As well as keeping you safe, maintaining your car improves its performance and reduces the chance of facing roadside emergencies. A well-maintained vehicle that’s undergone regular professional auto detailing is also much more likely to fetch top dollar when it’s time to sell. And, although car maintenance costs aren’t always cheap, they can help you avoid very expensive surprise repairs down the road.
To enjoy all of these car maintenance advantages, though, you need to know what needs doing and how often. For example, while it’s wise to check your car’s oil, coolant, headlights and so on every month, there are other tasks that you should do once a year without fail. Keep reading for your annual car maintenance checklist.
1. Check Brakes
Every 12,000 miles or 12 months, you should check all elements of your car’s brake system. This includes brake fluid, brake linings, machine rotors, and brake pads.
There are various DIY checks you can perform to make sure your brakes are working well, including listening out for noises when your car comes to a stop and clearing out dust from your brakes. But, since your brakes are a key safety feature of your car, it’s best to have a professional check them over.
2. Renew Cabin Air Filter
You’ll find the cabin air filter somewhere underneath your car’s dashboard – usually behind the glove box. Replace this once a year to ensure a clean and safe car cabin environment for you and your passengers.
3. Replace Coolant
Coolant – also called antifreeze – keeps your car’s radiator and engine components from freezing in winter and overheating in summer. Although it’s a good idea to check your coolant levels on a regular basis, your car’s coolant supply needs a complete replacement every year. If the level seems low, check for leaks in the coolant system.
4. Rotate Tires
Your tires will wear out over time and need replacing around every five or six years. But uneven wear can cause the car to vibrate and could then lead to damage in the long term. Rotating your tires once a year makes them last longer and ensures safer driving in the meantime.
5. Get Auto Detailing
In the same way that cleaning your home’s interior and exterior extends its lifespan and protects it from further damage, auto detailing is as much about preservation as it is about aesthetics. While there’s no doubt that detailing – including cleaning vacuuming, and exterior waxing – leaves your car looking great, these tasks also protect your car’s paintwork, prevent rusting, and keep your vehicle working well.
All this makes auto detailing an essential annual car maintenance task. Although, if you can get your car detailed more often than once a year, even better!
Your Annual Car Maintenance Checklist
In the past, you might have let these car maintenance tasks slide.
But now you have this checklist to guide you, it should be a lot easier to know how and when to maintain your car with these vital annual checks and services.
Is it time you got your car detailed? Here at Detail Time, we use only the best industry products and equipment to prolong your car’s lifespan and protect your investment. To find out more, get a quote from us today!