5 New Year Car Care Resolutions


Emission Time welcomes guest blogger, James Burke from the UK. He will cover car care tips to keep your vehicle in top shape this year! Automotive maintenance and preventative care will keep your car running for a long time and save you money on costly repairs.

With January nearly behind us, many of us will be reflecting on the resolutions we made at the start of the year. While it’s common to make pledges to look after ourselves better, why not make a promise to your vehicle to take better care of it, too? Your wallet and your car will thank you in the long run.

We asked the team at https://www.bigmotoringworld.co.uk/ to provide us with their five top ways you can take better care of your car in 2018. Here they are:

 

  • Check and change the car’s fluids regularly

 

Make sure you check your oil levels regularly and get the oil changed at least every six months to avoid a build-up of contaminants and dirt in the engine. You also need to check the brake fluid, transmission fluid and coolant levels – make sure there are no leaks under your car which could lead to major problems. While unlikely to occur, it’s still best to check regularly that way, if something were to go wrong you could spot it immediately.

 

  • Assess the pressure and condition of your tires

 

You should make sure you check your tires every fortnight, to make sure they are at the right pressure and are not suffering from wear and tear. This regular check can help you avoid more serious problems further down the line including a flat tire or puncture which could be dangerous if you are driving at the time. Your car manual will advise you what the tire pressures should be and it’s easy enough to check them at most local gas stations.

 

  • Get your car serviced regularly

 

The winter road conditions put added pressure on your car’s system with mud, salt and grit all causing wear and tear and damage, so make sure you stick to your car’s servicing and maintenance schedules throughout the winter months. Wash your car regularly, even if it might feel like a waste of time! If you leave salt and grit on the paintwork it will corrode and cause rust problems so it’s important to keep washing your car. Make sure you get a mechanic to check over your car’s brake system in the winter as well as it works a lot harder this time of year so can be subject to wear and tear. It’s also a good time of year to check the charge in your car battery as the cold temperature can affect it. Batteries should normally be replaced every five years but you can get the charge checked over by a garage, so you know how much life it has left in it.

 

  • Don’t let little issues grow into big problems

 

If your car has been making a slightly strange noise, or smell, for some time, but you have ignored it, then make one of your car care resolutions to resolve all small issues straight away, rather than leave them and hope they go away. If your wiper blade is starting to go wonky and the brakes have started squeaking occasionally, then take your car into be checked over and fixed. Unfortunately leaving little things for too long can result in a much more unpleasant and far more costly problem so it’s always best to get them resolved straight away.

 

  • Drive your car carefully

 

How you drive your car has an impact on its performance as much as anything else so if you want to take good care of your car this winter, then drive it steadily and economically. Staying within the speed limit no only makes you a better motorist; it will help to reduce your fuel bill and should help you to avoid damage to your car by avoiding potholes and other dangers in the road.

The more aggressively you drive your vehicle, the more wear and tear and strain you inflict on it, so driving carefully and economically will help your car to last longer and avoid stresses and strains on the engine and body work which could cause problems in the future.

There are many other options for taking better care of your car in 2018 including keeping it in the garage at night if you have one, and driving it regularly through the winter so that it doesn’t suffer from the cold temperatures too much.

Take better care of your car is a great resolution to make as looking after your vehicle better will definitely save you money in the long run. By keeping the car in tip top condition, dealing with little issues as and when they come up and watching out for leaks and problems, you will be able to avoid major repair bills further down the line.

Driving safely not only reduces the wear and tear on your car but it will also help to lower your fuel bills as well, so taking better care of your car really should be part and parcel of looking after the pennies.