Getting yourself started for the driving world often generates two feelings: stress or excitement. But there’s more to navigating your way through the highway than understanding the rules of the road. When it comes to reducing the cost of using your vehicle, it’s good to know some important car maintenance tips as a new driver.
Check Your Tires and Rotate
The tires of your car are not cheap to replace. With this in mind, it is good to know that they also wear out at variable rates compared to each other. Since there’s rarely, if ever, such a thing as a perfectly smooth road, it’s likely that one of your tires will experience more or less damage over time than the others. Because of this, you should have your tires rotated around every 7,000 miles or six months of regular use.
Keep an Eye on Your Brake Pads
For drivers with used cars, it’s imperative to be aware of the condition of the brake pads. Typically, any squeaks and whines you hear while braking are good indicators of potential damage or wear. Knowing when to upgrade and understanding the differences between ceramic and semi-metallic brake pads will help you decide when to make your next replacement.
Prioritize Oil Changes
Oil lubricates various parts of your car while also cooling down certain engine parts. Changing your oil after a period that the owner’s manual specifies is crucial for keeping your car in good condition. The longer you neglect a necessary oil change, the harder your car must work. All the while, it becomes increasingly more likely to sustain internal damages. In the worst-case scenario, a driver must pay for engine repairs, which sometimes puts the price of tires to shame.
Understanding how to operate on the road is the first step to becoming an independent and reliable driver. However, by considering a few of these important car maintenance tips for new drivers to know, you prepare yourself or your kid to take care of their car as well. This way, safe travels will await you in the ventures ahead.