How to maintain your car? - Best routine

In the long run, it's more cost-effective to maintain and repair an existing vehicle than to purchase or lease a new one every few years. In light of the pandemic, old vehicle prices have grown 50 percent in the last few years, while new automobiles now sell for more than $46,000.

Keeping your car running may be advantageous for various reasons, including saving money, enjoying the familiarity of driving your own vehicle, and avoiding the anxiety of getting a new car with dings and scratches. With that said, we have prepared for you ten tips on how to maintain your car in excellent working order. If you follow our advice, your automobile should last another 200,000 miles or more.

How to Maintain Your Car?

[1] Wash your vehicle on a regular basis

Things like sunshine, salt, oil, grime, acid rain, polluted air, and tree sap may all cause corrosion on our vehicles on a regular basis. These things may damage our cars. Your car's metal will begin to deteriorate as soon as your car's paint has peeled off. Your car's resale value and general worth will decline if you don't keep it clean.

For how long and how often should one clean their vehicle? Everything depends on the current situation. When it comes to how frequently something happens, location and climate are the most essential considerations. Depending on where you live, you may need to wash your vehicle twice a month because of the pollutants and sea salt in the air.

Your automobile may be washed once per month if you reside in a region with little pollution. If you drive your vehicle on icy roads in the winter, it may become filthy more quickly than it would in the summer. Washing your automobile more often is something you should consider. This is due to the accumulation of snow, salt, and mud on your vehicle. We have a great article on How To Keep Your Car Clean.

[2] Keep an eye on the tires' air pressure

Sustaining the correct tire pressure is essential both for safety and for possible fuel-saving opportunities. They don't stop or handle as well when the tires aren't inflated to the correct level. A probable cause could have been over-or under-inflation, but it's not certain. They are also more likely to cause a big accident because of what they do. A good thing about having properly inflated tires is that they will last longer and get you farther.

There is no way to overstate how important it is to keep an eye on your tire pressure because it changes a lot as your tires wear out and as the temperature changes during the day. As a result, it is important to keep an eye on it and add more air as needed. Do this method every time you get gas, some people say. Similar to the oil check, every other fill-up should be enough to identify flaws before they become big problems.

[3] Check the oil level and add more if necessary

If you want a well-performing vehicle, you need to use high-quality motor oil. Keeping your engine's moving components from grinding against each other is the primary function of this oil. During operation, the engine also dissipates heat generated by the combustion process. In addition, it collects, stores, and sends to the oil filter all of the hazardous byproducts of combustion. Your automobile might break down if it doesn't have enough oil in the engine.

Always keep an eye on your car's oil level, and don't wait until it's low. Every time you fill up your car at the gas station, you should follow the instructions in your owner's handbook. Every other fill-up is often plenty for most folks. It's simple to check your car's oil level. To do this task, all you need is a bright light, a clean paper towel, and approximately three minutes of your time. Draining the oil from the pan is the last step you need to do. After you've finished, wait for the oil to drain back into the pan for roughly five minutes after turning off the engine.

[4] Please don't use your car's interior as a trash bin

The inside of a vehicle should not be treated as a garbage can. So long as you clean out your vehicle on a regular basis, it won't appear like a garbage can. Maintaining a clean and well-organized inside of your automobile may reduce stress and make driving more pleasurable.

Another factor to consider is the possibility of encountering unanticipated passengers. The last thing you want to do is have to wipe up the crumbs from the QuickTrip morning burrito you ate from the passenger seat two days ago.

[5] Rotate the tires regularly

Rotating the tires every 5,000 to 10,000 miles is best to keep your car in good shape. In order to detect when the front and rear tires have worn out, a driver should look at the treads. Tire rotation helps to balance out the wear patterns of your tires, resulting in a safer and more enjoyable ride. It also extends the life of your tires, saving you money on tire replacements in the long term.

[6] Replace your air filter after every 12,000 miles of driving

If you have some spare time, this is probably one of the simplest car maintenance activities that you can do on your own. Changing your car's air filter on a regular basis will improve gas economy, extend the life of your engine, and minimize pollutants.

The old oil has to be disposed of properly when you replace your car's oil. You don't have to figure out how to get rid of the old air filter when you replace your car's air filter, and doing it yourself will save you a lot of money.

[7] Always check your lights

A traffic penalty may be issued if a light bulb breaks or burns out. Become familiar with the correct procedure for checking each and every bulb in your automobile. To determine if a light bulb or a fuse in your vehicle needs to be repaired or replaced, get your car checked out by a mechanic.

Your car's headlights are critical to your and other people's safety. In order to maintain them looking their best, you can consider cleaning the lenses and changing the bulbs when they begin to fade.

[8] Change the windshield wipers

If your wipers aren't working the way they used to, don't make matters worse. Rain or snow may conceal the presence of damaged or worn-out blades. Knowing how to inspect and replace your wiper blades on a regular basis will help keep your automobile safe.

[9] Make sure the hoses and belts are in good working order

Keeping an eye on the condition of your car's belts and hoses might help you avoid a breakdown while driving. Several different sections of your vehicle may fail if your serpentine belt snapped while you were driving. Checking the condition of your belts and hoses at each oil change will help you avoid having to replace them in the future.

[10] Examine your auto insurance policy for any discrepancies

Car insurance should be checked out, much like your car's oil and other maintenance issues, so don't neglect it. This may help you ensure that your policy's coverages, limits, and deductibles are updated and appropriate for your present situation.

You and your passengers may be safer if your vehicle is in good working order. Whenever you're unclear about how to examine or replace an auto component, you should always seek the advice of an expert nearby.

Why should you maintain your car?

Apart from keeping your car's safety and long-term viability, regular automotive maintenance may also help it to operate more efficiently on a given fuel. According to the Car Care Council, doing reasonable and straightforward maintenance on your vehicle may save you up to $1,200 in fuel expenses each year. Maintaining your car on a more regular basis will improve its performance and make it safer to drive.

Look at how better traction, more stable steering, and smoother engine starts may all be beneficial. It's a possibility. You will save money in the long term if you keep your car in good working order on a regular basis. By doing so, you will save money on gasoline while also improving the performance of your vehicle.

When you want to sell your car, be sure that you adhere to the manufacturer's suggested maintenance routine. This kind of treatment will not only make driving more pleasurable, but it will also help to keep the value of your car intact. If you maintain your car in outstanding condition, you will be able to sell it for more money.

Takeaway

Make sure you keep up with your car's regular maintenance to ensure its long life! Whether you're conducting errands or driving to and from work, you're probably spending a lot of time in your vehicle.
That said, your car will look out for you if you treat it well.

We hope that this post has been helpful, especially for people thinking about buying a car soon.