Car maintenance tips for beginners

You have just got your first car and you are over the moon. You cannot wait to take it for a long drive and enjoy the convenience of having your own vehicle. Congratulations! What you must remember, however, is that your car is only as good as you take care of it. If you look after your car, it will be the best servant. If you abandon it, best believe it will frustrate you and become the worst master you have ever encountered. After a house, a car is to most people the biggest asset they own. Treating it with care will ward off all those annoying mechanical problems that keep cropping up and it will serve you for a longer time.

Get it serviced frequently

If you do not want your car to end up as a clunker and break down every now and again, get it serviced frequently. This way, those small problems can be arrested before they get out of hand. You don’t want to cough up huge amounts of money to buy new parts, do you? While you might be in a position to do some of the maintenance yourself, some problems need a professional eye to locate and a professional hand to fix.

Keep it covered

Your car might look all new and shiny now, but that will hardly be the case after you leave it exposed in the sun for hours on end. A car cover will protect your car’s paintwork from chipping and deteriorating due to the effects of UV rays. An outdoor car cover will also protect it from the rain, which might in turn cause rusting and substantially reduce the appeal of your car. Water from the rain has the tendency to seep into the car’s interior and damage seats, on top of corroding the metal parts.

If you leave near the sea, the sea air can really do a number on your car’s exterior. You may want to keep it exposed only when you really have to. Bird droppings are yet another universal pet peeve that destroys your paintwork. A car cover will keep droppings, fallen leaves, sand and all sorts of windblown junk from damaging your car.

A better idea would be to park in a garage because leaving it outside can also be risky. Carjackers and petty thieves who steal radios and side mirrors grow smarter and faster by the day. Even if you do have a garage, take care that your car is not squeezed in between items that it might bump into. An indoor car cover would, therefore, be ideal in this case for assured protection.

Don’t drink and drive

For something that is a no-brainer, it is surprising how many cars get damaged on a daily basis because their owner ran into or over something while driving under influence. Even when tipsy, do not drive. Take a taxi instead or have someone else drive. Car repairs are expensive and your car just needs one good accident to develop a lifetime of problems.

Keep your car clean

Make a point to always clean your car, and if you cannot do it by yourself, there are more than enough deep car cleaning services you can use. Start by not throwing things carelessly in your car. Getting into a dirty car first thing in the morning can remarkably dull your day. Do not let your car seats be covered in half-eaten snacks, spilled coffee, grease and all sort of trash. This way, cleaning it by yourself will be much easier.

When you let dust and dirt accumulate in your car, it gets into the seats and interior parts of the car and can be a real workout to clean out. Do not let your car remain dirty for too long. Remember, a car cover also goes a long way in keeping your car clean and preventing dust from getting into your car. If you are going to leave your car parked for a long time, best bring a cover with you.

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