The dependability of new cars has seen significant improvements, underlining how to maintain a new car to maximize its lifespan. This implies that with suitable care and attention, contemporary cars and trucks should easily reach the 200,000-mile mark.
The moment has arrived for you to maintain your newly acquired dream car, embodying how to maintain a new car for prolonged use. Here are a few tips to ponder as you drive your new vehicle away from the dealership.
Remember, understanding how to maintain a new car does not mean you have to execute all these procedures single-handedly. Still, cost-conscious car owners might appreciate getting involved if they have spare time. Many of these tasks can efficiently be handled by your local mechanic or dealer.
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Check The Engine Oil
Do it on a regular basis—monthly for a new car in good condition, and more frequently if you notice an oil leak or need to replenish oil on a regular basis. To acquire an accurate dipstick reading, the car should be positioned on level ground. Don’t overfill the container. If you do have a leak, find it as quickly as possible and rectify it.
Check Tire Air Pressure
Use an accurate tire-pressure gauge to check the inflation pressure in each tire, including the spare, once a month and before any long road journeys. When the tires are cold, do this (before the vehicle has been driven or after no more than a couple of miles of driving). Instead of using the maximum pressure imprinted on the tire’s sidewall, use the inflation pressure advised by the vehicle’s manufacturer. A plaque on the front doorjamb, in the glove compartment, or in the owner’s handbook will normally list the suggested pressure. Inspect your tires for irregular or uneven wear, cuts, and any visible sidewall bulges.
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Wash Your New Car
If possible, wash your new car once a week to remove road salt and dirt.  In order to avoid paint and metal damage, you should also pay attention to irregular dirt like road salt or bug guts. When water beads are larger than a quarter, it’s time for waxing. Washing your new car regularly protects your paint and keeps corrosive chemicals from damaging it. You can protect your car against the elements and maintain a beautiful paint job for its lifetime.
Keep The Interior Of Your New Car Clean
Car cleanliness is more than an aesthetic choice. It can also be a safety issue. Even though you might not realize it, a dirty car can pose a danger to your safety. You can reduce your ability to react in an emergency by having your windshield, mirrors, and windows obscured. Added clutter can block the path between your feet and the pedals. Keep your car’s interior clean and tidy by vacuuming it regularly.  It will be more marketable when it comes time to sell your car. Also, a clean car makes you proud of your new car.
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Keep Up With Maintenance Services On Your New Car
Regular servicing is essential to keep your new car in top condition and extend its lifespan. Service intervals can be based on mileage or time-driven, such as once per year or every 10,000 miles. To find out when and what work is needed for your vehicle, consult your car’s manual. Modern cars often have warning lights on their dashboards to warn you when maintenance is required. You should budget for a minor service once per year and a major service every two to three years. Minor services include changing the oil and filter and, if needed, replacing any other fluids. Depending on your car’s mileage, major services may include the replacement of the air filter, spark plugs, and belts.
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Brake Check On Your New Car
Brake maintenance should be performed every six months. However, it is recommended that you have your car’s brakes checked every 20,000 to 60,000 miles. You may need to inspect your brakes more often depending on how you drive and what type of traffic you are driving in. If you don’t take care of your brakes and let them go, the pads or rotors can wear and become bad. There are many other parts that could also fail. They all work together to slow down your vehicle. Your disc brakes may fail if one or more of these items stop working.
Check The Constant-Velocity-Joint Boots (CV Joints)
Feel the boots for leaking grease. Rub the grease between your fingers. Gritty grease is a sign that the CV joint has been damaged on your car. This is usually best handled by a mechanic. Constant velocity or CV joints can be found on both front-wheel-drive vehicle axles. They are also used in many rear-wheel- and four-wheel-drive models. Universal joints are similar to CV joints in that they allow for the front axle half shafts to turn and rotate independently. One of two reasons CV joints fail is that the rubber boot protecting them from road contaminants fails or they wear out. The outside joint closest to the wheel will eventually wear out first, as it is exposed to greater stress from the vehicle’s wheels turning. The joint will fail within three thousand miles if the boot is damaged.
Additional Checks At Each Oil Change
Normal driving requires that the oil and filter be changed every 7,500 miles or six months. This should be sufficient for most motorists. If you are driving “severe”, meaning that you drive frequently, with cold starts, short trips, dusty conditions, or trailer towing, the interval between changing your oil should be decreased to every 3,000 miles or three months. You can find the appropriate intervals in your owner’s handbook. Some engines, such as turbocharged engines and diesel engines, may require more frequent oil changes.
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Check The Air Filter
Acceleration is more difficult than fuel economy to measure, so you might not notice a performance decline since it will be gradual. It is important to visually check your air filter to ensure that your engine air filter is clean. Your car’s air filter should be checked at least once per year. While many people will change their air filters at this point, some mechanics suggest that they can last from 15,000 to 35,000 miles. It all depends on how much driving and traveling you do.
