I just got my first car! Any tips on how to keep it clean and working well?

yournewapartment:

Car Care Tips

1. Things to keep in your car:
1. A first aid kit
2. A flashlight
3. A tire pressure gauge
4. Your registration and insurance info
5. Your car’s manual
6. Sunglasses
7. An umbrella
8. If you have a vagina- sanitary products
9. A rag or two to clean up spills
10. Napkins (you never know when you need napkins!)
2. Get your car’s oil changed regularly! Every car shop ever offers this service for around $25 and it doesn’t take very long to complete. 
3. If you live somewhere with snow, get your car’s under carriage washed throughout the winter months. Salt and chemicals are used on roads to make them more drivable, but these in turn cause the bottom of your car to rust. 
4. Speaking of car washes- get familiar with other car care services. Lots of gas stations have air pumps for you to inflate your tires. Car tires loose pressure during the winter and gain pressure in the summer due to temperature changes, so you may need to adjust your tire’s pressure  throughout the year. Many car washes have little vacuum stations where you can vacuum your car seats. 
5. Learn how to change a tire. 
6. Check engine lights are not aways deadly, but they sometimes can be! Mechanics with any common decency will run your car’s check engine code free of charge, it takes literally thirty seconds to do so. I’ve also heard that Autozone will do this as well. If your check engine light comes on, don’t just ignore it. Learn what the code is and decide if it something that needs to be addressed immediately. Do NOT put your life in jeopardy. 
7. Do NOT wait until the end of the month to get your yearly inspection completed. If your inspection is up at the end of September, go in August. You can get your inspection done early! I recommend doing this, because sometimes unexpected and expensive problems turn up. Don’t give yourself a week to come up with $500! 
8. Similarly- not all mechanics are stand up. If someone gives you an expensive quote, don’t just settle for it. Shop around and see what other mechanics say. Also, ask your friends/family who their mechanic is. A friend of mine is a tow truck driver and he recommend my current mechanic to me.
9. If your car starts suddenly smoking. 
10. Check out our other car posts:
1. Cars – Some General Advice
2. Cars – Driving Anxiety
3. Cars – Buying A Used Car