The Riskier Moments Of Maintaining Your Car | #CP

If you own a vehicle, you know just how expensive running it can get. You’ve got fuel to pay for on a regular basis, as well as insurance for being on the road, and potentially even road tax here and there. And of course, you’ve got the upkeep to fork out for as well. 


Some maintenance needs can be a lot more costly than others - your car’s risky maintenance needs tend to cost you the most. And this requires you to take up some preventative maintenance here and there, to ensure you’re never having to fork out serious money after finding yourself in dangerous situations behind the wheel. 

We’ve listed some of the best for you to look into below, whether you’re a new driver or an experienced driver who wants to read up. 


Learning to Take Charge of Your Fluid Levels

The fluids in your engine are a big part of making it work right. It’s not just fuel in there, but cooling and antifreeze and wiper fluids too. Make sure you know how to check on these at the least, if you’re not up for learning how to change them yourself. 

Just pop open the hood of your car and see what you can find - you might be able to identify these gauges straight off, or you might need a little help in locating the right part. Make sure you know when your fluids need topping up, and when an actual change is needed. Most of all, you need to be able to identify a leak when one occurs; not all leaks are going to be the same colour either, so you’ll need to know which ones are real causes for concern. 

Keeping Your Wheels in Line

Your wheels are what keep you on the road, and even if you’ve changed your tires recently and know they’re in good working condition, and you know the pressure is just right, there could still be something wrong with how they work. 

Indeed, they could be aligned wrong, meaning you could veer off the road, little by little or all at once when you least expect it. Be sure to check in for a Vehicle Alignment Check if your wheels ever get knocked, or you’re worried about how your steering wheel is handling. 

Replacing Your Batteries 

And of course, you’ll need to be able to replace your battery when it goes dead. Keep a spare in the trunk, and be sure to know what battery checks to make; if it’s leaking, or it’s discoloured in places, you’ll need to conduct some maintenance. 

Learning how to do this can be quite simple, even if it seems stressful; being stuck in the middle of nowhere with a dead battery in your car doesn’t have to mean you’re in a helpless situation. 

Maintaining your car can get risky, depending on what has broken down and where you are when this happens. Make sure you know what to look out for. 

*This post was written in collaboration with a third party, the words expressed are my own*

Karl Young

Part-time daddy and lifestyle blogger. Father of 2 boys under 2. Golfer, scare-fan, tea-lover, traveller, squash and poker player. I write on the @HuffPostUK http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/karl-young/

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