Top tips on
looking out for your automobile’s health
Our cars are, for many people in the UK, one
of the most expensive – and prized – possessions available to own. Not only do
they require a lot of money to be purchased in the first place, they also
require attention and presence of mind afterwards.
Whilst car maintenance is not half the
struggle it used to be – when oiling, lubing and tuning up was an almost
constant cycle of events to keep your motor on the road – it doesn’t mean you
shouldn’t have half an eye on the health of your car.
There is no doubt that you can get by with
fewer trips to the garage – but there remain a few key helpers which can ensure
your car doesn’t wear down or burn out too soon. If you have specific concerns
– or activities – which you undertake with your car, you might be interested in
taking out a tailored insurance policy, such as the policies offered by Allianz
Your Cover (www.yourcoverinsurance.co.uk) – this allows you to add specific clauses of
extra cover for items such as valuables, foreign travel or a roofbox or
trailer.
But on to maintenance. The majority of
problems arising from today’s high-performance cars stem from a lack of
attention paid to the guidelines and tips in the manual. It is there for a
reason. A close read of most manuals will let you know when you should check
essentials like oil and wipers – and you’ll feel ridiculous when your mechanic
points all this out to you after a costly trip to the garage.
1.
Overlooking
tire pressure and brake pads
An obvious one to start with – many of us
neglect to keep half an eye on the tire pressure of our vehicles, meaning that
by the time it comes for a service, we have to fork out for fresh tires as ours
are overused. Follow your manual for advice on when and how to check them: the
same goes for your brake pads.
2.
Not checking
oil
This is the classic- with today’s
low-maintenance cars, too many of us are happily driving along and only doing
something once the warning lights come up. Different vehicle manufacturers
recommend different optimum times to change your oil – some as frequent as
every 10,000 miles – so make sure you find out from the manual and note it down
somewhere prominent.
3.
Not changing
fuel and oil filters
Blocked filters are one of the main causes of
the engine light coming on – and if not seen too, can lead to further problems
such as the engine misfiring or catalytic converter failing.
4.
Unnecessary
tune-up
Like we said, given the triumph of modern
technology in today’s cars, many of us are carrying anachronisms from
yesteryear into our contemporary maintenance routines. ‘Tune-ups’, once a
regular fixture for old models, are now a thing of the past – but just save all
your changes (spark plugs etc.) for your 60,000 mile service.
5.
Not checking
gas-cap
Easy to overlook and therefore a real source
of headaches if not looked after properly. Many of us pay little or no
attention to the gas or petrol gap in our cars. But leaving it loose can cause
fuel leakage – or simply annoyance, as it regularly sets the check engine light
on. To avoid embarrassment at the garage – check it now!
I've been looking around South New Jersey for Chevy experienced mechanics. My Chevy has been making a bit of a strange noise. It could nothing, or it could be something wrong. Is there anything in the engine I should be checking regularly?
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