Did you know that new vehicles in the U.S. sold for an average transaction price of $47,148 in May 2022? That’s 13.5% higher than in May 2021!
So as a first-time car buyer or owner, you want your new ride to last as long as possible. Otherwise, you might shell out more Benjamins for premature repairs.
Keeping and sticking to a car maintenance checklist, in turn, can help make your ride last over 200,000 miles.
Ready to learn how? Then read on to discover how to keep your first car in shape.
Weekly Car Wash
Wild birds cause tens of millions of dollars in property destruction annually. These include damages resulting from their droppings.
Bird feces, after all, have a pH between 3 and 4.5. Unfortunately, that’s acidic enough to eat through paint and structural materials.
That’s a good enough reason to give your ride a thorough weekly wash. Some car essentials you need are a pair of microfiber wash mitts, a few microfiber towels, and car wash soap. Invest in a wheel brush, too, to prevent elements from damaging the metals in your wheels.
Monthly Tire Pressure Checks
According to https://geyerstowing.com/average-cost-to-tow-a-car/, 69 million car breakdowns occur in the U.S yearly. Flat tires are among the most common culprits behind such incidents.
For that reason, make it a habit to check your tire pressure monthly. And when you do, do it first thing in the morning while the tires are cold.
You want cold tires because heat affects pressure and causes it to increase.
Note that different types of cars have varying tire pressure requirements or recommendations. Depending on your ride’s make, model, and year, its manufacturer may recommend 32 psi to 35 psi. You can find specifics in your owner’s manual or the sticker inside the driver’s door (if you have a newer vehicle).
Monthly Car Fluid Inspections
Engine oil (AKA motor oil) lubricates an engine’s metal parts. That lubrication then keeps them from grinding against one another. So if not for this fluid, those metal components can break or crack, ultimately causing your engine to die.
Moreover, motor oil aids engine cooling by keeping it clean of burned fuel byproducts.
That’s the primary reason to check your engine oil level monthly.
Likewise, inspect your ride’s car coolant or antifreeze levels every month. This fluid is critical to protecting your engine from overheating.
Quarterly Filter Replacements
According to experts, some 137 million people in the U.S. live in areas with unhealthy outdoor air. In these places, high ozone levels and particle pollutants contaminate the air.
So, like how you’d check and replace your home’s air filters every three months, do the same to your ride’s air filters. Their job, after all, is to filter outside air and clean it before your car engine sucks and burns it with fuel.
Otherwise, filth in air filters can restrict air flow and lower oxygen levels. That can result in your ride consuming more fuel to produce adequate power to move.
Keep This Car Maintenance Checklist Handy
And there you have it, the car maintenance checklist you should keep and stick to as long as you’re a vehicle owner. Following the steps in this guide can keep costly breakdowns and pricey repairs at bay. But, most importantly, it can help prolong the life of your ride.
Are you looking for other informative automotive guides like this? Then check out more of our recent news and blog posts!