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10 daily checks for ultimate vehicle maintenance

Jul. 30, 2018, 03:05 am.

It takes you and your family to and from work and school, it allows you to rush to a hospital when you need to, it brings you to all the places you need to get to – when you need to. It is the most useful money making tool for SMEs and any sales or marketing related business.

Just like your teeth you should clean and examine your car every day. Most drivers know that their car needs some basic care but for new drivers and for those that forget because their mornings and evenings involve: getting food ready and water hot, getting many different peoples items of clothing ready and avoiding traffic jams – these tips are especially for you. Here are 10 daily checks you can do to ensure that your car stays in good running condition.

Car maintenance

^{Woman filing tyre with air | Source: State Farm}

Daily car checklist

Quick visual check

1) Look under the car are there any spills or leaks of any kind?

2) Look at the body, any spots that look rusty or dented or scratched?

3) Wash it regularly! This means that you keep the body in good condition and makes you know your car better.

4) Check your registration and safety sticker or any other passes that your vehicle needs, are they all current?

5) Look at the tires – is the treading still okay or has the tire gone smooth? We advise that you invest in a pressure gauge to ensure that pressure is at a safe level too much or too little pressure can be the difference between life and death.

Bald Tire

^{An image of bald tires above | Source: The Travelling Sales Woman}

Fluids

6) Oil – you check your oil by using the dipstick that is provided. The dipstick will always have a gradient marked to show where the oil level should be. Make sure that the level is where it should be. Is the oil the correct colour? Check the lid – is there any leaking, any deposits on the lid?

^{The correct level is between the two lines indicated but closer to the 100% marke | Source: Beach YUK}

7) Radiator – check the colour, the level and the consistency. When refilling make sure you have the correct solution.

8) Brake – ensure that your levels are correct

9) Transmission – ensure that you have correct levels

10) Wipers – make sure that there is adequate water in it and if possible invest in wiper solution to keep your wiper blades in good condition longer.

There is nothing more embarrassing than a flashy car being pushed off a road and nothing more frustrating for someone in charge of a fleet than when a vehicle that is less than two years old keeps having to go into a workshop for service. If you also observe the below weekly checklist, your vehicle will maintain its top running condition.

Weekly Checklist

1. Air Filter check

Your cars lungs need to be clean in order for your car to function well. Make sure that the air filter is the correct colour, if it is overly grimy and tired looking make sure you replace it.

2. Electronics

a) Lights – are all the indicators and lights working

b) Horn – does the horn work and is it loud enough?

3. You should also store the following basic equipment in your car booth in case of emergency:

a) Jumper lead

b) Jack

c) Shifter

d) Backup for fluids (extra oil, transmission, coolant, brake fluid)

e) One empty 1L container & a funnel (or an empty 500ml coke top cut off)

f) 1L of water in a container
g) Flashlight

It's always good practice to pay attention and listen or feel. If you hear unusual sounds, or feel something irregular when you brake, change gear or turn your steering wheel – take it to a workshop or a trustworthy mechanic. It should be noted that taking your vehicle to a trusted (and insured) workshop for the scheduled service is vital for keeping your vehicle running efficiently for a longer time and this also means that you will spend less time and money on repairing your vehicle.

Keep your car clean and make it your habit to do a daily check to ensure the smooth running of your vehicle. For more information on how to maintain your vehicle you can Subscribe to our newsletter. If you would like to know how to go about insuring your vehicle you can Click Here or if you would like to see a full range of the vehicles available on Markemeri.com you can Click Here.