Eight Things You Should Absolutely Never Do To Your Car
For most people, cars will represent the second most expensive thing they ever purchase (after a home). So, it makes sense to take good care of them. Here’s eight things you should never do to your car…
Ignore Service, Maintenance And Repair
Taking your car to a garage can be expensive and inconvenient. Who wants to see their car out of action, even for a few hours? However, cars are complicated things with all sorts of parts and components. Things can and do go wrong. Regular servicing and maintenance stops serious problems emerging and therefore saves you more time and money in the long-term. Grit your teeth and make sure your car gets the TLC it deserves, no matter how much you don’t fancy a trip to the garage.
Fail To Respond To Warning Lights
Your car can’t talk (yet), so it’s forced to communicate in a variety of ways. There was once a time when it’d start making strange noises, emit strange smells or just generally refuse to work to make its point. Now, however, things are a little more convenient. Warning lights appear when there’s something going on with your car that you need to address. Some of these could be simple, such as leaving the handbrake up a tad too high or not properly closing your boot. Others are more serious, concerning brakes and your engine. The point is, they’re there for a reason; don’t ignore them.
Drive Your Car On Fumes
Some motorists find it difficult to keep tabs on their fuel levels. That’s why you sometime see warnings on motorways, ‘check your fuel.’ Maybe it’s genuine forgetfulness or maybe they don’t like going to petrol stations, either way it’s bad for their cars. Most modern vehicles use electric fuel pumps and these are typically submerged in the fuel itself. This keeps them cool and properly lubricated. If you’re driving on a nearly empty tank and frequently, it can overheat and stop functioning properly. Get into the habit of topping up before you reach ‘fume’ levels.
Drive Erratically And Harshly
Everyone has their own driving style. As soon as we pass our tests, we ‘unlearn’ the jumping-through-hoops ethos and (for better or worse) fall into our own comfort zones. However, there’s no excuse for driving harshly. Not only is it dangerous, it will wear out your car at a much faster rate. By driving harshly, we’re referring to late and sharp braking, needless acceleration and aggressive or erratic steering. Driving should always feel smooth and each manoeuvre should be a seamless transition. Your tyres, brakes, clutch and suspension (plus many more systems) will thank you for smooth driving in the long-term.
Fail To Check The Oil
Think of your car’s oil as its lifeblood. Flowing through your engine, it keeps everything lubricated and moving properly. All those moving parts develop a lot of friction, so oil’s essential in preventing wear and tear. It also helps to keep the engine cool and keeps things clean by picking up dirt and debris. Over time, oil loses its ability to do this. So it’s essential to top it up with fresh oil every now and then. There are all sorts of opinions on how frequently you should do this, but once every three months should be more than sufficient.
Take It To Garages Without Proper Research
Whilst most garages are reputable, a significant minority give the rest a bad name; as demonstrated by the fact that mechanics are one of the least trusted professions in the country. When choosing a garage, make sure it’s properly accredited. Also take some time to look up reviews and to ensure that they have a professional outlook. A shoddy garage can overprice you, aggressively attempt to up-sell or simply not carry out repair work to standard. Do your research.
Forget About Its Tyres
You won’t get very far on faulty tyres. Constantly in contact with the roads, they face a staggering amount of wear and tear. It’s a testament to modern designs that they last so long. However, we can’t rely too much on innovation. It’s still important to check yours to ensure they have the right pressure levels, tread depth and haven’t received any damage. Try to check them every two weeks or so. It’ll beat being stuck at the road side or having one burst whilst you’re blazing down the M5!
Leave Keys In The Ignition (Especially During Winter)
Why would anyone leave keys in the ignition of their car? We’re not entirely sure, but thousands of drivers do it every year and face the consequences; causing police forces all sorts of bother, especially around winter time. Opportunistic thieves don’t plot and scheme, they simply jump on opportunities as they present themselves. Never assume you’re safe, no matter where you’re parked up. In addition, don’t leave your car unattended when it’s defrosting in the colder months; this is when it’s most vulnerable.
Driving In Winter: Six Ways You Can Prepare Your Car – https://autoserveclub.co.uk/blog/driving-in-winter-six-ways-you-can-prepare-your-car/
Citroen Introduces New ‘Fair Pricing’ Concept In The UK – https://autoserve.co.uk/motoring-news/citroen-introduces-new-fair-pricing-concept-in-the-uk/
