Car Care: Six Tips To Help Keep Your Car In Best Condition

There’s nothing more important to a proud car owner than keeping their beloved car in top condition – hood to bonnet. Cars are often treated like family members; they get names from their owners, are decorated for special events and even get special care through daily washes and routine servicing. While it’s true that a car is a machine, it still needs committed attention to perform its best. So, read on to know how you need to go beyond surface-level car care routines.

Follow Good Hygiene

For some people, eating and drinking in the car is a big no-no. It’s an understandable rule when you consider food crumbs could fall on the carpet, in between the seats and grooves etc. And since the car cabin is a closed environment, stale odours will remain if the windows are closed. Additionally, the smell of food could attract pests!

Of course, when you are travelling with kids or older people, you might have to bend this rule. To maintain cleanliness, try to ensure all eating and drinking (except for water) is done outside the car or during a pit stop. If you must eat while on the road, set aside a bag and insist that everyone dispose of wrappers and other garbage only in that bag. Also, keep tissues or wet wipes handy so that sticky fingers and spills don’t make a bigger mess. Cars like the Ford EcoSport have several smart compartments (in the front and rear) that can be used to store trash bags and tissues/ sanitisers etc., making them easier to access.

Additionally, make sure you clean the car thoroughly after your trip. You can use a simple short-handled brush and dustpan to sweep out crumbs from the carpets and seats and a damp towel to wipe spills and stains.

Check AC & Heater

A malfunctioning AC or heater can be an issue that brings with it big repercussions. If you fail to check and repair a malfunctioning air conditioner for too long, it will lose its cooling power and eventually get further damaged. It could cause the compressor to overheat or get burnt out, thus resulting in higher expenses to get it repaired. So, remember, regardless of the season or temperature, ensure your car’s HVAC system is always in the best condition to ensure your comfort.

Don’t Ignore Dim or Faulty Headlights

Driving at night with faulty or dim headlamps is extremely risky. So, if your headlamps are not working the way that they should be, don’t delay in getting them checked. Sometimes, a weak battery can manifest dim or flickering lamps or lights inside the car. Attending to this as soon as possible is essential to ensure your safety on every drive.

Align Your Wheels

If your car tends to drift to one side, either while accelerating, braking, or when you hit a bump, then you’ve probably got a misaligned wheel. Not only is this bad for safety, but it could also wear the tyres out unevenly. To correct this, it is best to visit a service centre and get the tyres balanced and eliminate any vibrations from the wheels. Also, remember to keep the correct tyre pressure when driving. These simple practices can help your tyres last longer.

Tyre maintenance is much easier if you drive a Ford car and use the FordPass mobile app. This is because the app can send you alerts on tyre rotation. And if you drive a Ford Endeavour, the app will even let you check your car’s tyre pressure sitting at home. It also offers a whole load of other information about your car, such as oil life, vehicle health, service history and maintenance schedules, warranty details, and more.

Check Suspension Health

Your car’s suspension is critical because it keeps your tyre in contact with the road, giving you the best grip and therefore the best safety. If the suspension starts to make strange creaking or clicking noises, it needs attention. Preventive maintenance is the name of the game here, so getting your car serviced on time is a must. Your owner’s manual will show you at what point your suspension will need attention, and for what things.

To make car servicing easy for you, we offer home pickup and drop with Dial-A-Ford. Call 1-800-419-3000 and schedule a service appointment. And if you own a Ford Figo, Ford Freestyle or Ford Endeavour, you’ll be happy to know that these cars have the most affordable maintenance cost in their respective segments.

Attend To Scratches & Dents

Repairing dents and scratches is an important part of proper car maintenance. A scratch on the side or dent in the bumper might not seem like a big deal. However, not attending to a scratch can cause more damage to your car’s paint. Similarly, ignoring dents can result in the forming of rust, which could spread and further damage your car. Additionally, scratches and dents make your car look unkempt and expose the metal to harsh environment and outside substances. All of this can reduce the value of your car when you choose to sell it. So, make sure you get these fixed as soon as you can.

When you think about how often you use your car and how much time you spend in it, making every effort to keep it in the best condition is necessary. Following the above-mentioned tips is not hard; all you need is to pay careful attention to the signs displayed by your car.