Taking care of your car and keeping it well maintained is the secret to a long and trouble free motoring experience. Understanding how to keep a car well maintained and well looked after will not only keep the chances of mechanical failure to an absolute minimum, but keeping the car clean will also help you sell the car a few years down the line.
Here’s part I of our ultimate guide to extending the life span of your car, and how to maintain its value if you decide to sell it and want the highest possible price –
Driving away from the dealership
For new cars that have delivery mileage it’s important to keep your speed down for the first 1,000 miles or so. Please check the owner’s manual for the advised speed and mileage, as it may be no more than 50-55mph.
For those first few miles you also need to avoid putting the car through any stress like towing or any heavy loads on the roof rack.
Driving with care – all of the time
Driving your car aggressively could cause you problems in the future.It’s important to continue to drive the car carefully for the entire time and not just for the first few miles when you drive away from the dealership. For example, try not to rev your car too much when you first start the engine. This can wear down your engine, especially in cold weather.
When you first start your car and drive away, it’s important not to accelerate too quickly. Most of the wear on your drive train and engine can occur during the first 10 minutes or so.
If you drive an automatic car, then consider putting it into neutral every time you stop. Leaving the car in drive puts stress on the engine as it’s still trying to move you forward, even though you have stopped.
Take it easy when you’re in a jam
If you get stuck in mud or snow it’s important not to rev the cars engine and try and aggressively drive your way out of trouble. If you hammer your foot on the accelerator to try and get away you are going to cause a lot of friction and heat, and you could damage your clutch or transmission.
Consider having the car towed if it really gets stuck, and don’t spend too long trying to drive your way out. You could also carry some tools around with you to help if you get stuck and need some traction.
Don’t have too many keys
If you have a huge bunch of keys sat in your ignition whilst you’re driving, you run the risk of damaging the tumblers inside the ignition and could eventually lead to failure of the ignition switch.
If your ignition key is beginning to stick then it’s a good sign that you need it replacing. This would also be a good time to remove all of your keys and put them on a separate chain.
Having lots of keys could also mean you scratch the door around the handle. Lots of people open their car door when they have the keys in their hand, and over time you will find that lots of scratches build up around the door handle.
To help maintain your cars interior
To prevent your car from UV sunlight and heat you could consider parking in the shade as often as possible. If you have a garage then you’re already one step ahead, but if you don’t then you must try and keep it out of the sun when at all possible.
If you find it difficult to get the car into the shade then why not buy an actual car shade that goes inside your car. They will typically sit on your windows, and will do a great job of protecting the interior of your car.
On a hot sunny day it’s also an added bonus if you get to sit in a nice cool car after you’ve exhausted yourself shopping. This is especially true if you have leather seats, as there is nothing worse than sitting on scorching hot leather and waiting for the air con to kick in!
Clean the inside of your car every time you clean the outside
Most people only wash and clean their car on the outside, and forget how important it is to maintain the inside too. If you vacuum your interior every time you wash your car (hopefully at least once a month) then you will prevent a build up of dust and dirt. If something is also spilt on your interior, then you must clean it immediately before any permanent damage is done.
Consider sponging and shampooing your interior at least every 3 months to keep it gleaming throughout the year. If you have leather seats then it’s important to buy a specific cleaner that will maintain the leather and prevent it from cracking over time when it loses its essential oils.
If you have a baby or small children in the back of your car quite a lot, then you should consider putting down some towels or blankets across the seats. Children will cause all sorts of mess to your interior, so you should consider putting down protection nice and early before any permanent damage is done.
Make sure you can see your odometer
You obviously need to keep your dashboard gauges clean, not just so you can see how fast you’re going, but so you can prevent any dust or dirt from scratching them over time. If dust is left to build up over time, then you might find it gathers underneath the plastic cover and you can’t get to it. Removing this can be a nightmare, so why not keep them clean all of the time to prevent this from happening.
Car exterior – protect it from the sun
Apart from making the car look good, paint has lots of other great features – like preventing rust. The paintwork on a car can also fade over time if exposed to long periods in the sun. So it’s important to try and keep the car in the shade as often as possible, and use your garage if you have one.
You could also consider buying a cover if you are forced to leave your car outside throughout the day, which will not only prevent the paintwork from the sun, but will also keep away dirt and the dreaded bird droppings!
Existing scratches and paint damage
If the car already has some bad scratches or if the paint is peeling away in places, it’s important to have them re-touched and re-sprayed as soon as possible. If you leave any damaged paintwork untouched, you could be leaving yourself open to rust.
Wash your car in winter, not just the summer
Most people only wash their car in the summer and don’t think it’s worth it in the winter with all that snow and slush. So why bother washing the car if it will just be mucky again in a few days? Well, snow and slush mixed in with a bit of salt can cause rusting on your car. So the paintwork is even more likely to get damaged and rust if you don’t wash your car during the winter.
Even a jet wash now and again during the winter could be enough to keep the rust at bay, and remember that you’ll be thankful for it if the car starts to show small signs of rust in a few years time.
Apply wax to the car after you wash it
Applying wax to the cars paintwork provides an extra layer of protection.Applying wax to your car after you’ve washed it can seem like a very exhausting and time consuming task, but don’t underestimate the protection wax gives your cars paintwork. Car wax slows down the process of oxidation and also protects against bird droppings and other forms of dirt.
If you really don’t feel like waxing your car or you just don’t have the time, then why not take it to your local car wash and get them to do it. Even if someone else does it now and again after you’ve washed the car it shouldn’t be too expensive, and you will benefit in the long run if you decide to sell it.
Paintwork that looks almost new and gleams in the sun is very attractive to a prospective buyer, and it could be the deciding factor when it comes to that all important sale.
Keep your tyres pumped up
You should always keep the pressure in your tyres to the recommended figures as stated in your owner’s manual. In order to get as much mileage from your tyres as possible, it’s important to check the pressure at least once a month.
If you use the car regularly, then at least twice a month or even weekly would be advised. If you plan to go on a long trip, then it’s vital you check the pressures before you leave.
Check your tyres for any uneven wear
If any of the tyres appear to be showing any uneven wear, then check your tyre pressures. If they are all fine, then it could be that your wheels need tracking and are out of align. It could also be a fault with your brakes or the actual wheel itself. Take it into your local garage for inspection!
Finally, have a look around all of the tyres and check to see if any of them look worn and need replacing. Sometimes it’s easy to forget and go thousands of miles without checking, so try and add this into your routine inspection to make sure the tyres are safe. As always, if you have any doubts about the tyre tread, then take it to your local garage and they will tell you how many miles are left or if you need a new one.
Check your engine oil regularly
Checking the oil is a common routine for any driver, but don’t underestimate how important it is to check it regularly. Here’s how to check the oil properly –
- Drive your car for about 15 minutes to warm up the oil and then park the car – make sure you park the car on a level surface.
- Turn off the engine and wait for about 30 minutes before you check the oil.
- Take out the dipstick and wipe it clean with a rag or paper towel.
- Put the dipstick back, and make sure you push it in all the way.
- Pull it straight back out and check to make sure the level of oil is in between the highest and lowest mark as indicated on the dipstick.
- Fill the car up with more oil if required, and make sure you buy the exact oil the car requires.
To read part II of our guide to maintaining and looking after your car, please click here.