Posts Tagged ‘autos’
Easy Guide to Automotive Check-Up
Your car needs regular servicing in order to continue running smoothly. The good news is that even though a mechanic can do everything for you, most of it can be done in your garage. We’re not talking about overhauling your engine or transmission. We’re referring to the little things that can influence your car’s performance, maneuverability, and handling over time. Below, I’ll provide a 6-step checklist that you can use to make sure your vehicle is in tip-top condition.
Step 1 – Check The Oil
Get used to checking your oil every few weeks. That way, you’ll have the peace of mind of knowing that your engine will remain well-lubricated while you’re driving. Often, engines will begin burning or consuming too much oil. Checking it periodically will help you keep on top of potential problems.
Step 2 – Check The Coolant
You should check your car’s coolant level regularly, especially if you drive for long distances. Even though it’s easy to keep the reservoir filled, a lot of drivers neglect going so. If the levels decline too far, your vehicle’s engine can overheat. That can lead to expensive damage.
Step 3 – Examine The Air Filter
Look at your air filter every time you change the oil. You won’t need to replace it each time (unless you’re driving over extremely dusty roads), but you should replace it when it gets dirty. The air filter catches debris before it can enter your engine. Over time, the accumulation of dirt and dust will prevent proper airflow.
Step 4 – Fill Up Your Power Steering Fluid
Sometimes, it’s easy to take your vehicle’s power steering for granted. But, the ease with which you turn your wheel requires that you keep the fluid level topped off. Check it at least once a month. Then, if the level seems low, look in your owner’s manual to check whether a particular type of fluid is recommended.
Step 5 – Repair Dents And Dings
Not only do they look unattractive, but dents and door dings can also pave the way for rust to settle in. Unfortunately, being on the receiving end of these small blemishes is practically a foregone conclusion. As inconvenient as it is, getting them fixed can prevent costlier problems later.
Step 6 – Test The Lights
Most cars today are designed to warn the driver that one of the headlights is about to fail. The turn indicator will begin blinking rapidly before the light completely fails. To make sure that you haven’t missed the problem, get into the habit of checking your front and back lights every two weeks. The last thing you want is to find out one of your lights is broken while you’re driving in poor weather.
The six items above are not hard to check. They merely require a few minutes of your time. By keeping on top of each of them, you can help ensure that your vehicle is operating properly. If you notice signs of more severe issues (for example, your engine is burning oil), have a trained mechanic take a closer look.
Why You Must Remember To Keep Your Distance to the Car In Front
Driving is an expertise that is learned effortlessly by most people, however driving safely is an art. How do you figure out what is a safe distance to keep from the car in front. Well, this is a difficult question and nearly everyone would have different opinions on it. A few drivers would say four car lengths is the distance that should be kept whilst other would give some other opinion that could be based on their personal experience.
The most familiar rule of thumb that drivers have developed for this is by counting seconds. You find a fixed position in front, like a tree, road sign and as soon as the car in front leaves behind the object you start counting gradually ‘one thousand seconds, two thousand seconds’ and so on until you go by the object.
When the weather is clear and the roads are dry, a two second count would be the distance to be kept from the car in front of you. If it’s drizzling and the road is slick, increase the count to four seconds. If the weather is really bad, you are supposed to increase the count to eight to nine seconds.
In case of dry weather conditions if the time between you and the car in front increases by more than two seconds, drivers at the back will start getting disturbed and will strive to cut in front of you. Therefore as a rule when you are driving on an open road, make sure that the two second distance is kept.
Safety is the most important reason for you to remember to keep your distance from the car in front. Every time you get in to the car to drive, you may not be in the same alert level. You maybe tired, in a bad mood, furious or in a relaxed mood. But once you are driving, you have to clear your mind of all anger and frustrations that you may have and stay focused on driving instead.
The most frequent car accidents that happen are when a driver hits the vehicle in front of him. Hence, maintain the two second rule and always be vigilant while driving and try and observe what the driver in front of you is up to. Stay away from tailgating, as this can be risky and can result in an accident. Don’t let annoyance buildup whilst driving as this could be one of the causes of becoming rash. Never try to get too close to the car in front, and don’t stay too far behind as well as this may increase possibility for other drivers behind you to hog and try rash moves to overtake you because of frustration.
All the cars on the road take similar time and distance to stop at the same speed, so by keeping that two second distance you are in the safety zone, and that is the distance you are required keep.
A safe distance must be kept between your car and the car in front of you for maximum protection. If there is heavy traffic then you must be more careful. Accidents take place in less than a second, so don’t be unfocused and maintain a safe distance from the car in front of you.