Simple Steps to Keep Your Used Car Running Like New
Cars are a significant investment, so it makes sense to want our cars to last us a long time, and to continue operating at peak performance for as long as possible. To maximise the lifespan of your used car, read on for a simple guide to maintenance steps you can take to keep your car running like new.
Whilst we always hope for smooth travels and can do a lot of checks ourselves to keep our cars healthy, it’s wise to be prepared for any eventuality. Vehicle parts can fail, so having an used car warranty in place will give you the peace of mind you need.
Maintain the Battery
Cars need to be used and driven regularly to keep the battery charged. If you do not use your car for long periods of time, the battery will degrade and ultimately go flat. To avoid this happening, drive your car regularly to keep charge in the battery or, if you are not able to guarantee this, use a trickle charger to keep the battery topped up whilst it is left unused for an extended period. A battery conditioner can also be used if your car battery appears to struggle with holding charge.
If the worst happens and your battery runs flat, learn to use jump leads to jump start your car. However, avoid doing this regularly, as it can put additional strain on your battery and could damage the engine or other electrical components of your car.
Drive Smoothly
What’s known as mechanical sympathy should be practiced each time you drive your car. Avoid slamming on the breaks, riding the clutch, or accelerating too harshly. Use the controls of your car appropriately and gain an understanding of how it all works. This will help to reduce component wear, as well as helping your fuel go further, since using your car harshly and changing speed abruptly is harsher on your fuel tank.
Replace Your Spark Plugs and Leads
Whilst you can ask your garage to replace your spark plugs and high tension leads, this is a straightforward job that you can do at home to optimise your engine’s performance on the road. Your vehicle handbook can help to guide you through the process and inform you of your service schedule, as this will be important to stick to.
Poor condition spark plugs can indicate wear over time and will need replacing. Your spark plugs should have a light brown electrode and insulator, no signs of melting, and no signs of wear or deposits. Relatively new spark plugs can indicate an under-performing engine and leads with cracks should be replaced, ideally at a garage.
Top Up Fluids Regularly
Under the bonnet, you’ll find your screen wash tank, typically marked by a large blue plastic cap with a windscreen symbol on top. Keeping on top of your screen wash regularly is simple and very important to ensure you are always able to clean your windscreen in the event of a visual obstruction obscuring your vision. You can opt for screen wash concentrate that you mix yourself or a ready-to-use formula; this is more user-friendly, but also a more expensive option.
Check Your Tyres
Driving over rough or sharp objects hiding on the road can damage your tyres. Tyres with splits, bulges, or tears can be extremely dangerous to drive with. Regularly check your tyres for any abnormalities and replace your tyres when the tread wears low to avoid these risks.
Maintaining a safe tread depth on your tyres of at least 1.6mm, or 3mm in winter, is critical to retain good traction and grip on your tyres. Without a good tread on your tyres, your car could struggle to break and your risk of aquaplaning increases hugely.