Car maintenance is usually not one of our favourite activities in life. Most of the time, when using our vehicles, we take for granted that they are in a proper driving condition and sometimes can forget the importance of keeping them well maintained. Vehicles require general and routine maintenance over time and emergency repairs may be needed if you have an accident or if something goes wrong when you’re driving. General car maintenance can help to prevent the latter by ensuring that your car is in optimal driving condition at all times. A well maintained car may also mean you’re less likely to claim on your car insurance, potentially resulting in lower premiums over time.
Among the general car maintenance tips, getting regular oil changes at the appropriate period of time or usage is at the top of the list of importance. Many people forget when the time comes to get an oil change. Regular oil changes can help ensure that your car runs efficiently and that your engine is well maintained. Old oil or not enough oil in your vehicle can lead to overheating of the engine or other major engine and motor problems that can be expensive to fix. It can also affect air flow and other operational areas that make your driving experience pleasant and safe.
Tyres
Even people that do remember to get regular oil changes might forget to periodically rotate tyres. It’s a good idea to rotate your tyres consistently. Most car care experts suggest you get a complete tyre rotation at least once every couple times that you change your oil. Tyre rotations can help you prevent your tyres from developing uneven wearing of the treads which can cause your car to lean in one direction or another. Your tyres are the foundation of your car’s base and its connection to the road, so worn or improperly maintained tyres could be a big safety problem.
Another often neglected and very simple car maintenance tip is checking and filling the air in your tyres. Tyre pressure goes down over time just from natural use, but it can go down more quickly if there’s a leak or deficiency. It’s important to have the right amount of pressure and to have an even amount of pressure in your tyres. Having too low pressure wears on your tyre as it’s stuck between the road and the rims of your car. This can lead to expedited wear and ruining of the tread. Having your car tyres overfilled (not using a gauge to fill) with air can cause dangerous blowouts that could prove fatal.
Tune ups
Regular tune ups and check ups also help ensure that you’re not caught off guard with a dangerous car problem and a major expense. Still, even with all of the proper care measures that we have talked about, you are still at risk of a potential issue or accident every time you get behind the wheel. This is why having adequate car insurance is so important. Whether it’s protecting your car’s value or the health of you and others (liability insurance), you need to be protected before you drive.
Remember these car maintenance tips:
- Get oil changes.
- Look after your tyres.
- Get check ups and tune ups.
- Adequate car insurance.
