Owning a car, whether it is new or used, requires regular maintenance. A car needs to be taken care of to make sure it will be reliable and will not breakdown unexpectedly. When you follow a regular maintenance routine, you can help extend the life of your car and keep it performing at its peak. Not only that, you will be able to save money by avoiding costly repairs. Miracle Body and Paint in San Antonio Texas lists down the basic car care and maintenance tips you can easily follow:
Drive carefully
Avoid accelerating your car when starting up. If you do this, it will easily wear your car’s engine. What you can do is to accelerate slowly as you drive and shift to neutral when in red light so the engine can have time to rest.
Wash your car weekly
Washing your car will not only make it clean, it can also protect it from corrosion. Dirt is usually abrasive and spilled liquids can be very corrosive. Do not forget to also clean the interior. You can use a vacuum to clean the interior thoroughly and a soft damp cloth for the dashboard lenses. Remove the dirt from your mat by brushing or hosing it down, and make sure to dry it completely before putting it back in.
Don’t forget to wax your car
Regularly waxing your car will not only make it look good, it can also protect your car’s paint job. Waxing can slow down the oxidation by creating a barrier against harmful elements such as bird droppings and pollution.
Choose a shady area to park
Parking directly under the sun’s harmful UV rays can damage your car’s interior and destroy the paint job. If unavoidable, make sure to use a car shade to minimize the sun’s impact.
Make sure to regularly change the engine oil and filter
For used cars, frequently changing the oil may be necessary since it can flush abrasive dirt and metal particles out of the engine. Changing filters after is also recommended to avoid mixing built-up dirt with the new, clean oil.