Light Bulbs
These lights make sure your vehicle is safe for operation. If they don’t work properly, you run the risk of not being able to see the road. Most sources suggest checking your lights twice a year. If you know that the lifespan of your bulbs is coming to an end, we advise you to check them more regularly, such as when you check your oil.
Radiator
The heart of your car’s cooling system is its radiator. It includes a fan and water pump as well as hoses, belts, and sensors. You must ensure that your radiator fluid is adequate. This means you should regularly check and adjust the coolant levels. Check the fluid a minimum of once every six months.
Gearbox
Transmission service for most automatic cars is typically suggested every 60,000-100,000 miles. Manual transmissions require maintenance. The gearbox is a mechanical device that increases the output torque and/or changes the speed (RPM), of a motor. They are checked at regular service, when you get your oil checked is a good time to do this. It can also easily be repaired. However, Automatics and CVTs are relatively maintenance-free according to most manufacturers.
Wiper blade
It is recommended to change your wiper blades on your new car once every 6-12 months. Windshield wipers are made of rubber and can degrade and become less effective with time. It is important to check your wipers frequently and be aware of the signs that they are wearing out. They should be replaced more often if you live where the weather is more extreme.
Transmission Fluid
Without it, the transmission cannot sustain the force required to move the car. The car won’t move if it has too little fluid. It is more difficult to check the transmission fluid than checking the engine oil. Transmission fluid flushes are recommended every 30,000 miles, and levels of transmission fluid should be checked at a minimum of every six months. You are now one step closer to prolonging your transmission’s life.
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Battery
It is important to test the battery and electrical system regularly, not only when they are showing signs of weakness (or have your mechanic do so or when you are getting an oil change) in order to reduce the chance of your battery or electrical system failing. Typically, it’s recommended that the battery be inspected at least twice per year (every 6 months or 6,000 miles).
Inspect the Exhaust System
Your exhaust system’s life expectancy can be affected by many factors, including climate and driving conditions. A typical exhaust system should last between two and three years. It is essential to inspect your exhaust system for damage. Your car’s exhaust system protects you from harmful fumes and keeps it quiet. Every oil change should include a visual inspection of the exhaust system.
Check Tire Air Pressure
To check the tire pressure, make sure you have a reliable gauge that can be used to accurately measure the tire pressure. This should be done when the tires have been cooled (either before the vehicle has been driven, or after a few miles of driving). The manufacturer recommends that you use the recommended inflation pressure, not the maximum pressure printed on the tire’s sidewall. You will find the recommended pressure on the placard in the glove box, or in the owner’s manual of your new car. You should also inspect your tires for any abnormal wear or cuts or sidewall bulges.
Your New Car Should Be Serviced Every 2 to 4 years
Automobile manufacturers recommend service intervals based on distance or time, such as every 15,000 miles or every 24 months, among other things. The time restriction only applies if you haven’t covered the required distance in the allotted time.
Drain and Flush the Cooling System On Your New Car
This problem can be solved by a coolant flush. It’s basically a blood transfusion to your cooling system. Draining the radiator can remove most of the antifreeze, but it could also leave behind coolant and contaminants that could mix with your antifreeze and lead to overheating. Coolant is essential for your vehicle’s operation. It keeps your engine temperatures down. You may need to flush your coolant if your engine temperature is constantly high or your engine heats up frequently.
Change the Automatic-Transmission Fluid
In automatic transmissions/transaxles, the recommended service interval is Around every 30,000 miles or for 30 months. Check your service manual or owner’s manual to find out more about your vehicle’s particulars. If your dipstick shows a dark or burned-smelling fluid, you should change the automatic transmission fluid (ATF). Over time, transmission fluid becomes less effective. You should change your transmission fluid often enough to avoid any damage. This will raise the operating temperature of your transmission and increase the pressure on the transmission fluid.
Replace the Drive Belts and Hoses
New car cooling, charging and air conditioning systems are dependent on the functioning of its hoses and belts. Flexible rubber compounds are used to make hoses. They are designed to absorb vibrations encountered during driving. Experts recommend every 4 years, replace your hoses. It is important to inspect your vehicle’s belts and hoses and have them replaced before they fail. This will prevent costly breakdowns.
Change the Timing Belt On Your New Car
Timing belts are similar to engine drive belts but have teeth. Timing chains are metal timing chains that connect the crankshaft gears, and the camshaft has been replaced by timing belts in many engines. Timing belts should be maintained. They can fail suddenly and wear out. Refer to your owner’s manual. It is important to identify the type of engine that you have and the recommended replacement intervals.
Conclusion
Maintaining your new car is a prudent step to circumvent expensive repairs down the line, and is a crucial part of understanding how to maintain a new car. This assurance of vehicle reliability, regardless of how often or where you drive it, will bring tranquility to your mind. While upkeep might feel like a demanding chore for car owners initially, your diligent efforts will yield dividends over time. These strategies will guide you on how to maintain a new car in the best possible condition.