Your car is likely to be your ‘baby’ so it is understandable that you want to take care of it. For many, car maintenance conjures an image in their head of numerous, costly repairs. Still, others imagine that just regular washing will be good enough. The truth is, optimal car maintenance is somewhere in between. Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about the seven steps you should be taking to keep your car in tip-top shape.
1. Do Try to Keep it Clean
I bet you never thought that keeping your car clean was about more than running some soap and water over it. Actually, your car will get the best clean and shine the brightest if you get some specially formulated ‘car shampoo’ and a hose with a few special nozzles or attachments to reach in every crevice of your car’s surface. The order in which the parts of the car are cleaned is also important. You will want to work from the top down to prevent newly dislodged dirt from marring a clean area. If you regularly have guests, you may want to consider dusting the inside of your car regularly.
2. Check the Tires
Just as you would not like to go running in an old, shabby pair of shoes, your car does not like to run on old, shabby tires. Not only are they terrible for the performance of your car, but they also make for unsafe driving conditions. For the best performance out of your tires, give them a thorough once-over at least once every month. Check the pressure, as well as the tread of the tires. If either begins t make driving unsafe, you must replace the tires. Be sure to take them to a reputable shop such as Elite Campbell where you can be sure of getting exactly the tires that you need for your vehicle.
3. Top Up the Fluids
A major part of the performance of any car is the adequate amount of various fluids. If your car is one of the powerful hybrid cars, know that even though your motor might need a different kind of fluid, it is just as important to the performance of your engine as conventional transmission fluid is. Transmission fluid is obviously the most important of the fluids you need, but it is important to read your car’s manual and discover which fluids will make it perform optimally.
4. Keep an Eye on the Engine
Everyone knows that the part of the car that is responsible for making it ‘go’ is the engine. Giving it a regular check is desired. If you hear your engine making noises, or you smell strange odors, your engine may be in need of a repair and you should have it looked at by a professional. Many repairs are simple enough to fix by yourself once you learn how, but a diagnosis of the problem that you have to fix is best left to a professional.
6. Check the Brakes
Do you ever hear a set of brakes emit a high-pitched squealing sound? That is a level of deterioration that regular maintenance to your brakes should prevent. Brakes are so important to protect not just you but everyone else on the road, so if you feel there is a problem, or you see a leak under your car, it is best to take it to a mechanic. You may be mistaken, but with your brakes, it is always better to be safe than to be sorry.
7. How is Air Conditioning?
If it is just getting to be spring or summer, and you are just turning on the air conditioning in your car, you may notice that something is wrong with it. There are many things you can do to take care of your used cars in sacramento, but an air conditioning system is best left to the professionals.
There can be any kind of problem, from running out of refrigerant in the air conditioning to suffering an electrical failure in the inner workings of the machine. You might be able to diagnose issues but head over to a mechanic to get it fixed. If you are looking for car air conditioning repair in Melbourne visit Natrad.
How Are the Wipers?
the windshield wipers on your car are something that is so essential, but they likely escape your notice on a daily basis. However, when you need them to work you probably really need them to work. Run them regularly to check that the weather on them is still good and is not worn away and that the electrical mechanism works perfectly.
If either of these is in poor condition, you will want to have them seen to as soon as possible. If you just need to change the wiper blades, that is a simple task you can complete yourself, but if it is electrical, have it done at a mechanic. These tips can help extend the life of your car and keep it running smoothly. But, sooner or later, you’ll need to begin looking for a newer car that is reliable.