Read This if You’re Using Your Car Less Frequently These Days

July 29, 2020 8:49 pm Published by Leave your thoughts

With the COVID-19 pandemic dominating our lives, many Americans are using their cars much less frequently than normal. Since a large portion of the population is working from home, daily commutes are a thing of the past for many of us, and we don’t get to do as many recreational activities and outings. Maintaining a car that’s seeing less drive time in Salt Lake City, UT is a little different from your normal maintenance, but no less important. Here are some tips to keep in mind to keep your car in drivable shape:

  • Plan to drive for at least 20 minutes each week: The best thing you can do for your car is to take it for a spin at least once per week, for about 20 minutes or more. This keeps the battery charged and will prevent your brakes from developing rust or seizing up.
  • Use fuel stabilizer: This applies only if you’re barely driving your car at all. If you don’t expect to get through a tank of gas over the next three months, use a fuel stabilizer to keep it from breaking down. Otherwise, resist the temptation to fill your tank just because gas prices are so low—your fuel may be unusable by the time you’re back on the road.
  • Check your oil and air filters: Pop the hood every so often and check your oil on a level surface. Make sure that it’s topped off and in good condition, then check and replace the oil filter and air filters if necessary.
  • Inflate the tires: Keeping your tires inflated is an important part of keeping your car ready to get on the road. Check monthly to make sure they’re at the correct pressure, then inflate if necessary.
  • Top off your fluids: All your important fluids, like brake, transmission, motor oil, coolant, wiper fluid and antifreeze, should be topped off before you put your car away for a long period of time. This is good practice anyway, but if you think you’ll be parking the car for a month or more, it’s crucial.
  • Wash it off: It’s smart to wash your car before you park it for a while—then you can cover it to keep dirt, dust and falling objects from damaging the paint.
  • Check it before you turn it back on: If your car has been parked for a while, don’t turn it back on until you’ve checked underneath for signs of rodents, like chewed hoses or droppings, and have looked to make sure that nothing is hiding out in or around the engines. (Kittens, for example, love to crawl into engine compartments because they’re warm.)

With some careful maintenance, your car can be parked for months and still be ready to drive whenever you need to leave the house. If you find that you need assistance with your vehicle maintenance, come to AMR Auto Repair & Towing for help prepping your car for less frequent driving in Salt Lake City, UT. We look forward to serving you soon!

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