When it comes to driving, parents always remind their children that it is a privilege and not a right, an important message that cannot be ignored. Owning a car is essential for many people as it provides them with the independence they desire, but taking care of the car's maintenance needs is of paramount importance. This not only ensures that the car runs smoothly, but more importantly, it guarantees that it is safe to drive. Failing to take care of your car is bound to have detrimental consequences. In this article, we examine some care safety tips for beginners while highlighting the importance of carrying out vehicle maintenance.
Checking Your Car Over
The first step towards ensuring your car is roadworthy includes conducting regular checks yourself. You don't always require a professional mechanic for this. One of the essential checks is assessing your tire pressure. While newer cars have warning lights that signal low tire pressure, they often indicate considerable pressure loss. Checking your tire pressure every other week is not too much of a commitment as most petrol stations have adequate facilities for this. Additionally, you should keep an eye on the tread depth, particularly during winter months.
Irrespective of your knowledge about car engines and the car's maintenance needs, the most important requirement is knowing where all fluid containers are within your engine. Your driving test probably tested you on this. Keeping the relevant fluids topped up and opening the bonnet to check your fluid levels regularly are other critical aspects of maintaining your car. You can give your engine a quick glance, but since you aren't a car expert, it might be challenging to spot anything amiss. It would help if you also were mindful of warning lights appearing on your dashboard or any changes in the feel or handling of the vehicle.
Having Your Car Checked Over
Additionally, it is vital to have your car checked occasionally. In most cases, you'll require a yearly service and an annual MOT, which is a legal requirement. Your car is not considered road legal without a valid MOT certificate. A professional checks your vehicle during its service and MOT. Although an MOT tends to be more thorough than a service, both tests are designed to certify the safety of the car. The engine and its operations are checked using diagnostic tools. The tires, as well as doors, and indeed the entire vehicle, are checked for roadworthiness. The tester may suggest solutions if they find problems. Alternatively, if there are no issues detected, you receive a pass, and your car is considered road legal until the next MOT. Services, on the other hand, tend to advise solutions for any problems, especially in their early stages, allowing for corresponding corrective measures to be taken before things deteriorate and become more expensive.
The Benefits Of Maintaining Your Car Properly
Regularly performing maintenance checks on your vehicle offers numerous benefits, ensuring that your car is safe to drive tops the list. Maintaining your car guarantees that all parts function correctly, thus helping prevent breakdowns. Checking out the tires ensures you have enough traction on the road in adverse weather conditions, among other benefits. A well-maintained car performs better because the tires remain topped up to where they should be. When you keep your engine functioning maximally through topping up the right fluids regularly, the steering feels more stable. Essentially, a well-maintained car works optimally, driving smoothly, and for an extended period, saving you the cost of buying a new car.
Regular maintenance of your car might seem time-consuming. However, it can save you time in the long run. Conducting maintenance checks and organising a service and MOT takes some time out of your schedule. However, a breakdown or having to take your car to the garage for repairs would be far more disruptive to your program. Therefore, taking a little time each week or month, depending on your maintenance schedule, makes more sense in the long run. Regularly maintaining your vehicle ensures that you discover problems early, allowing corrective measures to be taken immediately. This often means that the repairs are cheaper than would be the case if the problem had gone unchecked for longer. Additionally, a well-maintained car is more fuel-efficient, saving you money on fuel costs.
A well-maintained vehicle is also likely to sell for the best possible price when you eventually put it up for sale. The aesthetics of a vehicle are not always the most significant determining factor in terms of value. A well-maintained vehicle's service history can prove invaluable to potential buyers, especially given the prevalence of fraudulent car sales. While other factors may affect the value of your car, a well-looked-after vehicle is likely to sell for more than a car of the same model that hasn't been adequately maintained.
In The End
The importance of carrying out the necessary vehicle maintenance tasks should be clear by now, given the benefits outlined in this article. The maintenance checks you can perform yourself only take a few short minutes every other week or so. While you may need to dedicate more time to an MOT and service, they only occur once a year. Therefore, taking the time to maintain your car will save you time and money in the longer-term.
Comments
0 comment