New Year’s resolution: Caring for your car

Somehow, it's 2023. Where did the time go?

Most of us are back at work now, and our cars have been through a lot over the past few weeks with getaway road trips and long drives to a couple of family lunches.

And now, just like that, we're throwing them back into the daily commute – if, for some of us, a little less 'daily' than in years past.

So, it's time to think about how we're caring for our cars. A routine scheduled service is one thing, never to be skipped, but what else can we do? Here's a rundown of some basic aspects of care that we should all be staying on top of throughout the year.

Photo at top of story is manipulated from two photos by Robin Edqvist on Unsplash and Aritra Roy on Unsplash, edited by Mike Stevens.

YEARLY (or so)

Check and/or replace the battery

Every four years or so, it’s a good idea to check your battery and see if it needs replacing – but it also wouldn't hurt you to do an annual checkup. Of course, your service centre should let you know, if you get your car serviced regularly. There’s nothing worse than being stuck in the middle of nowhere for no reason other than a dead battery.

Don’t forget the brakes

Like your battery, getting your brakes checked by a professional every few years is an important step in caring for your car. Not only can worn brakes lead to costly replacement of your brake rotors, but it can also be a life-threatening mistake. If you hear any strange noises such as things grinding, then it’s best you get them check as soon as possible.

Headlights

This shouldn’t happen regularly but it’s important to pay attention to your car’s headlights. If one goes out, replace it as soon as possible. It not only makes driving in the dark easier, but also avoids a potentially expensive discussion with the police. Bulbs age, so even if they still work, replacing them will usually give them a brighter edge.

MONTHLY (or so)

Clean your car – properly!

You may be able to hide the mess in other areas of your life – your home, your desk, your love life – but everyone can see your car. Make sure you give the interior a vacuum and dust, and treat exposed plastics to a wipe with a UV protectant now and then.

Then give the exterior a wash and polish. Things like dirt and bird poop (which you should clean off straight away, FYI) can do some damage to your paint. Plus, once the cobwebs start to appear and a spider crawls across your windscreen, you’ll be wishing you’d pulled out the bucket and shammy earlier.

Service

As a general rule, you should get your car serviced every six months or 10,000km. Service centres will always tell you when your car is due for a service – maintenance varies with models. Even older car owners should get a professional to cast their eye over their vehicles. If you do nothing else, regular oil and filter changes are vital to the engine’s health.

FORTNIGHTLY

Check your tyre pressures and tread wear

A good habit to get into is checking your tyre pressures when you go to refuel your car. There’s a world of problems associated with low tyre pressures and it can affect your braking, fuel efficiency and put you at higher risk of a flat tyre. Low tyre pressures can also lead to aquaplaning in the wet.

Likewise, worn tread is can be life-threatening in bad weather, robbing your tyres of the ability to expel water from beneath the contact patch.

Oil checks

Without a decent oil level, your engine isn’t going to work smoothly, and could cause costly problems. Click here to find out how to check your oil levels. If oil is low, it’s not too expensive to get your oil replaced by a mechanic, which saves you the mess of doing it yourself.

DAILY

Mirrors

Think back to when you were learning to drive, and your instructor directed you: “Mirrors? Check.” Your rear-view mirror is a given, but a range of factors can affect your side mirrors. Check them when you jump into the car and make sure they’re clean so you’re never driving blind.

The dreaded, paint-eating bird poop and tree sap

You’ve just paid to have your car washed and then parked under a tree. You return to see your vehicle is covered in that awful spotty crap. Sorry to tell you but you’ll need to wash it again, ASAP. Bird poo is quite acidic and can burn your paint, so we guarantee it’s cheaper and easier to wash it straight away – new paint jobs don’t come cheap.

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