This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. All opinions are 100% mine.
Nationwide provided me with information regarding its blog post.
1) Keep The Exterior Clean.
Clean the exterior of the vehicle on a regular basis. Washing and waxing the vehicle cleans all dirt, sand, and salt from the exterior which helps to protect the clear coat finish from the harsh weather conditions. A good tip to remember is to wax your vehicle at least 2 times a year. In the spring, to help protect against the excessive summer heat. In the winter, to act as protective barrier from the road salt that is used during snowstorms. It is always a good idea to clean the underbody of the vehicle if ever in mud and salt. Mud will hold on water which cases rust. Salt does the same, just on a faster scale.
2) Don’t Cheat Your Car to Save A Few Bucks.
When it comes to maintenance of your car, buy the best that you can afford. For a lot of people, a car is going to be one of the largest purchases that they will ever make. To pay a few extra dollars to upgrade your oil filter or your oil to a full synthetic brand, it will be worth it. Make sure you are checking to ensure that the products you plan to purchase are correct for your vehicles year, make, and model.
3) Keep Up with Required Maintenance.
They call it scheduled maintenance for a reason. If you don’t change the oil in your vehicle on or before the recommended maintenance, will it still run? Yes, it will, but for how long and at what performance level? My father-in-law always says “It is cheaper to change the oil and a filter, then it is to replace an engine. “You should also keep an eye on your other fluid levels, like your transmission, brake and coolant fluids, and change them in regular intervals (as your maintenance guide suggests). These fluids do not need to be changed as often as your oil, but will help keep your car at peak performance.
4) Let Your Vehicle’s Engine Warm Up
One thing that we forget to do…let the engine and the oil warm up. Now you don’t need to wait an excessive amount of time, it only takes about 30 second from the time you turn the key in the ignition. This will allow the oil to circulate through the engine. When the car is turned off, the oil will settle to the oil pan, leaving the pistons and other moving parts, that make your engine go, without the proper lubrication. This is even more important to do when the temperatures begin to drop, as it takes a little longer to warm up your engine.
5) Help Preserve that “New Car” Smell
Every time Becky and I have purchased and new/used car we really try to keep it as clean inside and out. Add 4 kids to the mix, and this is a challenge. Every week, we do a “family” clean out of our van. Everyone is responsible to make sure the area where they sit (since they all sit in the same seats) is cleaned out. After a few weeks of this you will see a huge improvement on how clean the inside of the car stays. Other ways to help are to purchase all weather floor mats, back seat organizers, a waterproof seat cover (I use one after football practices with Jack) and keep a cleaning kit to help clean any accidents when they happen. These tips will help eliminate odors before they start and will help keep that “new car” smell that we all love.
For more tips on keeping your vehicle at peak performance, check out the “5 Essential Tips on Making Your Car Last” article!
I love that you said how important it is to purchase the correct parts and maintenance instead of buying a cheaper option so you can save some money right then. My wife and I are giving our son our family vehicle soon and are trying to teach him why it is so important to keep up on the little maintenance so that he doesn’t have to pay for big repairs later. We will keep your article in mind as we make a plan to teach him good car habits.
Our oldest will be driving soon. I make sure he lends a hand no matter what we are doing to the car.