Properly maintaining your car should be a top priority, and you don’t have to be a mechanical expert to do so. Keeping a regular maintenance schedule and knowing what to keep your eye on, will not only save you money in the long run, but will also avoid the risk of breaking down on the side of the road.
Nobody wants the inconvenience of breaking down, but even more so in South Africa, where the crime rate is high and being stranded on the side of the road would not be an ideal situation.
Let’s have a look at how you can maintain your car correctly.
What is car maintenance?1
Car maintenance refers to motor vehicle services which are carried out over different time intervals, or once certain distances have been travelled with the car in question. These service intervals are either determined by the manufacturer’s service schedules or some of the newer cars have service display due dates on the cars electronic instrument panel. When servicing or maintaining your vehicle by these methods, you should keep your vehicle running for many years ahead.
Why is car maintenance so essential?2
When you keep your car well maintained and in good running condition, it will save you from unnecessary breakdowns. When you do regular maintenance on your vehicle, it will prevent minor problems from turning into more significant issues.
Having a well-maintained vehicle will make travelling on the roads less stressful and safer. No one wants to breakdown at night on a quiet street.
Having a well-maintained vehicle will also help you save on fuel, as your car will be more fuel-efficient. You will always maintain good fuel economy with an excellent running vehicle, increasing your petrol per kilometre by up to 40 percent.
A well-cared car will also help prevent your car from depreciating too much, helping to maintain the value of your vehicle in the long run.
Tips on how to keep your car well maintained3
- Follow your car’s manual and maintenance plan: Always keep up with the car’s recommended maintenance plan as per the car manufacturer’s recommendations. This will help prevent problems on the cars cooling system, drivetrain, suspension and other components. Make use of quality oils, fluids and parts.
- Check car’s battery: If your car struggles to start at first, it may be a sign that your battery is dying. Batteries usually have a life span of no longer than three years.
- Check your car’s windscreen wipers: Windscreen wipers should be replaced every 12 months as the rubber tends to get worn down. Making use of worn-out wipers reduces your visibility when driving while it rains.
- Check your car’s fluids: Regularly check your car’s fluids, like antifreeze, oil, gearbox oil, power steering fluid and brake fluid. If you are not entirely sure on how to do it, get a mechanic to help you. Checking and changing your oil regularly, at least once a year, will improve your car’s mileage and protect your engine.
- Brake pads: Check your car’s brake pads’ thickness frequently. Make sure they don’t wear down to the disc. It costs less to change brake pads often compared to replacing brake discs.
- Rotate tyres: Regularly rotating your tyres will evenly wear your tyres from rear to front tyres. Check tyre pressure often as well. This will help aid your car’s fuel economy.
- Don’t ignore small problems with your car: If you ignore warning lights, noises or cosmetic issues, you run the risk of your car’s problems becoming worse than they were when you first discovered them. This scenario could cost you more to fix and could lead to an even higher chance of breaking down.
- Give your car some TLC: Giving your car a good wash, polish and vacuum will help your vehicle from ageing quicker and help with the value of the car in the long run.
So, by doing these few steps will help maintain your car for longer and you will be able to have stress free mileage for many years.
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Disclaimer:
This article was prepared by Eric Sandmann in his personal capacity. The views and opinions in the article should not be attributed to anyone but the author unless expressly stated. Nothing in this article should be relied upon as advice, this publication is presented for informational purposes only. No person should act or refrain from acting in reliance on any information found in this article, without first obtaining proper financial advice from the appropriate professional. The author makes no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, or completeness, of any information linked from, referred to, or contained in this article. The author reserves the right, to edit and change the content of this article.
Sources:
1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Service_(motor_vehicle)
2 https://clevelandtn.vehiclesdirect.com/posts/importance-of-vehicle-maintenance