A Car-Owner’s Guide to Taking Care of Their Car

Owning a car comes with its pros and cons, though the former obviously outweigh the latter. Almost every car owner would tell you that the best part about having a vehicle is driving it. Not many appreciate having to clean and take care of it though. This is largely because there’s just too much to do.

Whenever we take the initiative to clean, all it takes is one look at the car and we’re instantly overwhelmed by the gravity of infinite tasks. The whole body of the car screams out to us and we barely know where to start. Then there are times when cleaning is not even the issue. The car just seems to give up in various ways owing to the lack of care administered by the owner.

Whether you take it out for a monthly car service or go at it alone, here’s a few things that can help you take care of your car:

Checking the Fluids

More often than not, the fluids of the car play a crucial role in determining how it runs. There are several problems that you can face on the road that can be traced back to overflowing, insufficient or unchanged fluids.

Although many people already know this, here’s a list of the parts of the car that require fluids:

• Engine oil
• Coolant
• Power Steering Fluid
• Brake Fluid
• Transmission Fluid
• Windshield fluid

All of these require regular change and most of them aren’t even expensive. You can choose to take your car to workshops like Auto Pro a few times before you get the hang of it. It’s best that you seek professional help before you go at it alone.

Checking the Engine

Apart from checking the engine’s coolant and oil levels at regular intervals, clean the air filters. These are responsible for allowing air to flow between various parts of the car. Over time, this filter becomes clogged with dirt and becomes useless. Instead of cleaning the air, it starts releasing the dust particles stuck in between that end up damaging other parts of the car. With even just a normal case of constricted airflow, you can experience acceleration problems in the car. That’s why we recommend going for a detailed checkup of the engine before you go for a long drive.

Cleaning the Car

When it comes to cleaning your car, make sure that you recognize the type of vehicle you’re cleaning. You can’t wash a truck the same way you car wash an exotic supercar. Similarly, the level of detailed cleaning you’ll have to perform on a truck won’t be the same as a simple station wagon.

Consider the body, the paint material, any damaged or dented areas with rust, etc. before you get to washing and cleaning the car. Without wasting a lot of water, use your hands to clean off the dirt initially.  

Once you get to scrubbing with soap, we recommend using a soft cloth and not a hand towel to do it. A lot of people underestimate the damages that roughness can cause to the body and the paint. Unless you want to pay for these damages, get a soft cloth for scrubbing and an even softer one for drying. You’d want to dry everything off thoroughly as it can leave watermarks on the windows and the body.

Checking the Battery

Lastly, if you’re thinking of parking your car for a long time, make sure you disconnect the battery. Batteries that stay connected are vulnerable to rust and can decrease their life. Since the car isn’t going to move, it’s best that you use the battery elsewhere or leave it somewhere it can’t get carbonized.

Moreover, even if it’s snowing outside and you don’t plan to use the car for months, take it out once every two weeks. Drive it around the block and come back to park it in your garage. If you’re not home, have someone else do it. This is because you don’t want your battery to die and turning the ignition on can bring it back to life. Unless you want it to rot away, have rust or carbon, dry away, etc., you’d want to take it out for a ride every few weeks.

These are some of the best car maintenance tips that will help you ensure your car stays healthy for a long time. Make sure to bring the car under professional supervision from time to time as well.