lubricant feature
Ten car care tips for 2014
Easy-to-remember, practical
and essential steps to take
when caring for your vehicle
F
or many of us, the prospect of
buying a new car every couple of
years to avoid the mechanical issues
when they start cropping up, or the costs
of more frequent services, seems like the
simple solution. But what if we were to
keep the vehicles we currently drive in
tip-top condition? To the non-mechanic,
it seems to be too great a task, but the
reality is that it’s easier than we thought.
Midas, South Africa’s leading parts,
accessories and lifestyle travel equipment
store, has come up with ten easy-toremember, practical steps for vehicle
owners to remember when applying
efficient vehicle maintenance.
1.
Drive responsibly, your vehicle
will reward you
Accelerate slowly when you pull off, and
brake slowly, too. The greatest wear and
tear damage to a vehicle’s engine occurs
within the first ten to twenty minutes of a
journey.
2.
Regularly check tyre pressure
Under-inflated tyres impact on your
vehicle’s handling and roadholding.
It requires more fuel to create greater force
if your tyres are under-inflated. Correctly
inflated tyres can prevent a blowout and
prevent damage when encountering one
of South Africa’s notorious potholes.
3. Check and replace your oil and
air filter regularly
Often the case on remote South African
roads, vehicles absorb dust and debris,
as it enters the combustion chamber of
your car’s engine. These filters help the
car breathe, which in turn prolongs the
life of the engine. It also has an impact on
the amount of fuel your car will be using.
By visiting a
local Midas
store and asking
for assistance
from one
of the shop
assistants or store manager, you can invest
in a new filter and replace it yourself.
4. Check the coolant level
A lack of coolant could allow your engine
to overheat and cause untold damage. If a
warning light comes on, take it seriously, and
have it checked out as soon as possible,
either by a mechanic or a store manager
from a credible parts and accessories store.
Replacing or topping up with more liquid is
easy to do.
5. Check the basics
Items such as brake pads, hoses, timing
belts, plugs and filters should be checked
regularly, and a mechanic who has access
to an appropriate toolkit, technology and
thorough understanding of your vehicle can
do this. If you want to save your pennies,
these parts can always be purchased
privately from a parts and accessories store,
and replaced by a reputable local private
mechanic.
6. Undertake regular service
check-ups with a mechanic
Prevent any breakdowns or awkward
situations, like an unwelcome emergency
repair bill, by having your car serviced
regularly, preferably by the same mechanic,
who knows and understands the
specifications of your vehicle. New vehicles
should be serviced after the first 1 000kms,
and from then, oil and filters should be
changed on both new and used vehicles
every 5 000kms.
7.
Keep to one service mechanic,
if possible
Much like you have a regular GP, because he
knows your medical history and understands
your unique requirements, the same
| words in action
32
april 2014
applies to the servicing of your vehicle.
Credible workshops will keep a detailed
history (service log) of your vehicle and will
be able to reference it if they are unsure
about what has been replaced, may need
replacing, or any custom specifications
that need to be taken into account. It is not
enough to ensure that you engage with a
service centre that services your make of
car; you should build a relationship with a
regular mechanic, who understands your
car’s ‘quirks’.
8.
Don’t speed if your vehicle is
brand new
The most vulnerable period in a vehicle’s
history is in its first 1 000kms. By gently
‘breaking it in’, one can slowly wear harden
the parts of a car. Bearings and cylinders
should wear evenly as opposed to causing
an unnecessary ‘groove’ in a part.
9.
Wash, polish and vacuum it
regularly
To maintain your vehicle’s paintwork and
prevent damage from dirt, oil or debris, we
recommend having your vehicle washed
at least twice a month. Bird droppings are
more harmful than you think, with acid
eventually creeping into the paintwork and
compromising its quality.
10. Damage-proof tips for long-term
storage
If your vehicle is to be stored over an
extended period, we recommend applying
the following tips to your care in that
period;
•
Plug the exhaust pipe to prevent
moisture from getting in to the
combustion chamber;
•
Remove the battery to prevent it from
draining and place it on a charger;
•
Fill the petrol tank to prevent
condensation from occurring; and
•
Wash, polish and cover the vehicle,
so that surface oils, dirt and birddropping acid do not compromise the
paintwork.