that is not going straight after going through a puddle? None of those are pleasant I assure you.

So, to avoid going through that, it is important that we keep our cars healthy. Akin to we humans, once we breach a certain age, it is prudent to get periodic checkups and get immediate attention when symptoms occur. Same theory applies for your beloved vehicle.

For cars that are under manufacturer warranty; just follow your manufacturer’s guidelines and get them serviced per the required schedules. They will take good care of your ride; to the point of going beyond what’s recommended in the owner’s manual. As to if they truly care about your ride, or just trying to squeeze as much as they possibly can from you while holding your manufacturer’s warranty as hostage; I will leave it up to you to make the conclusion.

For your rides that are beyond the manufacturer’s warranty, it is prudent to run regular checks to maintain your rides in tip-top health! Lets take a look at what yours truly deems necessary to keep your car healthy.

Follow Maintenance Schedule in Owner’s Manual

Your vehicle has a recommended maintenance list that are vital to allowing your automobile to live a long and fruitful life. There should be a section where it lists the manufacturer’s recommended maintenance schedule, which tells you how often to get your oil changed, rotate the tires, and replace fluids and parts. By following your vehicle’s ideal maintenance schedule, you can prevent costly inspections, repairs, and replacements, and keep your car humming for many years. And save you from going through the nightmare mentioned earlier.

Bonus point; if you cannot find the maintenance schedule in your owner’s manual, uncle google is your best friend to ask for it.

Regular Checks that you can DIY

There are quite a few of the checks that you can DIY. Do bear in mind that DIY-ing these checks does not save you very much in either time or money, they’ll give you a reason to look under your hood as well as a small bit of insight into how your trusted chariot works. And I digress, these will help you make informed decisions on how to keep your cars in tip-top condition.

To make it easy to keep track of your car maintenance schedule, I have put-together a checklist to help you achieve that Healthy Car, Happy You motto.

Checklist:

• Oil Levels
• Coolant Levels
• Air Filter
• Tyre Thread Depth
• Headlights
• Turn Signals
• Brake Lights
• Transmission Fluid
• Inspect Shock Absorbers
• Inspect Belts
• Inspect Wiper Blades
• Battery Performance Check

As an added bonus, if you can prove that your vehicle has been well maintained, you’ll be able to ask top dollar when it’s time to resell it. And, of course, it’s important to remember that car maintenance costs, while not always cheap, can ultimately help you avoid expensive repairs down the road.