When you pay your vehicle some attention it will be as safe, reliable, efficient, and good-looking as possible.

Safety first

Regular servicing and maintenance are vital to ensure all the systems on board have a chance to work correctly.

This goes for everything from the seat belts to the brakes, and everything in between.

Find a mechanic you trust to do the major things you’re not comfortable doing yourself, but there are also simple things you should do regularly on any vehicle you use.

Importantly, that goes for anything you drive, not just what you own.

Start with obvious things like checking the tyre pressures about once a fortnight – with your own separate gauge, not the one on the end of a compressor – and looking at their condition when you do so. Notice any uneven wear, and if there’s sidewall damage that’s downright dangerous so have it replaced.

Pay attention to all the things that are checked by an inspector once a year in NSW and the ACT, like the condition of the seats and the belts, whether the steering feels normal while you’re driving, whether it pulls up in a straight line, whether there are any knocks or other noises that shouldn’t be there.

If something does look, sound or feel wrong, find the cause or have it checked by a professional.

Reliability

Never checking your own car is nothing to be proud of. In fact it’s downright negligent if no one at all regularly checks the basics.

In addition to getting a service at the correct intervals, in between them just lift the bonnet once in a while and have a bit of a look for anything that might be coming loose, or frayed, or leaking.

Check the oil and other fluid levels while you’re in there. There are often symbols that will be easy enough to decipher so you can tell what fluid a particular reservoir holds, and a means of indicating minimum and maximum levels.

A word of caution about the brake fluid though. Unless it’s leaking, the “missing” fluid has simply filled the brake calipers as the pads wear (the pistons now having to reach a bit further to push those pads against the discs). Therefore, never top up the brake fluid without also checking for leaks and the pad wear. Also never ignore a low level of brake fluid; the actual cause for that low level could prove deadly.

Langes Auto Centre 02 6297 6969

mcgrathautogroup.com.au

John Red Mechanical Repairs 02 6297 8557

Seiffert Auto Repairs 02 6297 6225

Goodyear Autocare Queanbeyan 02 5116 1525

Efficiency

Pay attention to where you get your fuel. There was one particular servo near where I used to live where I bought it for all the motors I used, from the mower to the cars. I wondered why they were all giving me grief at one stage, but when I started using a different servo they all soon behaved themselves again. Maybe it was just a coincidence. Maybe not.

Meanwhile, petrol cars don’t seem too bothered with regular short or slow trips, but if you have a diesel be sure to give it a run on the open road occasionally. It could be an excuse for a day trip somewhere nice.

Also, and especially for a diesel, if you’re the one deciding what gear to use then keep the engine operating in the RPM band where it makes good torque, because that’s roughly where it burns the most effectively too.

Good looks

Looking after the body, paint and interior isn’t just for vanity, it’s also for longevity and resale value.

Make sure organic debris doesn’t clog up drainage channels (which happens pretty quick when you park under the shade of a tree), otherwise you can get rust down in these cavities.

Paint is also the only thing protecting steel, so if any gets exposed oxidation soon follows.

Regularly wash the panels, and the interior, with appropriate products. This reduces the likelihood of stains setting in, and gives you a chance to inspect their condition as you go.

Use a windscreen shade to help protect against sun damage. Also use an appropriate treatment for the type of upholstery you have.