How To Maintain Your Car

How To Maintain Your Car: 7 Easy Ways To Extend The Life Of Your Car.

Cars are tools we use for our day-to-day activities and are great friends when it’s time for events too.

But they shouldn’t be taken for granted or defrauded, they should be giving the attention that is due to them.

The average car lives for 14 years, but the average age of vehicles on the road is 8 years.

Are there ways to ensure your car lives up to its golden years?

Well, Yes! We will go over how to maintain your car.

Check below for further instruction on the easy ways to extend the life of your car and make it become like a “forever friend.”

Lets go over types of car maintenance.

1. Change Filters Regularly

Image source- mzwmotor.com

Just like the appliances in your home require regular maintenance, your oil filter, and air filter are part of many things to watch out for.

Most often they get clogged over time, so it’s important to check and replace them regularly.

This should be done as part of your scheduled maintenance, but these are relatively simple to accomplish without much expertise, so you want to do them yourself and save yourself some cash.

For air filters, washing them can often prolong their lives and make them work better.

If you’re unsure of anything or you need further explanation on how to perform the maintenance, consult your handbook.

Don’t try going for cheap and poor-quality filters as this could cause damage to your engine in the long run.

2. Maintain Your Battery

Image source- caranddriver.com

Part of ensuring your car’s longevity is ensuring your battery is in a good position and able to last longer.

One of the things you want to avoid is leaving the battery in the car for a long time when the car is not in use.

Doing this is not unlike leaving the battery in your phone for a long time when not in use: it’s disastrous and the battery will degrade and go bare flat.

Use a trickle charger to top up the battery if your car is left unused for an extended period or perhaps use a battery conditioner if it’s holding less charge.

However, it’s a good practice to always ensure you drive your car at least once a week to keep the battery alive.

3. Drive With Mechanical Sympathy

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Having a proper understanding of how your car works will ultimately impact the way you drive your car and maintain it.

That means driving with mechanical sympathy, which is something you should practice frequently.

Doing this helps you reduce components and you will be more efficient and economical in the way you manage your fuel.

This doesn’t require you to be overly techy, it just requires some understanding of your usage of the steering wheel, pedals, gearbox which is a key, as well as knowing when to reduce the speed and match the brake.

4. Use the Air Conditioner

Image source- unitedtire.com

This is commonly overused or underutilized by most drivers.

Some people believe turning on the air conditioner consumes more fuel. Some others think using air-con systems will help them reduce fuel.

So what’s the puzzle?

In reality, the air-con system unavoidably leaks refrigerant gas when they are not used over time.

This can help you save more fuel, but the truth is that you’ll end up with a huge bill for an air conditioning re-gassing system any time you plan to use it again.

That means using your air conditioner is a good practice to help you save costs and maintain your vehicle.

5. Replace Spark Plugs

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Nowadays, most drivers are less inclined to their various servicing practices and leave those in the hand of mechanics since cars are even more complicated these days.

But doing some basic jobs like replacing the spark plugs can save the stress and cost.

It’s a straightforward job that doesn’t require too many complexities.

And doing this can simply elevate your car’s performance, making it more satisfying.

You’ll probably only need to consult your vehicle handbook for some basic rules of service.

Also always ensure you’re following the service schedule as outlined in the handbook for best results.

Most often, when servicing the spark plug, you’ll only need to check if it has:

No sign of melting
A light brown insulator and electrode on it
No signs of deposits or wear

6. Replenish Fluids Regularly

Image source-maz-tech.com

Fluids are the lifeblood of cars and refusing to top up them regularly can have a negative impact.

Waiting for your fluid to finish before you replenish them is not only disastrous to you, it may cause potential damage to your car in the long run.

Always check your engine once a night by opening the bonnet and removing the dipstick. Clean them with a rag and then dip them back again.

When you remove it, the oil should be between the maximum and minimum markers – the color should be mainly yellowy-brown if you’re using a petrol engine.

If you noticed the oil is dark and dirty, replace them quickly so it doesn’t affect the engine.

7. Stick To Your Service Schedule

Like human beings, a regular maintenance schedule is vital to keep your car in a healthy condition and prolong its life.

Conduct your maintenance based on miles driven – for example, every 10,000 miles or once a year.

If you’ve got your handbook, follow the outlined instructions for your maintenance schedule and check the required time for servicing them.

Majorly, it’s recommended to service your car at least once a year and that’s how to maintain a car engine.

Also be on the lookout for the warning lights, as many modern vehicles come with different warning lights that indicate when car maintenance is needed.

By kingkentus