Tips for your car care
Unfortunately, many motorists do not care about their cars incorrectly. Most of us, having gained knowledge at the tops and listening to “experienced drivers”, who most often have an idea only about how to serve old cars, usually make mistakes when caring for a car. As a result, reducing the service life of the car.
And then we begin to scold our brand/model of the car for unreliability, poor quality, etc., believing that the automaker is to blame for all troubles. But in most cases we ourselves are to blame. Remember that a guarantee of a long service life of a car is your attitude to it. John Riewes (riewes.de) has collected for you advice that will help you serve the car so as to increase its service life.
1. Clean the inner and outer part of your car every month. Jokes aside.
Why this is important: to keep your car clean is like keeping your room in the apartment clean. But unlike the room, your car is constantly in sight, and everyone can evaluate in appearance how dirty (or clean) it is. To extend the life of the paintwork and save the interior in good condition for a long time, you must wash the car completely at least 1 time per month.
The complex sink should include dry cleaning of the cabin, processing the seats with various means, cleaning the glass from the inside, removing dust with a vacuum cleaner. Including you must use the body protection after washing, applying wax to the body. When washing the body, be sure to wash the arches and bottom of the car.
Do not do this: from the body of an unclean car, dirt will fall into the salon. Dirt, both on the body and in the cabin, can lead to damage to the paintwork, as well as the surface of the finishing materials of the cabin. Especially in the winter, when roads are processed by anti -icing reagents containing salt in their composition, which, as you know, is the cause of metal corrosion. Also, salts of road reagents can easily damage the flooring of the cabin. Therefore, in winter, the car should visit the sink twice as often.
2. Change the oil every 8000-10000 km and use a reliable brand
Why this is important: each car manufacturer in the guide to the machine (or in the service book) indicates the recommended conditions for the planned oil replacement in the engine. If earlier almost all automakers advised to change oil every 10,000 km, today for many modern cars-every 12000-15000 km. But we do not recommend that you listen to such tips. Better change the oil in the engine in the old fashioned way-every 8000-10000 km. Especially if you mainly use a car in the city (traffic jams, frequent stops at traffic lights, short trips, etc.).
In this mode of movement, it is better to change the oil at all along the motorcycles, and not by kilometer. After all, compare how many kilometers you will pass in 1.5 hours along an empty road of a suburban highway at a speed of 100 km/h and what kind of mileage you will pass, twitching, in a traffic jam during the same time. Agree, the difference is evident.
Now imagine how many hours the engine will work if you are standing in traffic every day and passing a short distance. In this mode, you will not hit 10 kilometers very soon. But motor oil will lose its properties long before the odometer counts the next ten thousand km. So take it a rule to change the oil as often as possible. If possible, change it every 8000 km.
Also be attentive to the choice of motor oil. Do not use cheap oils of dubious quality. Buy oil only in trusted stores (read reviews on the network or listen to the opinion of your car mechanic).
Do not do this: your car needs oil to not only lubricate the engine. The oil also performs the engine cooling function, and in addition, it has detergents that allow you to clean the internal components of the motor from plaque, soot, etc. For effective engine lubrication, a certain volume of oil is necessary. Unfortunately, sometimes in some cars there is already a zhor of oil from the plant. That is, gradually the oil level goes to a minimum.
As a result, car owners are forced to add motor oil between that. Also, leaks/ leaks and leaks and, of course, wear of the piston system are a common cause of oil level in the engine.
Therefore, each car owner must monitor the oil level in the engine, checking it every month.
In the case of an oil soil (that is, the oil leaves), it is necessary to diagnose the engine.
3. Check the tire pressure every month and change the wheel in places every 8000-10000 km
Why this is important: incorrect tire pressure can lead to many problems. Including breakdowns, instability of movement, increase in fuel consumption and, of course, to the goss tire. Therefore, regularly check the tire pressure using a pressure gauge. In addition, periodically inspect the tire tread for uniform wear. For a more or less uniform wear of the wheels, rearrange them every 8000-10000 km.
You should not do this: the replacement of your tires can cost a round sum (new tires + tires). If you do not monitor pressure in the wheels and rearrange them from place to place, then your tires will be worn much faster. So it is better to check the pressure in the wheels and do not spare money for the rearrangement of the wheels.
4. Change the brake pads every 30,000-40,000 km or earlier if your brakes wear out
Why this is important: you must make it a rule to check the brake system each. If you hear an unpleasant rattle or creak when braking, this should cause you to concern. Perhaps brake pads or brake discs have worn out in your car. Most often, pads wear out, which are subjected to high temperature loads.
Do not do this: do not bring to complete wear of the brake pads so as not to damage the brake discs. If you postpone the replacement of the pads, this can lead to a premature failure of the brake discs that cost a lot of money. So it is better to replace the brake pads once again than to change the brake discs more often. If the cause of bad brakes is brake discs, urgently change them to new ones. Remember that it is dangerous to ride with worn brake discs (when braking, a worn brake disk can burst).
5. Make sure that the rear -view mirrors are always in order
Why this is important: yes, if there were eyes on the back of the head, then this would be an unconditional advantage for driving a car. However, people have only two eyes. Fortunately, the rear -view mirrors come to the aid at the wheel, which, in fact, replace the second pair of eyes. For safety while driving, all rear view mirrors should be clean. Also, mirrors should give excellent visibility of the rear and lateral appearance. If your car from the plant comes with not very effective mirrors, purchase new or a set of side mirrors with additional mirrors that will improve visibility in your car.
Do not do this: driving with dirty mirrors or without mirrors makes your ride unsafe. So you run the risk of getting into an accident. Well, after the accident you understand, it is unlikely that your car can be considered in perfect condition. Want to save the car? Then treat the rear view mirrors as the screen of your smartphone.
6. Follow the interior of your car to maintain its high cost when reselling
Why this is important: everything in the world is aging over time. Including the car interior. Unfortunately, over time, the leather/plastic panel of the devices, leather/tissue seats ultimately wear out and fade under the influence of ultraviolet radiation. Fortunately, today various auto chemists are sold in car shops to care for the interior in the car. Such funds allow you to maintain it in normal condition, preserving the appearance of the cabin almost the same as it was when you bought a car in a car dealership.
You should not do this: if you do not take care of the interior of the car, the dirty salon will pay you the same coin. You are guaranteed to lose in the market value of the car when you sell it in the secondary market. And this means that you will receive less money to buy your next car. Remember that for the appearance of the cabin, customers of used cars pay attention in the first place.
7. Replace all the bad lights in the headlights as soon as you can
Why this is important: a trip home in the dark can turn into a real nightmare if one of your headlights works incorrectly (a lamp has burned out, it blinks due to poor contact). It will also be uncomfortable for you if the xenon lamps of your headlights are faded.
But most often we are faced with a burned out lamp in headlights. Many of us are in no hurry to change the blown lamps, delaying the replacement for later.
Do not do this: in no case do not put off the replacement of the bulbs in the headlights for later. This is your safety and safety of other road users. As a rule, replacing lamps in headlights is quite simple. In most cars you can do it yourself.