Owning a car is a big responsibility. With all the payments made towards our vehicles, from regular service checks and potential repairs, knowing how to properly take care of our cars to prolong their life span is beneficial to our bank accounts. With that said, there are a few things that every car owner should know how to do before getting behind the wheel.
1. Maintenance Schedule:
The first thing that you need to know is the maintenance schedule of your vehicle. This will tell you if your car needs any sort of service and what type. If you’re someone who likes to plan ahead, this will come in handy. Knowing when your car needs a good oil change, an air filter change and any other maintenance that comes with owning a vehicle these three tips will help ensure you get advice from reputable mechanics.
2. Year, Make and Model of the vehicle:
It is important to know the basic details of your car before visiting a repair shop. If you’re not sure of what exactly is wrong with your vehicle, you may end up unnecessarily spending money on checks that don’t fix the problem. Knowing how old your vehicle is and what make/model it is will help you determine if the issue can be solved in a simple factory recall or if your vehicle needs additional service.
3. Mastering a jumpstart:
Even if you have a fully charged battery, there are still times when you purchase a new car or your battery will be dead cold. This can be obtained through proper car jumpstarting techniques. If your car does not make it to a repair shop, keep some jumper cables in the trunk and know how to use them properly!
4. Knowing how to change tyres:
Popping a tyre usually happens at the most unexpected moments, which is why knowing how to replace it is something everyone should know how to do. Having a spare tyre on hand will save you the trouble of having to wait for the tow truck or be very expensive in certain circumstances.
5. Checking your engine oil level and knowing how to change it:
Something many people don’t know is that an oil change should be done every 3 months or 6,000 to 7,000 kilometres. This can be done by using either the dipstick or a little tool that comes with your oil kit. Knowing how to conduct an oil change or refill will be extremely beneficial for your car’s health, saving you money in the long run!
No matter what vehicle you drive, whether it’s a Toyota or a Mercedes, every car owner should know how to conduct these 5 basic things. This will help ensure your car stays healthy, running smoothly on the road!