Most people take their cars for granted, until something goes wrong and they realize how much they depend on them. A car is a way to have independence, to travel on your own schedule and to take your loved ones to where they need to go. If you’ve ever experienced your car breaking down or been without your car for a substantial time due to a break or accident, then you know how frustrating it can be. You can feel a huge loss of freedom and may have to rely on borrowing someone else’s car or having to use public transport which might be a complete nightmare in your city. For that reason, I think it’s really important to invest a little time and energy into car maintenance. Keep reading for my top 5 tips for keeping up with car maintenance.
1. Check Your Spare Tire
Did you know that you need to keep your backup tire inflated too? The last thing you’d want is to have a flat tire, try to change it to your spare and quickly realize you won’t be able to use it because it’s also flat. You’ll need to call a tow truck, which is of course a huge expense, or have someone help you to inflate the spare which could take a ton of time depending on where you are. This is an easy fix, just remember to test it. pressure of your spare tire while you’re filling up your driving tires. It’s such a simple check and could save you hundreds of dollars in tow truck costs or hours waiting for some help. None of us like to imagine that we’ll find ourselves in the middle of nowhere with a deflated spare tire, but the reality is these things happen and being prepared ensures that you won’t get stuck in a pickle.
2. Learn Simple Repairs Yourself
Learning how to take care of your car yourself can be really liberating. Car repairs are not cheap, and the more you can do yourself, all the better. It will mean you can fix small problems yourself in your own time. It can be a little overwhelming getting started with car maintenance and car repairs if you have absolutely no experience, but thankfully there’s a wealth of helpful information online that can walk you through each step. If you want to get started with repairing deep car scratches or repair a rust spot check out these step-by-step videos that will show you what you need to do from the comfort of your own home and what tools you’ll need to achieve a great result. There’s something really empowering about doing small repairs yourself, and it can be a great way to ensure that your car is in pristine condition even when accidents happen.
3. Replace Your Air Filter
If you live somewhere that’s really polluted, this is something you might want to do a little more frequently. When you think about your air filter you might just be thinking about what an impact it makes to the air quality in your car. And of course this is important, especially if you’re a parent with young children or someone who has breathing sensitivities such as asthma or lung problems. But beyond this it is also important because if your air filter is old and worn out, then there will be a chance there will be problems with your entire air conditioning unit which could end up being very expensive to repair. Air filters are quite affordable and you can even learn how to easily change them yourself, so you can keep on top of it. If you or any of your family members have asthma you might be surprised to see how much of a difference a new air filter can make for your overall health.
4. Rotate Your Tires
Did you know that not all tires wear the same? Depending on the types of tires you have, the braking system of your car, where you’re driving – whether it’s urban or country – and even your driving style the wear on the tires will vary considerably. Rotating your tires can do a lot to extend the life of your tires because you’ll be able to minimise the effects of wear in one particular tire or in one particular spot. As you know, replacing your tires can be really expensive – good quality tires easily run at a few hundred dollars per tire, which can add up quickly especially if you have to replace all four at once. If you’re interested in minimisng your environmental impact too, rotating your tires can be a great way to get more use out of your tires without compromising the safety. This means that you are putting less wastage into the landfills, while also saving money. It’s a double win!
5. Add it to Your Calendar
There are many car maintenance checks that you’re going to want to do regularly, such as checking your oil, changing it and replacing your filters. The best thing you can do to keep on top with all your car maintenance requirements is to simply add it into your calendar. That way you’ll get a handy reminder in the form of an email or an alarm when it’s time to do it. Once you’ve completed the maintenance, be sure to re-add it to the calendar. Whatever we don’t schedule in, we don’t make happen. You can, for example, set regular simple checks to your calendar too to remind you as well. Such as checking your car tire’s air pressure every month! I simply cannot keep up with all my responsibilities around the home, so having this locked into my calendar helps to keep me reminded and on top of my car maintenance. As they say, prevention is the best treatment. Keeping on top of your car maintanence will help prevent any big unforseen expenses from popping up.
Becoming more organized and independent with your car maintenance can be such an empowering experience. It can also help you save money, and ensure you’re able to use the best quality products for your car. While it can feel overwhelming at first, especially if you’re doing new things you’ve never done before, there are plenty of resources online such as videos that will help walk you through the steps required.
