A car is a large investment, and you want yours to run as long as possible. Unfortunately, cars begin to depreciate as soon as they start wracking up the first few miles. Putting on mileage is unavoidable. However, when taken care of regularly, your car can run like new, even when it has plenty of road trips under its belt. Follow along as we discuss routine car maintenance you can do at home to help save time and money.
Checking the Tire Pressure
The air in your car’s tires sometimes leaks out, causing underinflated tires. Decreased inflation is a problem since it leads to uneven tread wear. Your tires need healthy treads to run efficiently. The good news is that checking air pressure at home is easy. All you need is a simple tire gauge.
A tire gauge reads the pounds per square inch (PSI), which is the tire pressure measurement. Most vehicles need around 27 to 35 PSI, and your car manual should tell you where yours falls. When it’s under the correct PSI, you can easily add some more air at a gas station and then read the PSI again.
Cleaning the Car
Have you ever noticed that when you drive your car after it’s clean, it seems to run better? A clean car is a happy car, and you’ll feel better driving it.
During routine car maintenance at home, you should understand how to detail your car to keep it running like new. Detailing is what it sounds like. It involves taking care of the little details after a basic wash. It includes not only the outside of the car but also the interior and the engine. The following are a few reasons as to why detailing and cleaning leave you with a vehicle that runs more efficiently:
- Wax fills in small cracks and makes your car more aerodynamic.
- Removing dirt and buildup from tires keeps them running steadily.
- A clean engine has room to breathe and operate safely.
- Clean battery terminals are essential for a battery to have a long life and start easily.
Cleanliness rids a car of miles of buildup, giving it a better chance at working its best.
Checking and Changing the Oil
Changing the oil at home isn’t difficult once you get the hang of it. It also saves lots of money. Still, if you aren’t comfortable changing the oil, you can at least stay on top of your car’s oil needs by learning how to check the level.
Under the hood, there’s usually a spot where you twist off a cap in the engine bay. This leads to the oil pan. Inside, there’s a dipstick that is easy to pull out and shows the oil levels. Once you understand how to read it, you’ll know if the car needs oil. Before changing the oil, refer to your owner’s manual so that you know how often it’s necessary (usually around every 3,000 to 5,000 miles).
Car maintenance doesn’t have to be intimidating. Once you get the hang of doing a few things at home on your own, you’ll find it rewarding.
