4 Cost-effective ways to update and improve your car

If you are a car lover, I’m sure that the sound of a car engine and the smell of gasoline gets you up every morning. Most of the time, you would spend money on improving your vehicle for user-friendliness, upgradeability, or even just for aesthetic purposes.

If you are not a car enthusiast, you might say that the vehicle that you purchased is fine as it is. There is nothing wrong with that, but there will come a time that you will need improvement for your vehicle. If ever you want or need one, here are four cost-effective car upgrades.

1) Change your car oil

Changing your oil should be done before the end of oil change intervals your car manufacturer has provided. Most of the time, they will tell you that you should change your oil every 5,000 kilometers. Although, there are car manufacturers that recommend 10,000-24,000 kilometers mileage before having your oil changed.

Engine oils act as a lubricant and a tool for heat absorber to engines when their gears rub against each other. As time passes, these engine oils can become contaminated that causes for the effectivity of the oil to decrease. If not changed, engine oils can make the metal of the engine malfunction. That can lead to serious hassle down the road compared to the amount of time that an oil change requires which is only 30 minutes at most.

There are several benefits of changing your car oil. Engine oils make your car cleaner by removing dirt and other contaminants from your engine. Over time, sludge will build up on your engine without these oils. Having these oils make your engine cleaner.

You can go to your nearest gas station for an oil change, but you can also do it yourself if you have the necessary tools at home.

To change the oil, you need to:

1. Turn off the vehicle.
2. let the engine cool down for ten minutes (engine could cause burns if touched on a hot temperature.)
3. Install wheel blocks then jack up the vehicle using jack strands.
4. Open the hood and remove the oil cap of the engine.
5. Position a container under the engine’s drain plug (be sure that it’s huge enough to contain the oil.)
6. Under the vehicle, find the oil pan and remove the engine drain plug.
7. Let the oil drip on the container for several minutes (CAUTION: keep away from the oil.)
8. Once finished dripping, re-install the engine drain plug on the oil pan.
9. Unscrew the old oil filter and replace it with a new one.
10. Add new engine oil on the engine that you opened earlier.
11. Put the cap back on the engine then start the vehicle.
12. Run the engine for a few minutes and check if there are drips and leaks under.
13. If there are none, turn off the vehicle and let it cool down.
14. Check the dipstick if the levels are right.
15. Dispose of the old engine oil.

2) Change your tire

Cars, without their tires, are useless. Amongst all the parts of a vehicle, the tires arguably are the most used part of them. With this, you can conclude that this part is also the one easily replaced because they get worn out eventually. Over time, you should change your tires.

In choosing tires, you should consider these reasons:

• Weather conditions
• Car dependency
• Studded or non-studded tires

In choosing tires, the best option is to have all-weather tires because you can use them in all sorts of conditions. Having this kind will surely save you money and time since you do not have to change when winter or summer comes in.

If ever you’re in a situation that you need to change your tire, or just want to change for improvement, here are the steps on changing your car tires.

1. Have the parking brake
2. Install the wheel wedges to make sure your car won’t roll on the road.
3. Have jack on the jack point and raise the car on the appropriate level.
4. Remove the hub cap and loosen the lug nuts.
5. Pump or crank the jack to lift the tire off the ground.
6. Remove the nuts using a wrench.
7. Remove the tire.
8. Place the new tire on the hub and make sure the place of the bolts is aligned.
9. Tighten the nuts.
10. Lower the jack and let the wheel touch the ground.

3) Clean your car inside and out

Car maintenance involves cleaning the car’s interior and exterior. To clear the car inside, you have to have a vacuum that would suck all the dirt present on the car seats and carpeting. You can wash the carpet again to remove stains. Declutter the inside of the car and remove all items not necessary.

Twice a week, you can go to your local car wash shop to get the outside of your vehicle squeaky clean. Depending on the service, having your car’s exterior clean should not cost you a lot. Make sure that the car gets washed with car soap and waxed to maintain its color. Your local car wash may even have a vacuum, so it’s a win-win if you go to one.

4) Change your air filters

Air filters are essential to cars. Without it, the air on the air-conditioning unit of your vehicle will be contaminated with dirt. As it filtrates dust, dust accumulates on the air filters causing for your AC unit to not blow the same amount of wind. You can change your air filters on the local repair shop.

Taking care of your vehicle is a necessity. The owner should instill on his/her mind that maintenance is the key to make sure your car will be an asset and not a liability.