Car Maintenance Tips
Oil changes, tune-ups and other car care tasks can easily be neglected when you have no concept of time. Instead of a regular maintenance routine, a rule of thumb approach can serve you well. Sell your car whenever:
- It starts making new noises
- It starts making strange smells (not including banana under the seat smell)
- The tires need to be changed
- You observe smoke coming from any part of the car
- The odometer reads nearly 100,000 miles
- The windshield has a few too many chips out of it
- Handles and knobs start falling off
Car Care Routines
Unfortunately, routine is the key to having a car that doesn't embarrass you on a regular basis. Until it's time to sell old Betsy, here are some tips for keeping your car sort of clean:
- Choose one day of the week to run your car through the car wash. DO NOT attempt to wash it yourself, at home or otherwise. You'll only do it every week if it's quick and easy.
- Keep Armour All wipes and Windex wipes in the car. When you're stuck in traffic, you can clean the interior. If you have backseat passengers, put them to work!
- Keep a lint roller in the car to clean the carpet and seats when you are stuck in traffic.
- Find a plastic tote that can hold the miscellaneous items that need to go with you each day (and ideally, to carry the things that should leave the car at the end of the day). The Rubbermaid Mini Flex 'N Carry, a plastic tote, works well for this purpose.
- Remember that if you are ever trapped in your car for days due to a freak accident, you'll be grateful for the cheerios, popcorn, and the long-lost bottle of water under the seat.
