Every motorist should make the effort to maintain their vehicle over time. Vehicles are highly complex machines and regular maintenance is important for a few reasons. When you keep your car in the best condition, you can reduce the chance of an issue arising, keep your garage bills down, and spot small issues before they become major problems. In addition to this, you can increase the lifespan of the vehicle and even help to retain its value. Despite this, few motorists make the effort with maintenance, and this could be costing them. Here are a few maintenance tips that should help you to get started.
Check and Top Up Fluids
One of the easiest maintenance tasks, yet one of the most important, is to check and top up your fluids as and when required. The fluids are key to keeping the car working as it should and it only takes a few minutes to check the levels of the various fluids. These include:
- Engine oil
- Coolant
- Transmission fluids
- Windscreen fluid
- Brake fluid
- Power steering fluid
Check Your Tyres Regularly
Checking your tyres regularly is hugely important because they can impact the performance, safety, efficiency, and even legality of your vehicle. It is a good idea to check the tyres once a month or before a long journey. This will involve checking the pressure, topping up with air if required, and performing the 20p test on the tread depth – the legal minimum is 1.6mm and you will face a fine of £2,500 per tyre, as well as 3 points on your license, so it is recommended that you replace tyres before you reach this level. You should also check the tyres for splits, bulges, and cracks.
Wash the Car Inside and Out
You should clean the car inside and out frequently, and not just because it makes the car look nice. Cleaning the exterior can remove harmful substances from the paint and undercarriage while cleaning the interior will help to keep it fresh and preserve the value of the car. If you do not have the time/energy to do this yourself, you can pay to have it done.
Use Locksmiths to Reprogram the Key
These days, people unlock their cars with transponder keys, and these can add convenience and a higher level of security than physical keys. Despite their benefits, there are times when these keys stop working, whether this is due to age, usage, or damage. In these situations, you will want to use an auto locksmith for car key reprogramming. If you notice that the key does not work quite as well as it used to, you will want to get it reprogrammed as soon as possible, otherwise you might find it hard to open the car.
Stick to the Service Schedule
Finally, you should stick to the service schedule in your car. This is so that it can get a tune-up and any small issues are detected and resolved before they become bigger problems. This is also important in terms of preserving the value of the automobile.
Hopefully, these maintenance tips will be useful and encourage you to look after your car.
