A vehicle’s life depends on how well you maintain it. But sometimes, you can visit your mechanic’s shop for a simple repair, only to end up with a string of things wrong with your car. Unfortunately, this is a common problem for car owners.
If you find yourself there, what should you do? What repairs should you make first if you are on a budget?
Here is how you should prioritize car maintenance:
Car repairs to do immediately
Some car problems will be direr than others. Therefore, it makes sense to sort them out before anything else. These repairs affect parts that could potentially compromise your vehicle’s safety.
Some of these repairs include:
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Replacing old, worn-out tires
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Replacing worn-out brake pads with new ones
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Changing fluids in your car like a radiator, transmission, brake, and power steering fluids
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Replacing essential components needed to keep your car running like serpentine belts and alternators
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Fixing rod bearings to avoid catastrophic engine failures
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Fixing your lights- whether you are repairing headlights, brake, turn signal or reverse lights, you should not postpone this.
Next necessary steps
Making repairs in some cases may not be enough on its own. For instance, replacing your tires may be urgent, but if you skip your wheel alignment step, you will be back at the mechanic’s shop before your brake fluid needs changing.
So, after making the repairs above, follow up with:
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A strut repair
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Fuel filter change
Repairs you can postpone
If you don’t have money and can’t make all repairs on the same day, there are some components you can deal with. For instance, if your mechanic tells you that the tires are worn out but still have a tread with a firm grip, there is no need to forego replacing your transmission fluid for new wheels.
Other similar cases include:
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Repairing emission quality issues
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Fixing a broken air conditioning unit
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Stopping engine knocks due to piston slap or wrist pins
Conclusion
A good maintenance schedule is a way to go if you want to do right by your car. However, if you have been on point with maintenance, you can always consult the car owner’s manual, keep an eye on your dashboard indicators and use the right products to keep your car running for the longest time possible. Also, always ensure the fluid levels are above the minimum and keep your car clean.
You can read Scrap Car Removal’s blog section to get more important tips like these.