Top 5 Best DIY Maintenance Routines For Your Car

August 25, 2020 Mc Pol

For many car owners, their car is like a family member. It is associated with their every kilometer journey, and together they create many memories. Car is one of the essential things in every family. So, make sure you take care of and maintain your vehicle regularly.

Regular car care will prolong its life. If you do not want to spend too much money on an expert, you can do it yourself. Start daily car maintenance with the top 5 best DIY maintenance routines for your car. Let's jump into them now!

What Should You Do to Maintain Your Car?

1. Change Oil and Oil Filters Regularly

When doing this, you need the oil filter wrench, ratchet, funnel, and oil pan. Each oil refining will take you from 30 to 45 minutes. You do not have to spend too much money on it.

The perfect time to change oil is every 3,000 miles, experts claim. However, this number is only an estimate. If you use a more efficient car, you can change the oil every 5,000 miles. Whatever the time of oil change, self-maintenance for your vehicle will save you time and money. There are a few things you should keep in mind before you change your car's oil:

When your engine is hot, do not touch it. If you want to warm up your car to loosen the oil and drain it more efficiently, you can take a drive around your neighborhood. But when you park your vehicle, do not get to work right away, wait for it to cool down.
Make sure you can excite your car by yourself. When handling the jack, you must be careful and pay attention to safety.

After making sure the above notes, you can change the oil yourself with the steps below:

Slowly get under the car. Then, locate the car's oil pan. Don't worry because you can find it quickly.
Next, turn on the drain plug to let the old oil drain into your pan.
When you see the oil is depleted, you can replace the drain plug.
Use the oil filter wrench to remove the old oil filter on the engine. Be careful when doing this as the oil filter contains some old oil.
Use the new machine oil to lubricate the rubber gasket on the oil filter.
Fill the oil filter with about 2/3 of the new oil.
Tighten hands and screw to the new oil filter.
Make sure the engine is filled with new oil with your hopper.
After completing the steps above, check that you fill the required oil level with the dipstick.
You can either remove the old oil filter or recycle it by giving it to the gas station.
Although changing the oil filter is not a very clean job, it will bring outstanding efficiency to your car.

2. Pay Close Attention to The Car Battery

The vehicle battery's maintenance will require tools such as a wrench, rag, corrosion-removal fluid, and wire brush. It will take about 20 minutes for this task to complete. Do not worry too much because it is not that complicated.

When the car has a good battery connection, it will work smoother and more efficiently. If you see the vehicle will not start, check the vehicle's battery.

Through simple visualization, you can adequately predict when you must do this. Here are the steps to take care of your car's battery:

First, remove the battery terminals on your vehicle. One thing to note is that you must unplug the audio cable first. Use a flat head screwdriver to pry them off if you find them stuck.

Next, clean them up. Buy high-quality products from an auto parts store near your home. You will find it extremely frugal as most of it is made from baking soda and water. Use an iron brush to clean the posts forcefully.

Then, use water to rinse the sanitizing solution.

Dry them with a rag.

Finally, you can replace the battery terminals.

One of the problems causing a car's shutdown is the dead battery. But handling this is quite simple. If you have been using a battery for a long time, check and clean it.

3. Change The Windshield Wiper

The wiper is an essential accessory for a car as it can protect the safety of the driver. If you want to replace your windshield wiper, you can choose from a variety of auto parts stores. On the market today, there are many models for you to choose from. However, do not pay too much attention to the price. You should select products from well-known brands.

The windshield wiper with high UV resistance and durability will be a great choice. If you are wondering which model to choose, you can check the size through the car's manual or seek professional mechanic help.

4. Check The Engine Air Filter

The process of checking and replacing engine filters is one of the easiest things you can do yourself. You need to open the air filter box cover. If the filter you used earlier is too dirty, remove it immediately.

Also, you can check by shining a light through it and checking the amount of light. If the filter does not block the light, then this means it is okay. If you cannot see 50% of the light spilling, you should replace it immediately.

5. Make Sure That The Vents Are Always Clean

Car vents often suck up a lot of dust while you drive. Using a vacuum cleaner to clean it is still not efficient enough. This thing can take a little patience, but you can use a paintbrush to clean the car's vents.

If you do this yourself, your car will always be clean and dust-free. Although it does take a bit of time, it will be surprisingly effective.

Final Words

As seen above, the top 5 best DIY maintenance routines for your car is demonstrated clearly. You can all perform these car maintenance tasks yourself. Caring for your vehicle is of utmost importance. So, make sure you do this regularly.