Great Ways to Keep Your Car in Tip-Top Condition
Posted by admin at 29 March 2023, at 06 : 53 AM
Most cars are ready for the scrap heap at about 14 years. There is so much that can go wrong with them, and a lot of it is down to you, the owner. If you are not good with your car, it is likely to break down and become unroadworthy far earlier than necessary. A bad owner will constantly need to buy new parts and refuel a lot more often than they need to as well. If you have a car that you love, and you want it to last well into the future, especially considering the cost of a new car, here are a few simple tips and advice to keep your car in tip-top condition for as long as possible:
Your Driving Style
A huge factor in the condition of your car and its lifespan is the way you drive. So many people drive far too aggressively, and this affects the car by wearing out parts quickly, causing damage, and wasting fuel. Examples of bad driving are accelerating and braking too harshly, wrestling the gear stick, taking corners too fast, and making sudden and quick decisions, like suddenly deciding to take over a car on the highway or making the decision to turn very late, among other thighs. You need to calm down and take things more slowly. Ultimately a good driver plans ahead and doesn’t do anything rash. In some cases, it may be necessary to take a driving class to develop better habits. A safe, calm driver is much more fuel efficient, their car lasts a lot longer as it will not wear and tear out as quickly, and ultimately you are far less likely to be involved in an accident. Over half of all accidents are caused by aggressive driving; other causes include lapses in concentration, fatigue, alcohol, not driving to the weather conditions, etc. All of these can be remedied by taking more care.
Servicing
It is essential that you take your cat to regular serving appointments. This way, a professional can look over your car and determine if there are any potential problems on the way. They can inform you, can then you can get them to fix the problem before it gets bigger and becomes a real issue. This will save you a lot of time and money in the long run. At a servicing, you can request an oil change and other general maintenance too. Other types of servicing are car detailing, which ensures that the interior is kept up to scratch and helps preserve the value of the car.
The Tires
If you don’t regularly inflate your tires, then you could be causing your car a lot of problems. Tires that are inflated to different PSIs – a very common issue when the tires have not been inflated for a while – can cause problems to the underside of your car, the suspension, and other things. It can cause handling issues, too, so it can be quite dangerous. The tires will wear out at a strange angle, too, so they will need replacing more often. Underinflated tires waste fuel as there is more drag and resistance on the road. Overinflated tires are dangerous because they increase the braking distance, are far more likely to hydroplane, develop bald spots, and bulge, meaning you are much more likely to have a blowout. In the manual of your car, you will have some details regarding the correct PSI for your tires. So, investigate and regularly inflate your tires to ensure your car remains in the best condition it can.
The Oil
Your car is a machine with a lot of metal moving parts, and that means you need oil. At the very least, you should check the oil level every few weeks and before every long journey. If the oil level is low, then you need to top up. In most cases, you need an oil change every 12 months or once every 10,000 miles, whichever is soonest. If you are unable to do this yourself, you can have it done at your servicing appointment, as mentioned above. When it comes to oil, the higher the quality, the better it will protect and enhance the performance of your car. Cheap oil tends to be thicker, whereas high-quality oil is thinner and is able to cope with more extreme temperatures. The best oil thought is synthetic oil. This is because it has been formulated with the car’s specific needs and its performance and safety in mind.