Top tips for managing your car
Has the ‘honeymoon’ period of owning your new car finally started to dissipate? After all, once we have each gotten over the slick designs and smooth handling of our much-loved vehicles, the true magnitude of what it takes to manage and maintain them starts coming to fruition. For the unprepared, all of this is a series of one daunting prospect after another, effectively.
The hard truth is that our cars are also significant responsibilities, draining both time and expenses in looking after them well. Attend your obligations the right way, however, and the whole process is undoubtedly worthwhile.
From having spare car keys to what to look out for when inspecting your vehicle, here’s some top tips to help you manage your car.
Key Repairs, Key Spares
Without a car key, you may as well have no car. For all the gushing and admiration that we shower over our beloved vehicles, misplacing the keys to them is a very common issue that has few preventative measures… until now.
For a quick fix if you lose your keys or need car key repairs, enlist the services of the ever-efficient 3D Autokeys. The company supplies keys, remotes, and fobs to cars among other modes of transportation. They also have the largest stock of auto locksmith parts in the country, so there’s no problem they can’t solve in this arena. They understand the delay key problems cause, and endeavour to put things right as fast as possible for your convenience.
In a bizarre happenstance, it’s often the most important things in our lives that go missing; passports, wallets and, of course, keys. Therefore, even just having a set of spare car keys can really make a difference. Hide them away in a secure place, and you’ll always have a workaround here!
Conduct Your Own Checks
It’s important to spotlight any glaring issues with your car yourself in the first instance. That way, you know which services you’d like to be referred too, and who to do business with when time comes for repairs or maintenance work. Therefore, a thorough inspection of your own vehicle is a good place to kick things off.
Check the tyres, lights, windshield wipers, breaks, and any fluids and oils that you feel you can sufficiently review. If you can get a feel for how your car should be running, the process of detecting problems and fixing them will come that much easier, because you can direct the professionals or in some cases save money and perform a quick fix or two yourself.
The best way to manage your car is to educate yourself in its running and efficiency, so that should always be a good place to begin things. The more you clue yourself in, the more of a feel you’ll get in terms of how much things should cost and whether or not professional services are necessary.
MOT Tests
A test for all cars over three years old, the annual MOT test plays a vital role in the management of your car. In exceptional circumstances, such as the coronavirus pandemic, drivers have been able to delay their MOT tests for 6 months, but otherwise these tests are conducted every year – for good reason too!
Most of the checks carried out double down on the ones you should have undertaken too. However, this time, they’re under professional review, with experts testing things out so that you’re driving in a legally safe and responsible manner.
It’s vital that you partake in the MOT test when required, otherwise much of your insurance will be invalid in the event of any accidents. Moreover, these kinds of rules and regulations are just a good way of ensuring everything is above board, which will undoubtedly give you peace of mind as a car owner. The MOT test is a reliable safety net with your best interests at heart, and there’s really no reason to turn it down.
Service Your Car
Whereas MOT tests are a legal requirement, servicing your car is not. However, it is highly recommended, because it largely serves the same function as an MOT test in terms of thorough checks being carried out.
Servicing your car can also add value to your car. An excellent service history shows that the car has been well maintained, which will be a big draw for any future buyer if you ever seek to sell the car on. There are good cars and bad cars, and often the key difference between the two is whether or not they have been well looked after through the years.
Stock Your Car
If you’re on a particularly long drive with friends and family, then it’s important to be prepared for anything. MOT tests and car servicing can’t prevent sheer bad luck, and there may be times and situations where you’re stuck in traffic for excruciating hours or needing to pull over for a rest after hours spent on the roads. In such times, it is important that you and your car are both well prepared.
Food, drink, cool boxes, first aid kits, de-icer, and scrapers should be in plentiful supply in your car. You can find yourself stationary mid-trip for any number of reasons other than breaking down, and the needs of yourself and your passengers should always be your top priority. Make certain that your car is sufficiently equipped to handle a variety of purposes, and that way, you have a solution to every problem that could possibly come your way.
Clean Your Car
It is a criminal offence to have any dirt or grime obscuring your numberplate. Moreover, it’s a visual offence to be cruising around in a car that is less than lovely to look at. Make sure that you have a bucket filled with warm soapy water on a weekly basis, and a sponge to go with it! Then, hose down your car after the initial handwash. A clean car is a better car!
If you can’t clean your car yourself, a professional service will gladly do it for you. In the end, it’s important that your car is as clean as possible, otherwise you risk accumulating dirt and damaging all the paintwork. It won’t take long for things to fall apart further thereafter, so it’s important to stay on top of things here.
Paperwork
It’s always a good idea to review your insurance premiums from time to time, ensuring that you’re benefitting from a deal that works in your favour. There’s nothing that a quick round of negotiations won’t fix, so it’s important to explore every avenue available to you wherever insurance is concerned. After all, it’s a big detractor when it comes to the vehicular expenses!
You should absolutely do a double check of your plan if your circumstances change. For example, with lockdown, it is quite likely that you will be driving a good deal less. Consequently, it is feasible you can significantly lower your premium to align with your mileage. Search around for a better deal that is fair, and eventually you shall find it.
Additionally, if you and your children have an agreement to share a vehicle, you will need to alter your insurance plan to cover them too. If you have more than one car at the same address, you can get a 10% discount on your insurance plan also. In the end, you should always try to tailor your insurance to your situation so that you can land a better deal.