While it is important both to take your car in to a mechanic for a yearly check up and to keep making your annual car insurance payments, there are a number of car maintenance techniques you should do on a more regular basis in order to ensure that your car runs smoothly. Read on to discover what you should be doing to maintain your car.
Tyre Maintenance
Your tyres are your car's first line of defence against an accident. It is important to make sure that your tyres are properly inflated and that your tread depth is acceptable.
To check your tyre pressure, purchase a gauge from a car accessory shop, or just buy a digital air dispenser from your local petrol station. Look up your car's ideal tyre pressure in your user manual, then attach the dispenser to your tyre using an air hose. The gauge will tell you whether you need to inflate your tyres, while the dispenser will simply do it for you. Repeat this for all four tyres.
To check tread depth, purchase a tyre tread depth gauge. Stick the gauge into the grooves in the tyre, and measure how deep it goes with the gauge.
Mirror and Windshield Maintenance
One important piece of car maintenance involves making sure that your windshield and mirrors are clean enough to use. When you sit in the driver's seat, you should be able to see fully to the side and behind your car out of your mirrors. A weekly quick wipe-down with vinegar and a cloth should be sufficient. You can also wipe down your windshield wipers in order to make sure they don't damage the windshield over time.
Bonnet Maintenance
Many car owners are wary about opening up the bonnet of the car, but there are really only three things you need to check: the oil level, the coolant level, and the windshield wash level. Remember to always check the manual for your vehicle and closely follow the instructions.
Oil - Check the oil level by pulling the dipstick out of the engine. Wipe it off, then insert and pull it out again. If the oil level is below the minimum mark, then open the oil cap and top off the oil.
Coolant - Wait for the car to cool down and unscrew the coolant cap with a cloth. If the tank is below the halfway point, fill it to halfway with water. During the winter, you should use a 50/50 mix of water and antifreeze, or as otherwise directed by the product instructions.
Windshield Wash - Top off the level, but don't overfill.
These maintenance tips should keep your car in good working order in between your yearly visits to the mechanic, and should hopefully keep you out of having to cash in on your car insurance. Practice them to ensure the sound health of your car. |
