The idea of tuning and maintaining your car on your own can be intimidating. Fortunately, your trusted Covington Subaru dealership can do more than just offer you impressive car deals. They can also help you pick up good motorist habits with some basic tips on car care – even when you’re at home. Have these basic maintenance tasks in mind, and your ride will keep running like a dream.
Perform a Diagnostic Check
First off, make sure your car has enough clean oil. This can be checked using the dipstick in your engine, where levels of minimum and maximum oil are marked. If you’re low on oil, it’s time for a refill. Ensure that you purchase the recommended oil for your vehicle model, which should be outlined on the user manual.
Next, use a tire pressure gauge on the wheels. The appropriate level of inflation is usually found labelled onto the inside door of the driver’s side. Apart from tire pressure, keep an eye on the conditions of your tires. Check for worn treads, punctures, or warped portions, as these may indicate immediate replacement.
Another set of stats to check are your fluid levels. These include the brake fluid, transmission fluid, and coolant in your radiator. The manual will also show you diagrams as to where you can visually inspect these levels from your engine bay. Have the fluids replenished with the correct product so that you can always drive off worry-free.
Don’t fret if you encounter a technical problem. Your Subaru dealership in Covington can provide you with more details on how you can solve and prevent certain issues.
Car Wash Like the Experts
It can be possible to do a car wash without a hose or dumping out too much water. Popular Mechanics even recommends using just about three buckets to get the job done. It helps to start with the tires, which tend to be the dirtiest parts of the car. Work your way up, making sure to change the water and soap you use before going to the body of the car.
Remember to give your cleaning products a good read as well. Check the back labels to know if these are the correct types for your car. This goes for the soap, the tire cleaners, as well as the wax and polish that you will apply on your vehicle.
Disinfect and Protect
While you’re caring for the exterior of your vehicle, make it a point to mind the interiors as well. There is more to cleaning the insides of the car than just removing dirt and stains. Sometimes, vacuuming may not be enough to ensure that the area is germ-free. Disinfection of vehicles has now become a must for all households, but it doesn’t have to be a costly endeavor.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend using sanitizing wipes and sprays to clean commonly-touched areas. These places include the steering wheel, door handles, gear shift, and cup holders. For soft surfaces like carpets and seats, a mixture of alcohol and water will work, too. As always, make sure you use products for where they are intended.
Feel like an automotive maven yet? With these steps in mind, you can confidently start your week right by giving your car a home check-up. If you need a little more assistance in keeping your vehicle in its best shape, you can always turn to the experts. Check out Baldwin Subaru for more helpful tips.