While we all make New Year resolutions (or at least we intend to) we often forget about New Year resolutions for our cars. Its health levels and wellbeing are important too, right? A little care now will repay you in the future with lower running costs, better resale and reliability. Here are some top tips to make 2011 a good year for your vehicle.
Service Your Car
Have you been putting off getting your car serviced? Is a service overdue? Don’t delay any longer and book your car in for a service. This will ensure that your car is running at its optimum and any forseen problems attended to. It will ensure your log book is up to date which is a key thing buyers look at (when it comes time to sell).
Wash and Wax
Is your paintwork in need of some care? Is your duco dirty? The environment we drive in exposes our cars to lots of things that can deteriorate and cheapen your car. At the very least give your car a basic wash, but better still, give it a wax. It will keep your paintwork looking great for a lot longer.
Check The Tyres
One of the most neglected items of our cars is the tyres, yet they are one of the most important from a safety point of view. Don’t put the safety of yourself, your family and other road users in jeopardy – take a little time and ensure your tyres are adequate. Check the tread wear to ensure there is enough left for grip in all conditions. But also check the tyre pressure as an underinflated tyre can be dangerous and wear faster costing you money. Buy a tyre pressure gauge and regularly check tyre pressures yourself. What pressure to use depends on the type of tyre and driving conditions. Check the vehicle manual or ask a specialist as to what pressure you should use.
Fix It Up
Particularly if you are looking to sell your vehicle, make sure you fix all those minor dings etc. Replace light globes and patch up paint chips and scratches as apart from not looking too good it make be the start of rust. These problems will need to fixed to make your car road worthy.
Take a Long Drive
Cars like to be driven and they need a long drive now and then. Continual short trips are not good for the engine so take the car for a long drive now and then to give it a chance to open up and potentially clean out any carbon build ups in the motor.
Empty the Trunk
Most family cars end up with a degree of junk of some sort. It is costing you money in gas for the extra weight you are carrying around each time you drive somewhere. Periodically give your car a full clean out – you might be surprised and what you have accumulated.
Floormats – Use Them
To keep your carpet clean and dirt free invest in a set of floormats. You can pick some up pretty cheap or even make your own out of carpet offcuts. You will be thankful you did when it comes time to sell.
Check Your Wipers
Is your windscreen difficult to see out of when it is raining? Old wiper blades can streak and miss areas of the windscreen. It is cheap to replace your wiper blades and it will make a huge difference to your visibility next time it rains.
So as you can see, with a little effort you can transform your car into a much nicer, and a much safer vehicle. And you will also be rewarded when it comes time to sell.
