Knowledge of proper maintenance and repairs is essential to car owners who want to make their car last. These are the basics that you need to learn to make sure that your car is well taken care of. You need the basics to avoid damaging your car, while your trusted car shop can take care of the long list of repairs you can get.
Most Common Car Repairs
Car repairs include the simplest wiper blades replacement up to body repairs like the paintless dent repair in Denver. However, a study conducted by IMR Inc. narrowed down the list to the 10 most common repairs:
- Alignment of wheels
- Brake work
- Replacement of tires
- Replacement of wiper blades
- Replacement of battery
- Replacement of air filter
- Adding antifreeze
- Change of oil/oil filter
- Tune-up of engine
- Scheduled maintenance
Car Maintenance Basics
What makes car maintenance different from repairs is its proactive approach. Repairs are reactive, thus providing solutions for damages incurred. They apply to damages that you do not have control over. Unlike repairs, car maintenance is proactive as it keeps everything in check to avoid preventable car problems.
Here are some of the basic maintenance tips that you should keep in mind:
- Know your car. Read the manual. Do not rely on what others tell you, or what others commonly do to their vehicles. Cars have different designs, and so they should be treated that way. Know its needs and what you can do to keep your car in perfect shape. Take notice of the little things you can personally observe in your car. Check on dents, door dings, scratches, and even the sound of it while you are driving. These things can give you hints on what needs to be done on your next shop visit.
- Create a schedule and checklist. Car maintenance could be another thing to worry about and remember, so coming up with a checklist is the best way to schedule maintenance services. This can also ensure that you won’t skip the necessary service. Draft a schedule and make reminders days before to set a schedule with your go-to car service. Plan out which service would need a weekly, monthly, or annual checkup. This can help you squeeze into your busy schedule a time for your car.
- Follow your service schedule. You can be quite busy at times and putting off your scheduled car service would be an easy choice. However, small issues that go unchecked will surely lead to a major problem in the future. Instead of maintenance, you might need service repairs and that would cost more than the scheduled maintenance that you prepared
- Keep your car clean. Taking care of your car doesn’t have to be a technical thing. Know when it needs washing. When you reside near the ocean, wash and wax regularly to avoid corrosion of paint. Get rid of food wraps, dust, sand, and dirt inside your car. This is a simple way to extend the life span of your vents.
Remember that maintenance is not just about oil change and car shop checkups. You should also do your part to help your trusted mechanic in keeping your car in its best condition.
