means of preventing issues before they arise.
Routine Maintenance
Sadly, many of us wait for our cars to develop issues before taking them to the mechanics. But this can be avoided. All you need to do is to make sure that you perform routine maintenance on your prized possession. By going for regular servicing, you get to avoid minor problems which eventually snowball into bigger issues. These days, things are even more convenient with the majority of mechanics offering doorstep pickup facilities. What then is your excuse, huh? Get that car serviced ASAP!
Check Your Tires… Often
As important as car tires happen to be, they are usually the most ignored. Think about it this way — there’s absolutely no way on earth that your car can move without its tires. There’s more — these tires are the only parts of the car that actually come in direct contact with the road. As a result, they get subjected to the worst form of wear and tear; yet, we still neglect them. This, sis, has to come to an end. Bro, check your tires often. There’s something known as tire pressure. Ensure that in the same way you check your blood pressure, you also check your tire pressure. In fact, check your tire pressure weekly. To lengthen the life span of your tires, you can do a rotation every six months. Your car will thank you!
Clean Your Windows
Dirty, dusty windows — really? This is the least anyone should know. Fam, clean your windows regularly. C’mon, how are you expected to see clearly if your windows are not properly cleaned? If your visibility is hampered, you may just be messing around with an accident waiting to happen. Hence, it is important that you maintain your windows and mirrors properly. If there are any cracks, do well to replace them. Your life, as well as the lives of those on the road while you drive, matters.
Change Your Oil Regularly
I’m pretty sure you’ve heard about a ‘knocked engine.’ That is what happens to your car when there’s little or no oil left to lubricate it. The engine is a key component of the car which requires adequate lubrication to work as it should. If you fail to change your engine oil as and when needed, you give room for wear and tear to begin taking over the car. Besides the car engine, a lot of other car parts require oil to function optimally. For instance, the brake also requires oil. Changing your vehicle oil regularly will save you a lot of stress and heartache.
