Mechanics are dedicated to carrying out repairs on cars and, precisely for this reason, they see many breakdowns every day that could have been avoided – or, at least, postponed – if the previous maintenance of the vehicle had been adequate. We must not forget that driving habits and car care are vital when it comes to extending its useful life and ensuring that its elements remain in good condition.
In this regard, there are certain practices that a mechanic would never do with his own car. The American edition of HuffPost compiles the 10 commandments of this trade for the maintenance of your own vehicles.
Mechanic Bogi Lateiner emphasizes that “preventive maintenance will always be less expensive than repair.” Therefore, we should not ignore aspects such as regular oil changes, to cite an example.
Robin Reneau, also a mechanic, advises not to trust the oil change reminder, since the appropriate frequency will really depend on the distances traveled, driving habits and even weather conditions. Therefore, she recommends checking the level and condition of the car's oil regularly, to determine when it is appropriate to change it.
Original parts are specially manufactured by the manufacturer for each vehicle in question, which is not the case with other cheaper spare parts. In the long run, this can cost you more, as mechanic Grace Claudio warns HuffPost.
If you use fuels other than those designed for your car, it will cause major repair problems. "This applies to the coolant, the oil and the type of fuel used," specifies Bogi Lateiner.
Lateiner also advises against using products that promise to stop leaks in engine oil, coolant, power steering fluid, and from flat tires. He says this is a temporary solution that causes “more harm than good.”
Cheyenne Ruether, master body technician, urges painting the vehicle instead of wrapping it in vinyl films, especially in places with hot, sunny climates. This is because extreme sun rays can cause cracking or peeling of the car wrap.
If you do this and do not adjust it correctly, you run the risk of the mat getting stuck behind the brake or accelerator, putting you in a dangerous situation.
Lateiner insists to HuffPost the importance of obeying car warning codes. "That's the only way the car has to tell us that something is wrong, before it becomes so bad that we stay off the road," the mechanic emphasizes.
Replacing old tires with used ones, even if they seem in good condition, is a mistake. The best thing to do is to check the safety of the tire and change it at the appropriate frequency.
"The more precise the information they can give us, the faster we can get to the real problem, because they won't send us on a wild goose chase," concludes Lateiner.
