Taking care of the family car
The modern Australian family is more dependent on their family car than ever. While many Aussies are turning to public transport for commuting purposes, when it comes to getting the family from Point A to B, a reliable family car is often a must.
Like all vehicles, your family car needs to be properly maintained to ensure it is in excellent working condition. This isn’t just a legal necessity, it’s also important for ensuring the safety of your family. The last thing you want is to put your loved ones in a compromised position or to find your family stranded halfway through a road trip.
To help you, here are the five top tips you need to know to get better at maintaining your family car.
5 tips to help you maintain your family car
Tip 1 – Book regular maintenance
Prevention is better than cure – this little nugget of wisdom is true for medicine and it’s true for cars. Regular maintenance by properly trained and skilled mechanics will ensure that standard items, think oil changes and fluid top ups, are done on schedule, and then any functional or safety issues can be addressed before they become problematic. Plus, it’s always a help on the family budget to pay a couple of hundred dollars today rather than potentially thousands rectifying an issue down the line.
Tip 2 – Invest in the right tools
If you’re intending on maintaining your family car yourself and at home in between professional services–and we highly recommend you do–make sure you invest in the right tools to help you on the job. From socket wrenches to a pistol grip grease gun, making sure you’re stocked with the right equipment will help save you time, effort and prevent you from mistakenly breaking something.
Tip 3 – Air filters needs to be replaced regularly
It’s not the part of your car that you’re likely to think about regularly but it is one that you’re likely to use regularly! Air filters ensure that the quality of air being pushed around and inside your family car is clean and breathable. You don’t want your family breathing in unfiltered or badly filtered air, do you? Air filters are designed to pick up dirt and particles from the air, so you can imagine how filthy they get. In addition to the air filter in your glove compartment–the one that you’ll know needs cleaning when the air begins to smell musty and gross–there’s also one beneath the hood of the car. This one keeps your motor, engine and other parts clean as well and also needs to be changed regularly. Replacing the air filters is a simple job but one that shouldn’t be underestimated in terms of importance.
Tip 4 – Keep visibility up to scratch
When it comes to visibility you need to consider two different aspects of maintaining the family car.
Windscreen wipers
Your windscreen wipers are important for allowing you to see where you’re going and drive safely. Changing the wipers regularly will ensure they function as they should and effectively keep the windscreen clean and transparent. Make sure to always match the new wipers with the make and model of the old ones!
Lights
Your headlights (and other lights) are important for ensuring your vehicle is visible to other cars on the road. While it’s tempting to save a bit of money and effort with a generic light or bulb, it’s always recommended that you use the correct make and model for your car. This will not only prevent issues later on but will also make the replacing of your dimming lights much easier.
Tip 5 – Tires need rotating and aligning
Not only do tires need to be replaced, which are often done by your mechanic during maintenance servicing when required, but they also need to be properly rotated and aligned to keep your car firmly and correctly on the road. Rotating and aligning your car’s wheels also ensures that they wear evenly and last longer, saving you money in the process!
Contact us today for more family car maintenance tips
Properly maintaining your family car will not only save you time and money, it will also keep your precious family safe. With the five tips above, it doesn’t have to be hard work either! If you’d like more tips and tricks to vehicle care, check out our other blog articles on rental vehicles, trucks, family cars and a whole lot more or contact us directly today.
