Knowing what things you should do to your car is crucial to prolonging its lifespan. If you do things right, you can drive it for years and avoid having to deal with substantial repair costs. If you neglect even one key service, you may be inconvenienced and met with large repair bills.
Whether you just bought your first ever car or have owned many different cars through the years, take note of the important car dos discussed below for a better, cheaper, and safer car ownership experience:
DO use the right fuel.
You should never fill your car with the wrong kind of fuel as this can cause some very expensive problems. If you put diesel in a gasoline engine, your car might not start because its engine is designed to run only on diesel. If you put gasoline in a diesel engine, your car’s moving components will experience greater friction and result in costly damages.
To know the right fuel for your car, make sure to read the car’s manual. You might also want to slap a sticker printed with your car’s fuel type on the fuel door to remind yourself.
DO use the pedals gently.
Stepping too hard on the gas and brake pedals can be harmful to your car.
If you like to drive fast, try not to push the gas pedal to the floor to gain a quick burst of speed. Doing so causes your engine to over-rev and forces your car to burn more fuel. It also burdens your car parts and components, particularly the transmission and the drive train, with extra and unnecessary strain, increasing their risk of damage.
With regards to the brakes, avoid sharp braking. It causes the braking system to heat up and speeds up the wear and tear of the tires and brake pads. It also puts you at greater risk of a rear-end collision. Unless it is an emergency, there is no reason to slam on your brakes. To not wear your down your brakes, come to a stop slowly.
DO take it to a mechanic for regular maintenance.
Just like the human body, cars need regular check-ups and exams to determine if everything is working right or if there are certain parts that are starting to fail.
So, for example, your car might have some problematic shock absorber parts, but you cannot tell it just by looking. If you take your car to a mechanic for regular auto maintenance, the issue can be identified before the problem gets worse. Your mechanic can inform you that the shock absorber parts have issues and shock absorber car part replacements are necessary. You can acquire new shock absorber car part replacements in time and your mechanic can do the work so you can drive your vehicle safely.
DO avoid or slow down over speed bumps.
Driving at a high speed over potholes, humps, and other road speed bumps can shake the wheel tracking or balancing, ruin the suspension, and cause further damage.
Remember to avoid hitting them or at least slow down so that you can protect your car.
