Whilst cars significantly decrease in value, looking after it well can help you get the best mileage and the best resale value when you go to sell.

1. Remember that manual you received when you purchased your car? That one that is collecting dust in the glove box? No? Well perhaps it’s time that you fished it out and gave it a read through. Not all cars are the same, particularly newer ones with lots of bells and whistles, so reading your manual will give you a wealth of knowledge about your car that will help keep it in the best condition.

2. Have you ever seen the windshield glass repair ad where the driver ignores the chip and it develops into a large crack? Well the same idea applies to your car body. If it’s broken fix it. If you’ve had a minor car accident that causes damage to the car body paint ignoring it will lead to further deterioration and damage, which will end up costing you more. Scratch repair and car bodywork repairs can easily be fixed and will help improve the resale value of your car.

3. Clean house, clean mind should also apply to your car. No one wants to hitch a ride in your car if they have to wade through empty crisp packets and dirty clothes and whilst this may seem as a good way to get out of being designated driver it won’t win you any friends. Similarly the outside of your car should be cleaned and waxed regularly. Not only will this help your car look brand spanking new it will help to prevent rust. The fresh wax will also help to prevent minor scratches caused by your key chain when opening the door.

4. Check the pressure of your tyres. Having tyres that are at the right pressure, with good tread will react faster when braking. This reaction could be the difference between having to pay out for dent repair and having a near miss at the traffic lights.

5. Keep up the fluids. Most things that go wrong with the car pertain to the fluids. Popping up the bonnet every once will help you avoid headaches down the road. There are only three fluids that you should need to check; oil, coolant and windscreen wash.

I can’t stress enough the importance of checking the fluids before you embark on long trips. When I was younger my family spent two hours stuck in the car on the motorway waiting for RAC. It turned out the car had over heated due to lack of fluids. These two hours stuck in a hot car during summer have stayed with me and as such I always keep a large bottle of water handy in my own car. Whilst your car should have a 50/50 ratio of coolant to water in emergencies water can be used to substitute the coolant completely.

The author of this post writes about all things car related and currently writes about car body repairs in Manchester.

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