5 Maintenance Tips to Protect Your Car’s Upkeep

Keeping your car in good condition is essential!

Your car is more than a way to get around. It’s a big investment and an important part of your daily life. To help your car last longer, you need to regularly maintain it.

Can you imagine the frustration of having to pay a lot of money to get something on your car fixed which could have been avoided if you had maintained your car properly? Preventative maintenance can make your car’s repair costs lower in the long run, and when you keep up with your vehicle’s routine inspections and services, your car will last longer and be much safer to drive. Here’s a list of 5 maintenance tips to protect your car’s upkeep.

1. Read your car owners manual

With any new item, you need to read the instructions thoroughly to be able to work it properly and make it last. This is the exact same as your car manual. 

Your car manual will be able to tell you everything you need to know about your car. It will tell you what the warning lights mean, which petrol and oil you should be using,  how to carry out basic car checks and so much more important information. It is important that you follow all of this information to successfully maintain your vehicle. 

2. Regular Preventative Maintenance Checks

Regular preventative maintenance not only improves the safety and reliability of your vehicle but can also save you a lot of money in the long run. Here are some of the most important, simple vehicle checks you can carry out yourself.

Check your tyre pressure

The car owner’s manual will have the information about what your tyre pressure should be. You can use a pressure gauge to measure your tyre pressure.

Check Tyre tread depth

The legal tread depth of a car is 1.66mm across the central three-quarters of the tread around the tyre. You can use a tread depth gauge or the 20p coin test to check your tread depth.

Check Brake Fluid Levels

Regularly checking the fluid level of your brake can help prevent the wear and tear of your brakes. Make sure that the brake fluid is at the recommended fill line. You can find this information in your car owner’s manual.

Check Oil Levels

Your car owners manual should tell you how often your car oil will need to be changed and which type of oil to use. To check your oil level, remove the dipstick and wipe this clean. Then place it back in and out again and check that the oil level is in between the min and max mark. It’s also important at this stage to check the colour of the oil. If your oil is black, it may have been contaminated so this needs changing. 

Check Coolant Levels

To check the coolant level, make sure the engine is cool. Locate the expansion tank, you should be able to find this information in your owner’s manual. Then check that the coolant level is in between the minimum and maximum mark on the side of the expansion tank.  

Check all of your Car Lights

Having someone else check the lights is useful so that you can ensure the car does not move, however, if you don’t have anyone else available, make sure that the handbrake is on and the gear stick is in neutral and walk around the car to check all of your lights are working. Don’t forget to check your indicator lights, fog lights, and hazard lights.

3. Listen to Your Car

Luckily, we have warning lights installed in vehicles to tell us when something is not working properly and it needs looking at. However, your car will also more than likely show you signals that something is wrong. This could include poor acceleration, your engine making a spluttering sound, trouble starting, or even squeaking or grinding noises. It’s important that if you notice any of these signs you get this checked out straight away. If things are left too long without being noticed, it could end up being a much bigger, more costly problem.

4. Driving Smoothly

Driving smoothly can not only help maintain your car to keep running and look well for longer, but they can also help with fuel economy, which will save you money. Avoiding sudden braking and harsh acceleration is better for your car and can help to maintain your car for longer. 

5. Clean Your Car

Cleaning your car regularly inside and out is another easy way to maintain your car looking and working well for longer. This will not only help to preserve your car well but will also make driving a much more enjoyable experience for you. 

Follow these 5 easy tips to keep your car well maintained, running smoothly and safely, and help avoid any big costly issues.