Nine tips to ensure your car need not visit the mechanic often…

Owning a car is no longer a matter of luxury for people, especially in the Middle East. Without a vehicle, getting from point A to B can be an excruciating affair.

While buying a car is easy, maintaining it is the tougher part. But if you are a little careful, you can protect your car from long-term damage to its parts. It will in turn reduce maintenance charges. Here are a few tips that may help you protect your car’s moving parts.

Do not start the car with the AC or Stereo on

The starter motor takes a lot of energy from the battery to start the car. Keeping the AC/stereo on while starting will only add to the battery’s load. This will cause the battery to die faster than it should in the long run.

Do not drive fast with a cold engine

Starting to push your car to high speeds soon after starting the engine, especially during winters, is a big no-no. Ideally you should start your car and put it in idle for up to a minute before moving. This is because when the car has been parked for a while, all oils (engine/transmission/brake) are cold. It takes time for the oil to circulate and come up to temperature. Accelerating hard immediately means the engine works extra, with minimum lubrication, which can only mean excessive wear & tear.

Do not be lazy when it comes to regular maintenance

Car manufacturers have a reason for having service schedules. When a car is designed, lots of research goes into the life of parts being used. And a service schedule is drawn up. Hence, delay in servicing could lead to excessive wear and tear. It is always advisable to change engine oil and filters at regular intervals.

Do not ignore warning lamps on the dashboard

When you’re driving, an error lamp on the dashboard goes on. What should you do? Our advice is to immediately pull up, get the owner’s manual and check what it means. It could be as simple as a faulty bulb or as serious as no oil in the engine. Do not ignore the warning lamps. They are there for a reason.

Do not fall for the thrill of jerky driving

It’s a common fad to accelerate as soon as the lights turns green and wait for the last possible moment to brake in order to maximize speed quotient and thrill. Be warned, this is going to kill your car’s engine, transmission and other components in the long run.

Do not pressure wash the engine

I have been guilty of doing this. It may seem like a good idea to pressure wash your engine to keep it spic and span, but there are a lot of sensitive components in the engine that can get exposed and damaged. It is highly unadvisable.

Do not go easy on tyre maintenance

Most people ignore the car’s tyres for long periods of time. While many don’t bother to check tyres regularly, others are happy to drive on as long as the car’s moving. Remember, it could prove deadly. Bald tyres generate more friction and hence heat. It could lead to blown tyres over longer distances. It can also cause your car to skid if there is water on the road.

Do not engage reverse gear in a moving automatic car

This advice is especially important, as a majority of cars in Qatar are automatics. Engaging reverse gear while your car is still moving forward will put a lot of stress on your transmission and accelerate wear and tear on it.

Each transmission has gears inside it. When you shift from reverse to drive, the direction of rotation of gears is reversed. When you do it with the car in motion, it’ll make the gears act as a brake. It’s going to cause massive damage to the drive shaft.

Do not ignore funny noises from your car

If your car is making funny noises, it’s better to listen to your car. While it may not be a life threatening issue, it could have the potential to build up to be one. Get it checked.

Courtesy: cartoq.com