Your car is not bulletproof. It’s not going to last forever. It needs your love and attention. This means conducting car maintenance on a regular basis, and it means doing it correctly. Unfortunately, a lot of people think they are looking after their car when they are doing the exact opposite. So, let’s take a look at some of the most common car maintenance mistakes being made so that you can avoid them or stop making them and protect the longevity of your vehicle.
- Not checking your car regularly enough – There is only one place to begin, and this is with failing to check your car on a regular basis. If you don’t check your vehicle frequently, you are going to miss any warnings signs that there are problems with your car. By picking up on issues quickly, you can take your car to an auto repair shop and get the problem dealt with straight away. Failure to do this could mean that you have a very expensive repair on your hands, as the issue has been allowed to manifest.
- Cleaning your rear windshield with a home glass cleaner – This probably doesn’t seem like an issue. After all, you are cleaning glass with glass. However, it is a big mistake. This is because of the ammonia present in most home glass cleaners. This will break down the heating elements in your rear windshield over time. This is why you should shop for a specialist cleaner that has been designed specifically for automotive glass.
- Servicing your own vehicle without proper know-how – This can be tempting, as it is a way to save money. But, if you don’t know what you’re doing, you’re running a very serious risk of causing further problems to your car. This may save you money initially, but it could cost you an absolute fortune in the end.
- Purchasing car parts from suppliers that are not reputable – When buying any car parts, whether it is a spare car part or it is a performance part, such as a performance cold air intake filter, you need to make sure that you purchase from a reputable and reliable provider. Anyone can sell car parts nowadays, and there are companies set up from all over the world. This is why it is imperative to do your due diligence. Take the time to make sure that the company you buy car parts from is reputable and has a great reputation in the industry. After all, the last thing you want is to end up purchasing a car part that is not what it seems and ends up making your vehicle a lot worse. This could result in you having a very expensive problem on your hands.
- Neglecting to get a wheel alignment – This is one of the easiest mistakes to make because you can drive for a long time without rotating your tires or getting an alignment. Real issues can arise if your wheels are misaligned, though, so this is a really important part of your maintenance schedule. You should have the alignment of your vehicle checked, and it is a good idea to rotate your tires every 5,000 – 8,000 miles too.
- Not using filters as recommended – Last but not least, you need to clean your filters for your car as often as possible for them to work to the highest standard. If you don’t clean your filters, dirt particles and other contaminants are going to enter your car’s air conditioning, engine, and fuel systems. This can cause a huge range of issues, which can ultimately result in your system components wearing out or your engine seizing altogether.
Final words on some of the car maintenance mishaps you need to avoid
If you avoid the errors that have been mentioned above, you can protect the safety and the longevity of your vehicle. After all, car maintenance is vital, but carrying it out correctly is even more important. You are only going to end up with more problems and greater expense on your hands if you try to maintain your vehicle without the required information. The good news is that there are some great guides and advice articles online for situations like this. Nevertheless, if you ever have an issue, and you feel like you’re not 100 percent sure about what to do next, you always need to make sure that you seek professional help and guidance. If you don’t, it is only going to make the problem a lot worse.
