Tire Maintenance Woman Checking Car Tire Pressure Using Gauge

4 Simple Tire Maintenance Tips All Drivers Should Know

March 17, 2018April 27, 2024 in Blog, Car Tips, Maintenance, Uncategorizedby Chris

The tires on your vehicle are critical to its safety as well as its performance. All drivers should know simple tire maintenance. Doing so will keep your tires functioning at their best and will also make them last longer. It will significantly lessen your chances of getting flat tires, skidding, and other tire emergencies.

⇒ Check The Tread On Your Tires

One of the most important steps you should know for tire maintenance involves checking the tread on them. Tread helps the tires grip the road. It can be incredibly important during inclement weather. It prevents the car from skidding and sliding on wet or icy roadways.

To check the tread on your tires, you can insert a upside down quarter into the tire grooves. If you can see George Washington’s head, the tread on the tire is too low, meaning that you will need to replace the tire soon. If you cannot see Washington’s head, the tread is sufficient for safe driving.

You should check the tread on your tires every month or before you embark on a long car journey. This preventative tire maintenance tip can help you avoid being in an accident or not being able to control the car in bad weather.

⇒ Check Your Tire Pressure

You should also check the pressure in all four tires at least once a month or before you take a long road trip. The tires should have the required weight of air in them. You can find the amount recommended for the tires on your car by looking on the inside of your car door or in your car owner’s manual.

You should check the tire pressure first thing in the morning when the air inside of the tires is stable and cool. Maintaining the right amount of air in the tires is critical for being able to control the car on wet surfaces. Proper air pressure helps the tires grip the road and prevents the car from slipping and sliding on slick roads.

⇒ Rotate Your Tires

Another preventative tire maintenance tip to keep in mind when you want to take the best care of your tires involves having them rotated on a regular basis. Ideally, you should have the tires rotated every 5000 to 7000 miles. Rotating the tires helps all four of them wear at the same pace.

Further, when you buy new tires, you should have them placed on the back axles rather than on the front. Putting new tires on the back axles makes the car easier to handle in all types of road conditions. It also reduces the likelihood of the rear part of the car losing traction and spinning out of control when you are driving on slick road surfaces.

⇒ Balance & Align Your Tires

Finally another tire maintenance tip , you should have your tire balanced and aligned on a regular basis. Balancing and aligning the tires prevents them from wearing out too quickly. It also prevents the car from pulling to one side while you are driving it.

Many people schedule their tire balancing and alignment at the same time as their oil changes. You should ideally have the tires balanced and aligned every 3000 to 9000 miles or whenever you buy new tires for your vehicle.

The tires on your car can last longer and perform better when you take care of them. Simple tire maintenance does not require a lot of money or effort. Simple measures like checking the tread and tire pressure can go a long way in maintaining the tires properly and ensuring that your car is safe to drive at all times.

Six Simple Steps to Keep That Old Car Looking Like New

October 5, 2017April 27, 2024 in Blog, Car Tipsby Chris

For most people, their vehicle is one of the most important possessions that they own. Without a vehicle, many people would be unable to make it to work or ferry the kids around to and from school, sports and other activities. Unfortunately, many people simply don’t have the money to replace their old car should it break down or begin looking old and outdated. For this reason, we’ll now take a look at some simple steps that you can use to help ensure that your older vehicle continues running and looking like new.

Keep It Clean Inside and Out

One of the biggest keys to keeping your old car looking like new is to make sure it stays clean both inside and out. This means regularly washing and waxing the exterior and also fully detailing the interior. Shampooing the carpets and cleaning and treating the seats, dashboard and other interior elements should help to prevent stains and damage. Furthermore, keeping your vehicle clean can also help ensure the interior smells nice in addition to looking good.

Repair Any Exterior Damage

Small dents, cracks and chips in the paint may not seem like that big of a problem at first. Unfortunately, these minor cosmetic issues could potentially turn into a much more serious problem if left unchecked. If you don’t make sure to touch up the paint job or repair any minor cosmetic damage, it could potentially allow rust and corrosion to begin to eat away at the paint and the body. Luckily, most minor cosmetic damage can be repaired fairly easily, and by doing so, you should be able to ensure that the exterior is free from rust and other issues.

Focus on Routine Maintenance

Everyone knows about the importance of regularly changing your oil, but there is a lot more that goes into keeping an old car running well than simply getting an oil change. Making sure your tires are properly inflated and having them balanced and rotated can help to prevent numerous potential issues. Similarly, you will also want to keep the wheel bearings properly greased and maintained and also ensure that your brake pads, drums and rotors are in good condition.

In most cases, it is best to simply take your care into your favorite repair shop at least once a year to undergo a full inspection and perform any necessary maintenance tasks. Being diligent about maintenance will not only help ensure your car continues to run smoothly, but it can also potentially prevent more serious issues that could otherwise set you back some serious cash.

Remember to Flush Your Fluids

Oil is far from the only important fluid in your vehicle. Brake fluid, transmission fluid, engine coolant and differential oil are all things that you’ll also need to think about occasionally. Flushing these fluids is a good way to ensure that the fluid is clean and free from debris, which can help to prevent damage and problems from arising. Therefore, it is important to follow your manufacturer’s recommendations and make sure to change or flush all of the vehicle’s fluids as needed.

Watch Out for the Damaging Effects of Sunlight

Nothing can harm the interior or exterior of a vehicle quicker than sunlight. If you constantly leave your car parked directly in the sun, the result can be that the sun’s UV rays will start to make the exterior paint begin to dull, fade and discolor. Similarly, sunlight can also wreak havoc on the interior of your vehicle. UV rays can easily begin to damage the dashboard or cause your carpets and seats to fade or discolor.

Therefore, it is always best to park the vehicle indoors whenever possible, or at the very least, attempt to park it somewhere shady if you do need to leave it outside. As well, you should also consider using a sunshade to help shield the interior of your vehicle from harmful UV rays whenever you do have to park it in the sun.

A Little Upgrade on an Old Car Can Go a Long Way

If the exterior of your old car is beginning to look old and faded, taking it in for a new paint job is a quick and easy way to instantly spruce up its appearance and make it look newer. Of course, there are also even easier steps you can take to improve the look of your car’s interior. Spending a few bucks on a new steering wheel cover or using a dashboard cover or seat covers can help to hide damage and make the interior feel shiny and new no matter how old the car actually is.

No matter what you do, there is no way to ever fully prevent damage to your vehicle or mechanical issues from arising. However, by being diligent and making sure to follow these simple steps, you should at least give yourself a better chance of keeping your older car around for years to come. As long as you make sure to focus on routine maintenance and keep your car clean and well-cared for, there is absolutely no reason why your older car can’t continue to look and perform like new.

Routine Maintenance