A car doesn’t have to be expensive to be nice; all it needs is a driver that knows how to take care of it properly. Most people just stop at getting the car serviced regularly, but there are some additional things you should do to take good care of your car. Now some cars may require a little more TLC, but others may be less high-maintenance. Generally this quick list should help.
Tires
Well-inflated tires make all the difference; under-inflated tires can reduce the tire life by 15 percent and will slightly decrease your gas mileage, perhaps by 10 percent. Checking your tire pressure every other time you get fuel will reduce tire wear and keep your car going for longer. Goodyear recommends changing tires every 3,000 to 6,000 miles, but you should check your owner’s manual to see if it suggests a different number. If you’re not sure how far 3,000 to 6,000 miles is, just change them every six months to be on the safe side. Some tire companies offer free rotations every 6,000 miles for the life of the tires when you buy their products.
Oil
Taking care of your car means giving it a basic car maintenance, like changing the oil every 3,000 to 5,000 miles, but are you sure you’re using the best oil? Perhaps you’ve heard a bit about synthetic oil in some drivers’ conversations, but you still might not know what is synthetic oil or whether it’s the best oil for your car. Synthetics have some significant advantages over conventional oil; they flow better in cold weather, making engine starts easier and offering better protection. They are also slicker than conventional oil, and therefore allow for smoother, cooler engine operation. That means more horsepower and better gas mileage. However, some older cars don’t perform well with synthetic oil, so it’s worth experimenting to find what works.
Sun protection
If your car has lost some of its luster and shine, you can blame one thing for this; the sun. Sunlight will eat away paint and leave your car vulnerable to rust. If you can’t keep it in a garage, then use a cover to keep it out of the sun. You can also protect your car by investing in some car window tinting, which will shield your car’s skin and interiors from UV rays, thus reducing sun damage and premature aging, and keeping you car gleaming.
Interiors
When people want to brush up their interiors they often pay to upgrade the seats; some go for a chic leather look, others combine it with fabric for comfort. However, if you want the car to look brand new you also need to upgrade the carpets. New carpets don’t just look nicer, they’re free from dust, dirt, dead skin, and other things you never considered might be in your car. If you still have some money left over, why not give the car a modern stereo with Bluetooth and smartphone connections, and digital radio.
