I’m often asked this question and I tell them that every Car Maker provides a ‘Preventive Maintenance Program’ in its ‘Owners Handbook’ that comes with it - which lays down a detailed recommendation on time-bound as well as distance-bound basis. Execution of these in toto at a competent and well- equipped Authorised Workshop is your best insurance towards its reliability.
Next comes ‘how to get maximum mileage out of it’. Well, the logic is simple i.e. by ensuring that all the above ‘PMPs’ are done well and in time. In addition -
- Maintain correct Tyre Pressures by checking/resetting once a week when ‘cold’, using a reliable Gauge,
- Ensure correct Wheel Alignment by checking once every 10,000 kms,
- Restore ‘Dynamic Wheel Balance’ of all the 4-Road Wheels every 5,000 kms if not earlier on ‘SOS’ basis - such as after a puncture repair,
- Avoid short runs to the extent possible, and above all
- Drive sensibly and in correct gear all the time - without any ‘Jack-Rabbit’ starts and stops.
Quite often, overly cost conscious owners mislead further by their ignorant road-side mechanics act penny-wise-pound-foolish, by questioning the very basics of present day car designs. For example ‘what purpose does ‘Coolant’ Serve and is it necessary to use it’! I must confess that I’m at a loss at such ones, though I try and recover my composure as quickly as possible.
The logic here is that the present generation Car Engines are high performance ‘precision machines’ with complex and narrow Coolant Circulation Passages within. Use of a good quality Coolant ensures they stay ‘corrosion and scale-free’ for a long time and lubricate the Water-pump internals as well. If not, you can rest assured that your car will start overheating at the slightest provocation. For best results, only distilled water should be used to dilute the ‘coolant-Concentrate’ to the recommended level. Coolants, like Gearbox Oils, have a life too and should be regularly replaced as recommended in your car’s ‘PMP’.
hen there are some other features of present day cars that baffle not only their first time owners but their friendly road-side mechanics also - such as “my Car heats-up very fast and runs much hotter than my earlier Cars of the ’70s. My Mechanic tells me to remove the ‘thermostat valve’ from the Cooling System”.
Nothing could be farther from truth and asking for trouble. The present generation Cars are ‘designed’ to run between 85-95*C for maximum fuel-efficiency and reducing exhaust pollutants to a minimum when the engine is below its designed operating temperature. The purpose of the Thermostat Valve is to ensure that these two requirements are met silently and that too regardless of the Ambient Temperature outside.
Then there are some others, such as ‘when should I use the 5th-Gear’. The answer is that 5th gear is a ‘cruise gear’ and in most cars, depending on their ‘cc’, one can comfortably get into it at speeds ~ 50 kph. It relaxes the engine by ~ 20% and affects the fuel consumption (and pick-up) accordingly. However, there’s no point in getting into the 5th gear unless one can sustain it for atleast a km or two. Otherwise, one will be shifting 5th and 4th/3rd all the time. This will waste more fuel than saving and prematurely wear off the Clutch and the Gearbox also at the same time.
Last but not the least, in these days of driving in the ‘fast-lane’ when people have no time even for a breakfast before dashing off to work, most tend to forget some basic daily checks on a car that hardly take a minute but can save hours by the road side in case of an avoidable breakdown. Here’s what one should do as a habit -
- look at all the 4-tyres to see they appear properly inflated,
- if one can see the car’s undersides while approaching from a distance, see if it has dropped any significant oil or other fluids overnight. If not, then after moving it off but before taking off for good,
- smell for any petrol or oil odours inside before starting the engine,
- after starting, wait for atleast 10-secs for it to fully ’stabilise’ electrically as well as mechanically before vrooming off. Look out for any unusual noises/vibrations during this time and
- ensure all lights incl cabin are switched off while parking during the day and at night for good. Otherwise, be prepared for a flat battery to greet you when you try to start it the next time!
Also read:
Smells in a car
Noises in a car
