The majority of car owners in India need to be made aware of the schedules for maintaining their vehicles. The owners either follow the advice of the dealer or their local garage. This would have been fine in an ideal situation, but it’s not an ideal one. The average car owner, like many others, is always looking to make a quick buck.
Here are a few tips to keep in mind while servicing your vehicle:
A ~… In general, the procedure is to replace the oil and oil filter in the engine.
~… Drain the oil completely before adding new oil.
~… Confirm that the grade is optimal as recommended by the manufacturer.
~… When you go to an independent garage for service, make sure you bring the OEM (manufacturer-recommended brand and grade) filter.
~… Avoid falling for the cheap spares. They may need to be more standard. Watch out for fake spares. Only buy spare parts from reliable sources.
~… Check for any free play on the clutch pedal, and adjust as needed. The majority of vehicles in India are equipped with maintenance-free clutch assemblies. They must be handled according to the manufacturer’s guidelines.
~… Inspect the brake pads and replace them if necessary. Check for leaks.
a ~… Carefully align and balance your wheels every 5,000 & 10,000 km. They not only prolong the tire’s life but also reduce the load on other wheels and suspension components, thereby saving unnecessary costs. It is best to go with an independent, trusted alignment service rather than your company dealer. These are often overpriced and outsource their work to third parties. Even worse, the customer may have been charged for a job that was not completed. It is always better to hire a specialist who does alignments all day.
~… Lubricate all key components, such as door stops and clips. Check the wiper washer fluid level & add as needed.
~… Check & replace worn-out wiper blades. This small expense is often overlooked by owners who don’t realize that a worn-out wiper blade can cause irreparable damage to the windshield.