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Car Care Basics

8 March 2018 by Herman Mills

Experiencing automotive problems is a serious problem that can be expensive to repair and put you in dangerous situations. This makes being able to effectively care for your car an important skill to learn. While this may not seem like it will be a difficult task, there are some basic guidelines that are often overlooked when it comes to essential vehicle maintenance.

Allow The Engine A Few Minutes To Warm Up During The Winter

During the winter months, your car can become extremely cold during the overnight hours. In the morning when you need to start the car, you may want to let the engine run for several minutes prior to driving the vehicle. When the engine is particularly cold, the oil and other vital fluids in it can become too thick to easily flow through it. This can have the effect of compromising the performance of the engine while increasing the wear and tear that it experiences. By allowing the engine to warm up for several minutes before attempting to drive it, you can warm up these fluids so that they will be more easily pumped throughout the engine.

Care For Your Tires

It is easy to focus most of your attention on the mechanical maintenance that the vehicle requires. Many car owners will simply fail to care for the tires of the vehicle. Considering the stresses and wear that the tires will experience, it is important to make sure that they are maintained to keep the vehicle functioning smoothly and safely. Luckily, tire care is not a particularly demanding aspect of vehicle maintenance. With each oil change, you should have the tires rotated and balanced. Also, you should have the treads inspected to ensure that they are not too worn. Failing to take these steps to protect your tires can put the vehicle at a much greater risk of suffering a blowout, which could potentially be extremely dangerous to anyone in or near the car.

Be Mindful Of Any Engine Additives That You Use

There are many different engine additives that are marketed as improving the performance of automobiles. While some of these additives can be extremely effective, it is important to be very careful when using these substances. If you use an additive that is not compatible with your vehicle, it could contribute to sizable amounts of residue and gunk accumulating in the engine, which could impede performance and even damage it. Prior to using an engine additive, you should check with your mechanic to make sure that it will be compatible with your engine.

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