Are you a car owner? Are you looking to buy a new car? Are you annoyed of hefty bills whenever you visit your car service centre? Is your car maintenance hindering your monthly budget? If you are looking for answers to the above mentioned questions, then this article is for you. Maintaining your new or old cars is a bit task and you need to have some tricks in order to get rid of hefty bills you are currently facing. After all, your car is a machine and as the time passes by, machines require oiling, filtering and a look at other maintaining aspects from time to time. If proper care of the car is done, then, no matter how old your car is, it wouldn’t give you high bills. Servicing of new cars doesn’t cost much, but if at the age of the car increases, the bills of service tend to increase. This increase of servicing bills could be avoided by taking proper and regular care of your vehicle. Car caring helps you save money and who doesn’t want to save them so have a look at the below mentioned tips and tricks which could help you in saving several precious dollars next time you visit the service station:
Keep a check on the service manual
The car service manual is the most important guide or book you can say that can help you save a lot of money. This manual is designed by professionals who built the car for users to keep the car in good condition as the time goes on. The manual shows:
When is the right time to get your car serviced and how often it should be done? When your car requires an oil change, filter replacements, braking oil change and much more.
What is the age of the parts assembled in your car, after how much time they might need a replacement?
All of these can be done with the help of manual and acting wisely ahead of your car service. And don’t get trapped in the alluring offers and advice that some dealerships and private servicing stations provide you. Always refer to the car’s service manual for the same.
Wiping your wiper blades
The general tendency of people is to rush to the nearest service station to replace their blades whenever they streak through the glass. It is probably not the case every time, they might just require a proper cleansing with a clean cloth or paper towel sometimes. After cleaning them, ensure they are completely dry before you set them back.
Cleaning the car seats
Often our car seats get hit with coffee or drink’s stains which are hard to remove by you. Getting it clean from a service station can cost you dollars. Here is a little trick to get it clean in just a couple of minute’s time. Try out mixing a tablespoon of vinegar in a litre of water and rub the stain with a clean paper towel. Then, apply half teaspoon of vinegar to it and leave it for 15-20 minutes. Once it’s done, wipe the seat with warm water and you’ll see the magic.
Timing belt replacement
It’s one of the important parts in a car’s engine. It is basically a timing belt or you can say toothed belt, which is used to move the shafts in the internal combustion engine. Refer the manual for its replacement, which varies from car to car, generally it’s required at around 70,000 to 80,000 miles. Replacement cost is on higher side, but it is recommended to change it after a certain amount of time as mentioned in the manual because it may damage the engine severely if not changed when recommended.
Care for your car’s tires
Keep a check on the tire pressure of your car and pump it on a regular basis with recommended air. It keeps tires last longer, and helps in yielding better fuel efficiency. Also gives you a safe driving experience on long routes. Tires with low air pressure or in bad condition are dangerous as they could blow on busy roads and in poor weather conditions. Go for a regular wheel alignment to increase the life of the tires because unaligned tires wear out faster and require a replacement.
Don’t wash your car in the heat
Avoid washing your car on extreme sunny days or under direct sunlight as it leaves spots on the car and a soapy residue. Always try to wash your car under shade or shelter or on partly cloudy days.