If you had an old car while growing up, your parents most likely took charge of maintaining it. If they didn’t, they at least made a point of reminding you when it was time to rotate the tires or take it to the repair shop for servicing. However, you’re on your own now, and it’s your responsibility to maintain your new car. Yes, it may be quite expensive and time-consuming, but being ahead of your maintenance will save you from spending much more money down the road.
Your car is like a toddler. If you don’t wash it, it won’t clean itself. If you don’t change the oil or check the tire pressure, no one will.
It’s essential to go to the shops and have a professional work on your car every once in a while. However, here are five car repair and maintenance tasks you can, and should, do yourself.
1. Replacing Your Wiper Blades
You’ll be able to tell immediately if your blades need replacing. Press your washer button and check to see whether your wiper blades wipe clean. If they leave a streak, they’re done for.
Your car repair shop likely stocks up on economy blades, but it would be a good idea to go for a name brand instead. (Bosch, Trico, ANCO) They might cost a little bit more than economy blades but have higher-quality rubber. This means they wipe better, have better UV protection and last longer.
2. Replacing Non-Headlight Bulbs
You can have your mechanic or dealer take care of this problem when they work on your car, but it’s also something you can fix yourself. Accessing burned out license plate, fog light and side marker bulbs is easy; just remove the screws and pull off the lens.
When handling the new bulbs, remember to wear gloves or use a paper towel. This way, your skin oils won’t be deposited on the thin glass. Push the bulb into its socket until it clicks, then put the lens back on. You’re all done!
3. Touching Up Chipped Paint
You ought to be able to pull off low-level maintenance work on your car. If you take each small mishap to the shop, you may end up spending much more than you should on your vehicle. For example, if the body has a chip in its paintwork, you can step in and touch it up yourself. Failing to cover paint chips could cause them to rust, making it an even bigger problem.
Clean the chipped part with wax and grease remover then allow it to dry. Afterwards, dip a fine tip paint applicator into your paint and dab it onto the chip. Let it dry and apply wax after 25-30 days. There- problem solved!
4. Cleaning Your Car
It doesn’t cost much to have your car washed at a shop, but sometimes it’s best to do it yourself. You are the best-suited person to clean and work on your car since you understand how you use it.
Take time on a weekend to vacuum your car, and make sure you do it like you mean it. Slide the driver and passenger seats all the way forward and clean up all the rubbish beneath them. You’ll be shocked by what you find!
If you have a carpet cleaning machine, you can even clean up your car mats and seat upholstery.
Buying your first vehicle has got to be a big step in your life. However, if you’re not responsible, that car may end up costing you lots of cash in repairs. This is why it’s essential to work on your car.
Car care consists of such tasks as checking tire pressure, changing oil, covering up chips in the paintwork and cleaning your car, and will ensure that it ages well and remains in the condition it was when you bought it.
