Buying a second-hand car is a good way to stretch your dollars. With the help of a reliable and trusted dealer, you can find a used vehicle that will still be able to serve you for a good number of years.
The challenge lies in maintaining the car to keep it in good condition for a longer time. Since it already has “been around,” so to speak, its parts and components may need a little bit more attention and care compared to a robust, brand-new car.
It’s good to invest in best maintenance practices because it will save you lots of money in the long run. Regular maintenance will prevent the car from breaking down due to premature damage, or from needing to consume too much fuel. It’s important to attend to the little things early before they turn into serious issues that not only affect the vehicle, but your safety as well.
Here is a list of preventive measures that will increase the life of your automobile.
1. Regular Check Ups
Keep a regular maintenance schedule to keep the car in proper shape. Tending to relatively small details will prevent bigger and more damaging wrecks in the future. The most important components are: brakes, oils, tires, fluids, windows, doors and keys. Regular check-ups of these components will ensure that if any of these parts are damaged, they can be repaired or replaced right away.
2. Tires
All the weight of the car is on the wheels, thus it is necessary to ensure that there is proper air pressure in the tires. The tires should be inflated up to the specified pressure given by the manufacturer of the car. Tires are also the parts most exposed to the road, in all weathers and conditions. Make sure the tires are replaced after a certain number of distance travelled. Tire changes should be recorded to provide accurate data on the next change.
3. Brakes
Brakes are important because it prevents you from rolling over a cliff or a bridge, or simply running over another person. Brakes are always used no matter what distance you travel. You use it from the freeway to inside your garage when parking. With overuse, brakes tend to wear down. This is one part of the car that should be always closely monitored. Even if there’s no issue, the brakes should be checked regularly and any part that shows even the slightest wear has to be removed and replaced.
4. Batteries
Batteries corrode over time and usage. They should be checked at least once a month so that they can be cleaned and repaired as needed. If there is a problem with the car and it’s draining the batteries faster than usual, then the specific item must be repaired or replaced right away. Otherwise, you will find yourself alone in a deserted road and no mechanic in site and your car unable to start due to dead batteries. And to think that you could have replaced the batteries had you checked them regularly.
5. Lights
When driving at night, the risks of road accidents double. Sometimes, lights are your only guide especially on deserted roads with no lighting. Your lights define the difference between arriving home safely and arriving in a wreck. So make sure all the lights in the vehicle are functioning well, especially the headlights. These should be pointed in the proper direction or you will have poor visibility when driving at night. Make sure the tail lights and signal lights are working well too, not just for your safety but for the safety of other motorists as well.