Our cars take us to our offices, kids’ schools, grocery stores, and lastly for long drives too. However, in this process, they go through a lot of wear and tear in their various components. And that’s why they need regular maintenance. However, we humans tend to take things lightly until and unless it becomes a major problem for us. Likewise, some overlook car maintenance as well as its mistakes, which leads to hefty repairs down the road. Some people put off their car maintenance while others do upkeep but have a lack of knowledge. Both the scenarios could be dangerous. However, in this post, we’ll talk about the car maintenance mistakes which many make and reduce their car’s life. Read on the blog to avoid them in the future.
- Avoid taking time for your car:
While juggling between work and personal life, we find it hard to make time for our car. As well, driving the car to the mechanic. One of the significant reasons could be you cannot afford to stay without a car for more than 3-4 hours, depending on the situation.
Regardless of complex scenarios, you should take control of your car’s health. This is possible when you regularly take it to the mechanic and solve minor to major issues on time. Furthermore, there are tasks which can be done at your end like checking of tyre pressure, changing fluid levels, etc. For example, if you drive a BMW, you can also check whether you need to replace the BMW coolant or not.
- Neglecting the rotation of tyres:
No doubt, modern car tyres are strong enough to drive on any weather and uneven roads. However, they still need maintenance. Generally, tyres need replacement after every 50,000 miles on average. But, if you skip its rotation after every 5000 to 8000 miles, then they may need early replacement.
Furthermore, tyre rotation is a simple way to deal with its tread wear. The tyres’ tread can go through the grating, scouring, and scraping while moving on the roads. Tyre rotation helps all four tyres to wear evenly. Hence, rotate your car’s tyres as mentioned in the owner’s manual and help your tyres breathe for a longer time.
Tyre issues might be an easy fix but clutch and transmission problems aren’t a duck soup. Whether you’re driving a manual or automatic car, they are complicated issues to fix. Plus, if you choose to overlook some common signs of problems, then it can lead to some serious problems.
Some common signs are rough shifting while changing gears, fluid leaks, slipping gears, and warning lights flashed on the dashboard. So, beware of such issues and keep an eye on such things while driving. As soon as you notice any sign, take it to the car mechanic before it gets more serious.
- Using duplicate or wrong parts:
There are plenty of brands of car parts like spark plugs, filters, and so on, which are advertised as they will fit your car’s make and model. And when any replacement of such part comes during maintenance, you risk your car’s life by getting into the advertisement’s trap.
Such duplicate products may save you money initially, but in the long run, they would shorten your car’s lifespan. And eventually, you may require to break your bank balance. Hence, always purchase the parts that are recommended by your car manufacturer.
- Hitting speed bumps and potholes:
Driving over a specific speed limit is a bad habit; many of you might agree with us (only if you’re being honest). Generally, maintaining the speed limit of your car is related to the safety of the drivers. But the good thing is, it also increases your car’s lifespan.
So, next time, when you drive your car on road, slowly cruise over the speed bumps and potholes. Allow your car’s suspension to do some rest from the shocking hit.
- Skipping regular car washing:
Grime, dust, and mud all together make your car’s paint look ugly, leading to premature rusting if they aren’t removed on time. Regular car wash often prevents this problem and helps your car survive for a longer period.
Further, auto experts recommend washing your car once a week if you’re driving daily. However, if you skip a few washes, then that’s not the end of the world for your car; at least once a month would also work.
- Skipping scheduled service:
Busy schedules, laziness, and neglecting the problems can lead to skipping of scheduled service of your car. The problems that would arise by this ignorance are sludging and over-heating of oil, both of which can destroy your car engine. All of this may lead to a drop in the expected lifespan of your car and a hike in the long-term cost of ownership.
Sometimes, missing scheduled services could also let you miss the opportunity of tech updates in modern cars. So, let your mechanic do the check-up of your components according to the owner’s manual. And do the needful repairs to keep your car running smoothly.
- Overlooking essential fluids levels:
Fluids play a key role in almost every phase of your car, including fuel economy and durability. Keeping them at a proper level can help your car stay longer and drive better, something we can all get behind.
The best way to maintain the fluid levels is to check them every month and top them off as necessary. In fact, you can go through the instructions mentioned in the owner’s manual on checking fluid levels, coolant, brake fluid, etc.
- Wheels are out of alignment:
When you purchase a new car, you may have noticed that your car wheels are pointing straight ahead. In fact, while installing new tyres, mechanics adjust car wheels according to the manufacturer’s specifications. However, when hit potholes or speed bumps, often your car wheels get knocked out of alignment.
Therefore, if you observe your car pulling to one side when you’re driving straight, then you need to get the alignment checked. Otherwise, misaligned wheels can wear the tyres quickly and your car will be more difficult to steer.
- Overlooking strange noises:
One minute you’re driving your car and everything seems fine, but the next moment, you hear some strange noises coming from your car. The sounds like rattles, bangs, and squeals could come from your brake, exterior parts, tyres, or anything. First of all, it’s important to pay attention to such sounds and know something is not going well with your car.
Furthermore, whenever you notice such strange noises coming from your car, taking care of things at the earliest would save you from extensive repairs. The longer you wait, the major problem it will cause to your car.
Don’t miss driving the car!
Well, you may be taking care of the above maintenance mistakes that people tend to make but simply display your car in the garage. We mean, you’re not driving it regularly. No doubt, taking a bus or bicycle to reach the office is a good idea to conserve gas. But letting your car sit ideally can lead to multiple mishaps. It could be flat tyres, dead batteries, destroyed wiring, and many more.
Therefore, even if you don’t drive your car daily, keep a practice of using it at least once a week. Regardless of proper maintenance, you can ruin your car’s lifespan.