BE A FRIEND TO YOUR CAR ! HERE ARE WHAT HE EXPECTS FROM YOU
Posted by Zane Winberg on
If you want to keep your car well-maintained and in great shape, it is important to treat it just like you would a friend.
Don’t think about it only when you want to drive around. Spending time on your car and keeping it 'happy' is a good rule of thumb for you as the car owner to be happy too. Here are some of the things your car expects from you;
1. Your Understanding
It’s hard to sustain a friendship if you don’t know what your friend likes and what they don’t. This makes it necessary to make a deliberate move to learn about your friend. Just like your friend, you need to understand what your car requires and give it that.
Your car is unique and only the manufacturer can give the right guidance on how to treat it. Most users’ manuals come with a schedule for regular maintenance. Go through the manual to see the recommended time for changing its oil, filters, timing belts and others. The user’s manual can also give details of the right oil or fuel to use for your specific model of car.
2. Your Attention
Learn to listen to your car at different stages of your journey. When beginning, listen to the sound when you turn the ignition on. Determine if it could be making abnormal noises.
Just like you would be concerned when your friend sneezes, complains of a headache or so, a shake or abnormal noise in your car can be a sign of malfunction. Other than ignoring it, try to find out what the problem could be. You could even take it to the mechanic if the noise persists yet you cannot find the issue on your own.
3. Some Tender Loving Care
You are satisfied when your friend appears elegant, aren’t you? Your car needs to stay clean too. If you don’t deal with food wrappings on the floor in good time or the dust and other dirt in the vents, you are inviting problems. First, you won’t feel comfortable inside the car. Secondly, it can be a breeding ground for bugs. Moreover, a lot of dust and debris can collect in the vents and pollute the quality of air coming out or hinder their functioning altogether.
The outer surfaces should also be well-kempt. During cleaning, you remove the dirt to make sure your vehicle looks presentable. This also protects the paintwork so it can serve you for long.
Take time to apply varnish as this covers scratches that could expose your car’s body to corrosive atmospheric elements. You will realize that cleaning isn’t just for keeping the car in good shape. It does help preserve your investment too.
4. Frequent Checks
You do not allow a lot of time passby before you catch up with your friend. You might miss an important episode of their life. This is true for your car too. The engine oil, the antifreeze, brake or wiper fluids could have gone down. You do not want to hit the road like this.
The battery condition and belts need to be checked frequently too. Regular checks enable you to identify an issue before it gets out of hand.
Consider conducting a routine inspection of your car at least monthly. Of course, it can be more often depending on how heavily you use it. Of importance is to make sure you do not miss any leaks, worn out timing belts or low fluid levels. A quick walk around your car after a journey can enable you to identify dents, scratches, worn-out tyres or damaged lights.
5. A Special Treat with The Mechanic
A mechanic can take note of issues that are hard for one without specialized training to notice. It doesn’t have to show signs of problems. Just like people visit doctors even without a sign of sickness, take your car to his doctor regularly. This could also be the time some parts you were not comfortable to check or fix can be done. These might include tyre rotation, wheel balancing, and a change of spark plugs, among others.
Conclusion
Some of the expensive repairs you undertake with your car can be prevented if you pay close attention to it. This is because you will always catch issues in good time. Proper treatment can also increase the lifespan of your car.
Author:
Steven K. Galloway is a car care professional and editor at AutomovieWard. Cars are not just his profession, but a life passion too and he enjoys helping other enthusiasts and sharing his knowledge on his blog: http://automotiveward.com/
Don’t think about it only when you want to drive around. Spending time on your car and keeping it 'happy' is a good rule of thumb for you as the car owner to be happy too. Here are some of the things your car expects from you;
1. Your Understanding
It’s hard to sustain a friendship if you don’t know what your friend likes and what they don’t. This makes it necessary to make a deliberate move to learn about your friend. Just like your friend, you need to understand what your car requires and give it that.
Your car is unique and only the manufacturer can give the right guidance on how to treat it. Most users’ manuals come with a schedule for regular maintenance. Go through the manual to see the recommended time for changing its oil, filters, timing belts and others. The user’s manual can also give details of the right oil or fuel to use for your specific model of car.
2. Your Attention
Learn to listen to your car at different stages of your journey. When beginning, listen to the sound when you turn the ignition on. Determine if it could be making abnormal noises.
Just like you would be concerned when your friend sneezes, complains of a headache or so, a shake or abnormal noise in your car can be a sign of malfunction. Other than ignoring it, try to find out what the problem could be. You could even take it to the mechanic if the noise persists yet you cannot find the issue on your own.
3. Some Tender Loving Care
You are satisfied when your friend appears elegant, aren’t you? Your car needs to stay clean too. If you don’t deal with food wrappings on the floor in good time or the dust and other dirt in the vents, you are inviting problems. First, you won’t feel comfortable inside the car. Secondly, it can be a breeding ground for bugs. Moreover, a lot of dust and debris can collect in the vents and pollute the quality of air coming out or hinder their functioning altogether.
The outer surfaces should also be well-kempt. During cleaning, you remove the dirt to make sure your vehicle looks presentable. This also protects the paintwork so it can serve you for long.
Take time to apply varnish as this covers scratches that could expose your car’s body to corrosive atmospheric elements. You will realize that cleaning isn’t just for keeping the car in good shape. It does help preserve your investment too.
4. Frequent Checks
You do not allow a lot of time passby before you catch up with your friend. You might miss an important episode of their life. This is true for your car too. The engine oil, the antifreeze, brake or wiper fluids could have gone down. You do not want to hit the road like this.
The battery condition and belts need to be checked frequently too. Regular checks enable you to identify an issue before it gets out of hand.
Consider conducting a routine inspection of your car at least monthly. Of course, it can be more often depending on how heavily you use it. Of importance is to make sure you do not miss any leaks, worn out timing belts or low fluid levels. A quick walk around your car after a journey can enable you to identify dents, scratches, worn-out tyres or damaged lights.
5. A Special Treat with The Mechanic
A mechanic can take note of issues that are hard for one without specialized training to notice. It doesn’t have to show signs of problems. Just like people visit doctors even without a sign of sickness, take your car to his doctor regularly. This could also be the time some parts you were not comfortable to check or fix can be done. These might include tyre rotation, wheel balancing, and a change of spark plugs, among others.
Conclusion
Some of the expensive repairs you undertake with your car can be prevented if you pay close attention to it. This is because you will always catch issues in good time. Proper treatment can also increase the lifespan of your car.
Author:
Steven K. Galloway is a car care professional and editor at AutomovieWard. Cars are not just his profession, but a life passion too and he enjoys helping other enthusiasts and sharing his knowledge on his blog: http://automotiveward.com/