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Easy Car Care Tips for the Brand New Driver

Your car will be worth more if you take care of it.

By Marshall StevensonPublished 5 years ago 3 min read
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So, you just got your license, congratulations! Welcome to the open road, and brand new responsibility. You may feel overwhelmed with taking care of your own car—since there are so many moving pieces, where do you start?

When it comes to taking care of your vehicle and promoting its longevity, there are a few easy car care tips that don’t take much effort at all. Here are some easy peasy car care tips to help you take care of that new car of yours.

Learn the Lincoln tread test

It can be hard to know when your tires need replacing, especially if you don’t have a specific notification for this on your dashboard. So to ensure your tires have the proper amount of tread, take a penny and put Lincoln to the test. All you have to do is put a penny face down into the tire tread, and if Lincoln’s head shows, then you need to replace your tires. If he is covered, then you still have some wear left in them.

The check engine light means a bunch of different things

If your check engine light comes on, it doesn’t necessarily mean you need an engine repair, as it could mean a variety of things. For example, if you just got gas and the check engine light came on, it could signal the gas cap is simply loose. If not, then that’s when you need to go to a mechanic for a check.

That being said, do not wait until the check engine light comes on to go to a mechanic. If you hear, smell, or notice that your car is acting out of normal, do not hesitate to call a mechanic simply to get their opinion. If there is a weird smell or noise when you drive, go to a mechanic right away.

Guide your parking based on your windows

It can be intimidating to learn how to park in different situations, especially if you are in a new place and you have to wedge yourself into a small parking place. But don’t fret, here’s a simple trick: if you are parking perpendicular (such as pulling right into a parking spot at the grocery store), stop once you see the curb or top line of the spot underneath your side mirror. Doing this allows for you to stop the car from hitting the curb and damaging your wheel wells.

Dry your brakes after puddles

While it is common to drive through puddles, if you don’t do it correctly, the water may get into the car’s ignition system and cause a problem. So instead, if you notice a puddle, do not change your speed. Going faster or slower can cause aquaplaning, which is when the car loses traction and can cause you to lose control altogether. Then once you go through the puddle, slowly decrease your speed, press the gas pedal once, then pump the breaks a couple of times. The friction this causes will allow for any water between the brake pads to evaporate.

Do not wait to get dents repaired

It is easy to ignore dents once they happen, as they may be insignificant and small. But even the smallest of dents can cause big problems, such as rust. And once your car gets rust on it, it is easy to spread and ruin the entire look of the car. So make sure to check your car periodically for dents and invest in some paintless dent repair if you notice even the smallest one.

With these car tips in mind, you will be able to keep your vehicle in tip top shape in no time at all.

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