If you own a vehicle, you are responsible for keeping it up in terms of its optimum value. This is a consideration of form, function, reliability, and practicality. Yes, maybe as a teenager you might have feigned ignorance about what keeping a car up meant, but as an adult, you have no excuses.
The following five tips will make you think about what needs to be accomplished within the constructs of your latest vehicular cycle – tune up when you need to, learn to listen to your car’s noises and sounds, know how to check all of your fluids, don’t forget about interior cleanliness, and keep in mind about that ounce of prevention.
Tune Up When You Need To
You may think that your car is running just fine, but if you get a tune up before you absolutely need one, then you could be saving yourself a lot of trouble. The basic checks that an automotive engineer will go through when tuning up your engine and making sure your components are clean and serviceable will go a long way into the process of keeping your car in top shape for a long time.
Learn To Listen
Some indications that something is going awry with your vehicle will often be sounds. Clicking, popping, rumbling, grinding, buzzing – these are all things you should constantly be listening for, as they can be signs that something is failing, misaligned, or about to go bad. You may have difficulty seeing some issues with your car, but hearing them is an entirely different matter, and it’s another sense that you should use wisely.
Have Regular Fluid Checks
Transmission fluid, oil, brake fluid, windshield wiper fluid, and engine coolant. Do you know how much of these you should have in your car? Do you know how to check your fluids? Replace them? If not, you’re doing yourself and your vehicle a disservice. When things start to go wrong, you need to be able to check these general levels at a moment’s notice.
Don’t Forget the Interior
Though it’s not vital for your car’s actual operation, having a clean interior at the very least means easy access to compartments like your glove box and fuse box, and also improves the value of your driving experience. The engine keeps the car happy, but a clean car interior keeps the driver happy while in the car.
Remember About That Ounce of Prevention
You know the saying about an ounce of prevention and a pound of trouble. It is never truer than with cars. The more you know about the basics of car mechanical processes and how to do basic checking a cleaning, the longer and happier the life of your vehicle.
