Photo Courtesy Of:  Marcin Wichary

One of the worst things that can happen to anyone is for their car to break down at the worst time –during a storm, in a remote area or simply when you have an appointment. As doctors always say, prevention is better than cure, so here are a few tips that you can do to keep your car in tip top shape.

Get to know your car

If your car is brand new it most likely came with a manual, so read and understand it well. It is just like a new gadget. It will perform better if you know all the knobs, lights, settings and other nooks and crannies.  If you bought it from someone else and it did not come with a manual, don’t fret. Google is always there to help you out.

Go to a service center that you trust

The service center is like a hospital, while the service crew serves as doctors. Find a person who you think best explains and troubleshoots your car problems for you. Ask questions and probe to see if your mechanic actually knows what he is doing. This will educate you about car troubles too. It is just like going to a medical specialist, you wouldn’t get an operation from just anyone right? So do not bring your car to just any shop because this may cause more problems instead of fixing them.

Get regular maintenance checks

Cars have regular maintenance checks depending on its mileage, so that its oil can be changed and tune ups can be performed. Try to take note of each service that was done so that you have a record of them. If you are not the type who checks the car before you leave, you may drop by the nearest gasoline station and ask attendants to help you make sure that all things are in order especially if you are going on a long drive.

Simply follow these simple tips to ensure that your car stays in good condition in order to avoid accidents or hassles along the way.

Written by Anna on October 18, 2011 | Leave a Comment

While most drivers are concerned about how fast they can go, it would be wise to also check how well they can stop. Running out of gas and finding ways to conserve to get to places is one thing but if for some reason you overlook your brakes, you may find yourself on the way to the hospital if you are not careful.

Most people are often told that driving a car also includes maintaining it. Sure you will only be concerned on how well your car may run but at times, you need the usual car maintenance practices as well. This includes tune-ups, oil changes, and brake or clutch lining checks.

Normally, male drivers know this as they are more inclined to make sure that the car they are driving are safe. In fact, a good reason here is how men are enthusiastic about having their own car. This goes as far as making sure that they have the best car to drive so that they will get noticed.

Brakes normally have a longer time to be serviced. But this would depend on how frequent you use your car. While others may not care as long as they function properly, it would be best to have them checked and avoid them from malfunctioning especially if you are in high speed or on the road. That inconvenience may lead as far as claiming lives, a fact that many have already experienced and continue to regret for driving carelessly.

Written by Marcel on June 2, 2011 | 3 Comments

One basic thing about cars that some drivers fail to do is on how to handle cars that have suddenly overheated. Normally, cars would overheat due to:

1. Lack of Water
2. Damaged Water Hoses
3. Worn Out Belts (Alternator)
4. Lack of Ventilation
5. Engine Decompression
6. Busted Auxiliary Fans

Normally, a driver would stop the car for fear of breaking down somewhere unknown. But did you know that as much as possible, you should not turn off the engine (as long as it can) manually? If the engine would die normally, then that would be okay. But if you want to put water which is the normal impulse that people would think of, try not to fill up your radiator if you have just shut it down to avoid overheating.

Assuming you have replaced the hose or anything that needs to be fixed that are causes for overheating, try this out.

Cars normally come with a reserve water tank to which reserve water can be placed. If you happen to shut down your engine, it would be best to initially put water there. Once you do, try starting it. If it does, try out these things before turning that radiator cap:

1. Wet a piece of cloth with water and get lots of water.
2. Before you turn the radiator cap, pour water extensively on top of the cap and the radiator. This is to try and bring down the temperature as much as possible.
3. Get the wet cloth and try to place it on the cap first. Wait a couple of seconds and then try to put your weight on it, and slowly loosen the radiator cap. You are bound to feel the pressure from wanting to get out. Do not allow it to do so as extremely hot water is bound to spill all over you.
4. Once you have released the mounting pressure, open the cap and then put water while the engine is running.

Do not turn the engine off (unless you can wait for it to cool down) and place water. The sudden change in water temperature is bad for your engine and may force you to overhaul it if you are not careful.

Written by Marcel on October 29, 2010 | Leave a Comment