Many of us will have fond memories of our first vehicle even if though it was a hand me down and for a few a very good used car or a brand new one. I am currently referring to that wonderfully charismatic hand me downs. The cars that has served generations of you family well, in my case it was dad VW Bug that was passed onto me by my elder brother upon his return from college. This old rust bucket really did see better days but there were many a fond memory with her. I remember how she broke down just before I was to leave for college and upon reflection I can now see that I could have avoided all those headaches and frustrations had I just maintained her a bit better.

How to keep your vehicle running smoothly

If you have a older car make sure to get your hands a original user manual for your vehicle, ensure that the year model corresponds to yours car as there might be slight variations.
Make it a habit to regularly change the oil and oil filter on our vehicle. This is one of the easier tasks.

Make a conscious effort to do a proper check on your tyres at least once a week; this will include tyre pressure (as this has a direct impact on not only the handling of our car but also its fuel efficiency). The tyre thread is also a key factor as this corresponds to not only your safety but other road users as well.

Ensure that all the fluids on your vehicle are topped up. These fluids include the power steering, antifreeze (cooling), transmission and brake fluids. These fluids will assist that your car not only drives but stops smoothly.

If possible check all the belts on your vehicle for cracks or signs of wear. These belts could malfunction at the most inconvenient of times and could cause damage to other parts of your engine.

It is also prudent to give your electrical system a proper check; this would include all lights exterior and interior along with your dashboard lighting.

These are a few simple steps that anyone with sometime, the correct tools and owner's manual could check over a weekend. These few steps will not only help prolong the lifespan of your vehicle but would also give you piece of mind along with many years of driving pleasure