You probably waited a long time to get your car. You spent your childhood wishing you could get behind the wheel of your parents’ car. You spent hours in driving lessons and studying for the theory tests. You saved for a long time to get the car.
But just because that’s all behind you, it doesn’t mean you don’t still have work to do! You need to keep your car maintained if you want it to last. Not doing so can create major problems. Here’s what you need to consider.
Short-term costs versus long-term costs
Why do people skip out on car maintenance anyway? It seems like way too important a thing to do. Well, a lot of it has to do with time. It certainly takes a lot of time and effort to keep maintaining your car. But I think, for the most part, it’s to do with money. When you consider all the features that you have to maintain, it can seem like it’s going to cost you a bomb to do it.
Well, it’s true that car maintenance isn’t exactly the cheapest activity in the world. But it should be considered part and parcel of the projected costs when you’re buying a car in the first place. You need to remember that not maintaining your car can result in the need for repairs later on. And the cost of maintenance pales in comparison to the cost of repairs!
A good clean
This is the car maintenance item that most people are pretty good at fulfilling. But the problem is that people usually just see it as a cosmetic thing. This leads a lot of people to neglect to wash their car, even if they maintain it in other areas. It’s important not to dismiss the importance of actually washing your car. It’s not just a vanity thing! Washing and waxing the exterior can prevent rust from making a home in your car. And finding the overall best wheel cleaner can remove dirt that might be causing damage to your tyres.
Changing your oil
A lot of car owners don’t actually seem to know what the oil in their car engine does. They know they need it, but that’s about it. This can lead them to assume that a problem in this area can’t be that severe. Wrong! Your engine is, basically, a bunch of metal objects constantly rubbing against each other. If you don’t have a good amount of quality oil in there, then those parts are going to suffer from friction damage. They can overheat or wear away. This can result in catastrophic – and very expensive – damage. Don’t forget to check and change your oil regularly!
Checking your coolant and antifreeze
So your oil is in good shape. Awesome. But your oil isn’t the only thing that’s preventing your engine from overheating. The coolant in your car needs to be checked on the regular and topped up whenever needed. In hot weather, your coolant levels can deplete faster than you might expect. In really cold weather, your coolant may even start getting a little solid. If you coolant stops working properly, you could end up with something as bad as an engine fire. I’ll assume that that isn’t your idea of a good time. Make sure you check your coolant and antifreeze on a regular basis.
Keeping the brakes strong
I know you like it when you car is moving. I get that that’s the whole point of the car. But you will occasionally need your car to, y’know, stop moving. If your car has trouble when it comes to not moving, that’s even more dangerous than it having trouble starting to move in the first place. Your brakes aren’t going to look after themselves, I’m afraid. For the safety of you and everyone else around you, make sure you check your brakes regularly. Maintaining the brake system can be quite involved, but it is, of course, worth it.
Looking after your tyres
That little kick you give your tyres before you start your morning drive? That’s a pretty good check, in the extremely short-term. But remember: prevention is better than cure. If you’ve got any problems with your tyres, then that haphazard solidity check probably won’t find it. And you should regularly be making sure you don’t have any problems with your tyres. You don’t want those things to fail you when you’re on the road, right? Things like tyre rotation, air pressure, and tread depth all need to be assessed. And yes, you should indeed keep a spare one with you on the road!
Making sure your timing belt doesn’t snap
Hearing that any feature of your car has the ability to ‘snap’ is obviously very discomforting. But one of the most discomforting problems that can occur with a car is just that: something snapping. Namely, your timing belt snapping.
A lot of modern cars have metal ones that should, in theory, last as long as the engine lasts. But cars that were made in the 2000s or before probably have timing belts made primarily of rubber. After 3-5 years of use, these things can start to get a little weak. If it gets really bad, it snaps. Don’t let that happen.
Spark plugs and air filters
For whatever reason, these two features of a car are usually mentioned in the same sentence. Perhaps it’s because the two can be quite close to each other. Maybe it’s because they’re two features that a lot of people forget to consider when maintaining their car. The two don’t actually interact much at all, so it’s a little confusing to me. In any case, you shouldn’t be forgetting either of them. A clean air filter will stop dust and dirt getting into the innards of your vehicle. Your spark plugs prevent your engine from misbehaving and improve gas mileage. Don’t maintain one or the other: maintain both!
Seasonal changes
You need to remember the varying conditions that the year is going to bring you. A hot summer is going to bring unique risks to your ride. A brutal winter can do its own unique damage, too. So keep an eye on the weather and remember to tweak your maintenance tasks accordingly.
