Taking care of your car might seem like an easy task, but once you get your hands around this task, you cannot fail to realize that there are more things to worry about than you previously thought. Your car is not a toy; it’s something that needs constant maintenance and attention in order to work properly and to be safe. 

On the other hand, if you do not know what you’re doing and how you should be properly taking care of your car, you will just be spending money on both necessary and unnecessary repairs, which is something that can be avoided with you regularly checking the car and being very pragmatic about it. Take a look at the most important steps in maintaining your car the best way:

1. Check Your Liquids

One of the most important things that you need to do for your car is to check the liquids. Contrary to popular belief, though, oil is not the only liquid that you should check, even though it is the first step as your engine needs oil in order to keep all the moving parts constantly lubricated. 

Apart from the oil, there are six other fluids that you should put on your list for checking: the radiator fluid (which protects your engine from overheating), transmission fluid, power steering fluid, brake fluid (do not underestimate the importance of this one), air conditioning coolant, and the washer fluid that is being used by the wipers on your windshield. 

2. Keep Your Car Clean

After you’re done checking the liquids, it would be the perfect time to wash your car. Remember that keeping your car clean and neat does not only do wonders for your own health (as it is always healthier to be driving a clean car), but it looks more representative as well and it will look amazing for a longer period of time. Apart from taking your car to the car wash (even though there is a possibility that you do this yourself at home), you can also buy great car accessories that are designed for the purpose of keeping your car immaculate. 

Accessories for your car do not only include repair accessories, spray guns or coatings, but also very helpful ones such as the metal polish and hand sanitizer that will keep your car sterilized and clean, or high-quality paper cone filters that you can use upon checking and refilling your car with certain fluids.

3. Mind Your Tire Pressure

Checking the pressure of the tires is something that is very often forgotten, even though it is an important part of car maintenance. This should be done either once a month or before going on a road trip, and what is necessary is to have an accurate tire-pressure gauge in order to check the inflation pressure in each tire. Do not forget about your spare tire as well. 

However, you should do this when the tires are cold, or in other words, when the car hasn’t been driven. Moreover, it would be good to inspect your tires for any uneven wear as it can create more problems down the road.

4. Examine Your Brakes

This is also a very important step in maintaining your car the regular way, but it is one of the most important steps that you should take care of before going on a big road trip. The brakes are not to be toyed with, so make sure you do a good job examining them. If you know how to do this yourself, do it at least two or three times a year. If you drive very often and if you travel long distances with your car (such as commuting), check the brakes more times per year. 

On the other hand, if you’re not the type of person who knows how to check his/her own brakes, you can always use the services of professional mechanics which brings us to our final step.

5. Ask for Help From a Mechanic

Having a mechanic who will deal with your car is extremely important since it is always very helpful to have the number of your mechanic on speed dial and ask him for help in case you need it. There are mechanics who will come straight to your house to help you out, while there are also those who are always open and willing to check your car in their workshop. Be as it may, do not be embarrassed to ask them for any help that you might need.

Bottom line – maintaining and taking care of your car is not an easy task. After all, if you want it to last longer and look good, your car needs constant care and certain investments, but all of these will pay off in the end and if you’re organized enough, it will be easier.