Servicing Your Automobiles

You have picked out your new car, the financing is in order, and you are ready to drive it home. You may think that the hard work is over, but it is not. Now that you are the proud owner of an automobile, there are some things you are going to have to do or have done on a regular basis.

This is called vehicle maintenance and it must be done routinely to keep your car in good running order. Some car owners prefer to do a majority of this themselves, however as technology increases so does the difficulty of doing this. The most common maintenance issues are listed below.

Oil Change

The most overlooked part of vehicle maintenance is the one most essential to longevity. An oil change should be performed on your vehicle every three thousand miles.

You may have heard that industry standards have changed and that manufacturers are increasing the mileage between oil changes. This is true and it is not, you see the key words in the advertising are “under normal driving conditions”. Some carmakers are advertising that you can go as many as 10,000 miles without an oil change. This only applies if your driving habits do not fall into the severe category.

Severe

1) Repeated short distance driving
2) Long idling periods
3) Dusty, muddy, rough, hilly, sandy, and salty areas are severe driving
4) Extreme temperatures cold/hot and humid

As you can see, almost all the driving conditions of most of the country are listed as severe. Therefore, every three thousand miles is still smart.

Be sure that you check the manufacturers recommended oil against that of your service provider. Many warranties could be invalid with the use of substandard oil.

Tune Up

A tune up should be preformed about every 30,000 miles. This will keep your vehicle in top running order and could prevent breakdowns.

Tune-ups cover:

• Spark Plugs
• Air filter
• Fuel filter
• Adjustment of carburetor on older vehicles
• Clean/ replace fuel injectors
• Check compression
• Check distributor cap and plug wires
• All major fluids, brake, power steering, oil, transmission fluid and coolant or anti-freeze
• Belts and hoses should be checked for wear
• Computer codes run for issues
• Safety items such as lights, wipers, and tires (air pressure and tread depth)

These are the most common areas that should be checked when you have a tune up. Different service locations may offer different packages when it comes to this, for instance they may do a fluid check only. This is acceptable as long as you are aware that the other items will still need to be looked into.

A good routine of vehicle maintenance is essential to the longevity of your vehicle. The better you are at taking care of your car the less likely it is that it will break down or suffer major mechanical failure.

When choosing a mechanic to perform this work, ask around about their reputation. The best mechanics in town will have great feedback and will likely be extremely busy. It is also important that they be familiar with the make and model of car you own. A mechanic can be fantastic with Fords and not so much with Volkswagens. Do your homework and select someone with the right combination of references and experience.

Most Frequent Auto Repairs

With any machine as complicated as an automobile, you are bound to run into problems now and then. Fortunately, the majority of car repairs involve the same common issues, so it is relatively easy to find mechanics able to repair them.

Prevention is the best medicine, as they say, and that goes for cars, too. If you know what the most common auto repairs are, you can make sure that you are vigilant of these areas and keep them well-maintained. Often, it`s worth getting repairs done before the part is completely ruined, such as with brakes. When something vital goes wrong, it could cause serious problems and even an accident, so you will want to check these frequently.

Brakes

Since we use our brakes continuously, it makes sense that they tend to wear down before many other parts on the vehicle. However, the brakes are also a very important part of the safety system in a car, so you really don`t want to wait until they fail.

The best way to ensure that you never have real problems with your braking system is to simply have it fixed as soon as you notice anything different. If you hear squealing every time you slow down or the brakes seem mushy and need to really be stomped on to stop, it`s time to head to the garage and get things checked out. It`s just not worth the risk of having the brakes give out when you need them most.

Tires

Another part of vehicles that tends to need attention more frequently is the tires. The last thing you want is a blowout on the highway, so keeping your tires in good condition and making sure to replace them when needed will help keep your vehicle safe.

Things to watch for include bulging of the tires, wobbling or the wearing down of the tire tread. Have a professional check if you aren`t sure about something and keep your tires inflated the proper amount to make sure they last as long as possible.

Dashboard Lights

Believe it or not, the little 'Check Engine' and 'Check Oil' lights tend to break down sooner than many other vehicle parts. While it may be tempting to just ignore the fact that your overheating warning is on all the time, these are guides to help you stay on top of potential problems with the car and should be repaired.

Oil

One of the more frequent auto repairs required involves the motor oil. If your vehicle goes through too much, you will want to have a mechanic take a look and see if there isn`t a leak in the system that can be repaired. Without oil, your vehicle won`t function, so be vigilant of the levels and be sure to top up when required.

Lights

Taillights in particular tend to burn out and it`s easy to miss the fact that you don`t have a turn signal until the police pull you over. Electrical system failures can also cause problems. Lights are important as they are how we signal our intentions to other drivers. Incorrect use (blinking turn signals when your signal is off, etc.) can cause accidents and misunderstandings that may end up being quite serious. Check your lights, front and back, for proper functioning on a regular basis and have them repaired as soon as you notice they aren`t working.

Maintaining a vehicle and ensuring that it is safe to drive is part of being a responsible driver. It helps to understand which areas of the car are most likely to break down and to give these extra attention.

Getting the Best Deal for Your Car

So, you’ve decided to part ways with your old banger and have already spotted a new, sleeker model that tickles your fancy. First things first though, you need to go about selling your exisiting car. But, with the different options available, it can be confusing deciding upon the best course of action. Indeed, what is the best way to find a new owner for your auto?

According to the experts, there are two ways to sell your car: the quick way, i.e. via a dealer; and the intelligent way, i.e. advertising it privately.

Although there are advantages to approaching a dealer – simplicity and efficiency – there are also drawbacks. In fact, due to the dealer having to carry out all the work for you, it’s common to find that you won’t end up getting the best deal for your money.

That’s why it makes sense, say the professionals, to approach the issue yourself through the placement of car ads. In fact, there is a huge range of print and online media available, which has been specifically designed to make the process of selling your car as straightforward as possible.

However, before you jump straight into advertising, it pays to conduct some market research. In doing so, you will not only be informed about the price range you should be aiming for, but you’ll also be able to compare different car ads to see which ones are more effective. This will serve to save you both time and money in the long run.

When you come to composing your advert, you need to think clearly about the type of information that should be included. For example, it’s essential to list the make, model and style of the car first. The next step is to add in such details as the car’s colour, engine size and mileage.

Only after this information has been detailed, can you think about adding in additional description. You should think carefully though about putting too much information in. For instance, it’s a good idea to list the car’s best features, but don’t go overboard by bombarding potential buyers with too much; this will only put them off.

The next step is to think about where you want to place your car ad. Advertising online is a great way to reach a huge number of people quickly and cost-efficiently; and due to the fact you have so much space in comparison to print media, you can include more information, as well as pictures. Print advertising can be equally effective, especially since many of the relevant publications are distributed in the area where you’re selling, therefore reaching a more concentrated market of potential buyers.

However, the best way to achieve effective results is to combine both print and online advertising; helping to reach a wide, yet highly targeted audience by placing car ads in this way has proven to be very successful. And of course, attempting to gain the initial interest in your car is often the most difficult part of selling your car.

Daniel Collins writes on a number of topics on behalf of a digital marketing agency and a variety of clients. As such, this article is to be considered a professional piece with business interests in mind.