How - And Why - You Should Look After Your Car - #CP

If you’ve been driving for years, it is easy to take for granted the miracle that is modern motoring. After all, it’s hard to see something as being that impressive when you use it day after day to take the kids to school. But bear in mind that, within the relatively small space a car takes up, there is enough performance to operate in temperatures that go into the high thirties, and those that fall below zero, without so much as a note of protest. The level of engineering that makes this possible is genuinely remarkable.

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It’s perhaps because it has become so routine to us that we can end up treating our cars roughly, and not taking care of the interior and exterior. For many people, we only ever allow our car a tune-up when it develops a fault - and only clean it properly inside and out when we know other people are going to see it. To ensure that your car continues to give you the best service for as long as possible, the following are a few of the things you should be doing.

Service Your Car At Least Once A Year

It’s understandable that many of us skimp on servicing when our car is working just fine - after all, the old saying isn’t “if it ain’t broke, fix it anyway”. However, the health of a car is much the same as that of a human; all may be well on the outside, but it’s still worth having a check-up to see that nothing is going wrong beneath the surface. If you use your car regularly, it will need a service once a year, or every 12,000 miles (whichever is sooner). If you drive more often and your car is subjected to long journeys or tough terrain often, servicing twice as often is advised; once every six months or 6,000 miles.

Valet Your Car Whenever You Have Time

It is held as reasonable that your car should be fully washed and cleaned, inside and out, at least once every six months. That’s a reasonable target for professional cleanings, but you should also make sure that you give it a regular maintenance clean on a regular basis, keeping the upholstery and carpets in the best condition and seeing that the paintwork is in prime condition. 

There are multiple reasons to keep a focus on this side of things; first of all, if you’re looking to trade your car in using services such as https://www.liverpoolcarcentre.com/partex.php, you’ll get a better price if it’s in good condition. Secondly, however, an issue on the surface can spread to the workings of the car if it is left to deteriorate - and that can easily become a safety issue.

Check Your Tyre Pressure Once A Week

Some cars have automatic pressure sensors that kick in when there is a drop in tyre pressure - but that’s not the case for all, and in any case, automatic sensors are one of the things that can malfunction. It is therefore wise to regularly check your tyre pressure, following the tips found at https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/advice/tyres/checking-tyre-pressure/. 

You can also purchase a portable pressure gauge and tyre pump for about £20, which is worth looking into because experts advise that pressure is checked when the tyres are cold - so if you have to drive a long way to a petrol station, you may not get the most accurate reading. A loss of tyre pressure can lead to accidents and will affect your fuel economy, so it’s worth checking this once a week, and before any long road trips.