Car Maintenance Tips

The most important part of making sure your used car lasts the extra mile is by making sure it’s well taken care of. The articles in this category offer a variety of handy tips, tricks, and resources to help you maintain and look after your car, whether through DIY or a trip to the mechanic. These guides include improving your fuel economy, what kind of oil is best for your car, when to change your battery, and what noises to look out for that might indicate your car may be in trouble.

Summer Maintenance Tips to Keep Your Ride in Top Shape

September 7, 2023August 18, 2016

Depending on where you live in the world, seasonal changes throughout the years can range from mild to wild. In the Northern Hemisphere, temperatures can range as low as -20 °F (-29 °C), in the winter, to as high as 100 °F (38 °C), in the summer, in the same region! North American Vermont is said to have two seasons, mud and snow, thanks to copious amounts of precipitation and heavy forest cover. On the other hand, Kenya, like most African countries, essentially has only two seasons, dry and wet.

No matter what season, however, each presents special challenges for driver and vehicle, alike. Different seasons can tax your engine, electrical system, tires, brakes, and driver, not to mention paint and glass, in different ways. Here are some tips to prepare your vehicle for whatever conditions you may face, no matter what season.

Car Radiators: What Are They and How to Maintain Them

September 7, 2023February 9, 2016

A car’s engine continuously heats up while in use, and if it becomes close to a dangerously high temperature there is a risk of a sudden explosion. Therefore, it is necessary to cool it down to a suitable temperature such as between 80 and 100 degrees Celsius, and this is where the radiator comes into play—it helps to cool down the engine to an appropriate temperature. Most modern engines are water-cooled in general, except some are air-cooled or electric cars such as with the Nissan Leaf. Here, we break down the components of a water-cooled engine radiator as well as how to maintain it.

Maintenance Tips for the Everyman

September 7, 2023January 4, 2016

You do not have to spend a ton of money on car care. How do we know this? It is quite simple. You just need to think a bit outside the box and find out what you can do to avoid several trips to the car care shop. Mostly, you will find that you don’t have to buy any extraordinary products. You will be happy to know that you can use most of the items that are readily available at home. This is not genius stuff, but then, why didn’t you ever think of it before? Here are some of the money-saving car hacks for everyone who isn’t afraid to get their hands dirty….

How Important Are Your Tires? Have You Looked At Them Lately?

April 16, 2015

When asked about the last time you thought about your tires, your answer probably falls into one of three categories, regarding how much it cost to replace them the last time, the last time you had a flat tire, or if you happened to notice that one of your tires was low. Considering that your tires are your only contact with the road, it only makes sense that we really should be paying more attention to them!

These Five Fuel Saving Tips Won’t Cost You Anything Extra!

April 14, 2015

When it comes to the running costs of your car, it all relates to car maintenance and fuel economy, aside from car and insurance payments and any unforeseen repairs, of course. Regular car maintenance is important, because it keeps your car running reliably, so you should plan to change your engine oil and oil filter regularly, typically every 5,000 miles or six months, as well as watch for other necessary maintenance items, such as intake air filter condition, automatic transmission fluid level and condition, and engine coolant level and condition, to name a few. To save money, there are a few of these things that you can do yourself, with a few tools and a little bit of patience.

On the other hand, while car maintenance has a small part to play in your fuel economy, it really can’t fundamentally change the car itself. For example, you’d be hard-pressed to squeeze the same number of miles per gallon out of a six-cylinder sport utility vehicle as you could from a four-cylinder compact car. If you really want to improve fuel economy, you’d most-likely have to buy an economy car or a hybrid car. The problem is that, maybe you can’t afford a hybrid car right now, or they don’t even sell hybrid cars in your market. Is there anything you can do to improve your fuel economy in your current car without spending a lot of money?

Really, it all boils down to driver habits and proper car maintenance, and these five tips can save you a lot on refueling costs.

Going Off Road? 9 Maintenance Tips to Keep Your Ride in Top Shape!

July 18, 2024April 14, 2015

Off-roading is more than splashing a little bit of mud up onto your bonnet. It is churning sand, throwing mud, climbing rocks, skirting around trees, and fording streams. Going off-road is a way of life, a mantra, a means of being. In a way, you must commune with the terrain around you and know the capabilities and limitations of your ride.

Often, regular vehicle maintenance will help you avoid breaking down while enjoying a weekend off-road and warn you of an impending repair before it becomes critical or damages other areas of your car. With this, here are 9 maintenance tips for going off-road that will help you keep your 4×4 out of the repair shop and in the dirt where it belongs.

Car Dashboard Care and Repair

June 25, 2024March 7, 2015

Your car dashboard holds many of the gauges and warning lights that give you a glimpse into the health of your engine and essentials, as well as the state of things like speed. Keeping a keen eye on the dashboard will alert you to many problems and you can have them taken care of before they can escalate. We already ran an article on the dashboard warning lights and what they mean, but this time round, we are looking at the common dashboard problems.

Eco-Optimize Your Existing Car — Save Money and The Environment

September 7, 2023February 20, 2015

Almost everywhere you go, cars are a pretty big thing. Cars enable us to move from place to place, whether for work, school, or play. Cars also enable us to carry things from place to place, such as moving to another town or country, or bringing back the day’s haul from the market. This convenience, however, comes with a complicated price.

Not only do you need to buy and insure the car, but you also have to refuel it. Depending on vehicle age, type, and condition, refueling can be an expensive proposition. For example, let’s compare a new Toyota Prius hybrid electric vehicle, which gets over 50 miles per gallon, with an older model Toyota HiLux, which may get less than 20 miles per gallon.

Sounds Like Trouble — Car Noises to Listen For

September 7, 2023July 3, 2014

It’s easy to compare the performance of a car to that of a human body. Whenever something is not functioning correctly in the car, there are usually telltale symptoms such as the squealing of brakes. Of course, all cars emit some sort of sound, whether they are straight from the factory or have several thousand kilometers worth of mileage. The art, therefore, lies in deciphering normal car noises from worrisome car noises. More often than not, the noises worth paying particular attention to will be irregular, signaling a problem with the car. They include screeching, knocking, grinding, squealing, and scraping.

Keeping Your Toyota Air Filter in Check

September 7, 2023July 1, 2014

Air filters prevent the entry of dirt, dust, and other impurities into the engine’s cylinders. Whether it is in a vehicle or a ventilation system, such as an air conditioner, the air filter works to achieve the same goal—filtering out the tangible impurities in the air before the air enters the machine’s mechanical compartment. The average Toyota car should have two kinds of air filters, which are the cabin air filter and the engine air filter.