Tips To Reduce Wear And Tear On Your Car
Reducing wear and tear on your vehicle should always be a priority. At the end of the day, looking after your car will save you money over the long run and will keep your car running well. If you follow these tips, you’ll be well on your way to keeping your car in great shape.
Follow Your Maintenance Schedule
Make sure you service your car on a regular basis. Car Manufacturers recommend regular service intervals for their cars. An example of this is every 15000 miles, but this may differ between manufacturers. Make sure you familiarize yourself with your car’s maintenance schedule. These services are really important as service centers will check and replace certain parts on your car such as spark plugs, oil, filters and so on. If you don’t do a regular service on your car, you run the risk of causing damage to your engine and other parts on your car. Warranties also often depend on cars having their regular services done.
Never Miss An Oil Change
Motor oil plays an important role by lubricating and protecting your engine. Oil is the lifeblood of your engine and keeps your car’s components running smoothly. It also helps to reduce the accumulation of varnish and carbon from collecting in your engine which could cause damage over time. Over time motor oil starts to degrade and loses its lubricating and cooling properties. It starts to become more like sludge which can do damage to your engine. This is why it’s important to replace your oil based on mileage done and not over a time duration such as every 6 months or so. Make sure you never miss an oil change to keep your engine running smoothly.
Let Your Car Warm Up
Although many of us are in a rush to leave in the mornings, it important to give your engine a minute or two to warm up. By allowing your car engine to warm up, you’re enabling your engine oil to heat up and properly lubricate all the parts. Engine oil that hasn’t heated up won’t be lubricating all the parts properly, which means your engine could be damaged more easily. It also helps to drive at a lower speed for the first couple of minutes as this prevents any wear on an engine that hasn’t warmed up properly yet.
Check Your Tire Pressure Regularly
A maintenance checklist for your car should always involve the checking of optimal tire pressure levels. Tires can lose around a pound of pressure each month all by themselves. Getting your tires checked monthly or every time you fill up with gas is a good idea. Keep in mind that a change in temperature can also affect tire pressure. A qualified tire specialist will be able to help get your vehicle’s optimal tire pressure just right, and will also be able to identify any other potential issues on your tires. Remember that you can’t always notice that your tire pressure is wrong by just looking at it. A tire can lose as much as 10 PSI and not look any different from the outside.
Cut Your Brakes Some Slack
By easing up on your braking habits, you’ll prolong the life of your brake pads and discs. The easiest way to do this is by going lighter on the gas. The faster you drive, the more you’ll need to use your brakes. Instead of braking sharply, try and anticipate the need to brake from a distance and learn to brake more gradually over a longer period. Try and avoid start and stop driving altogether (this will also allow you and any passengers to enjoy a smoother ride). Make sure that you maintain your brakes regularly to keep your brakes running optimally.
Another tip is to use your parking brake properly when parking. When you come to a stop, the best practice is to first press on your brake pedal and then engage your parking brake. Only release your foot off the brake pedal once your car’s transmission has been put into park mode. This will prolong your cars transmission. This is even more effective when parking on steep hills or inclines as more pressure is placed on the car’s transmission. Although South Florida barely has an incline higher than an anthill, it is still good practice to keep, should you find yourself in hillier surroundings.
By following these tips, you’ll go a long way to looking after your car and prolonging its life. Make sure that you use a reputable service center when getting your car serviced. You want to make sure that you receive personalized service from mechanics that will take the time to get to know and understand your car. This way you’ll ensure that your car gets the best treatment possible.