New Year's Resolutions For Your Car
As the year is coming to an end, we've put together some New Year's Resolutions for you and your car to kickstart a positive new year! January marks the time for fresh starts and new beginnings but instead of focusing on the cliche New Year’s Resolutions of trying to lose weight or kicking a bad habit, why not pick some you can keep past mid-February? Perhaps it’s time to give your waistband a break and set some resolutions you’ll be able to keep all year round.
Your vehicle is something you’ll use every day, no doubt, so improving your maintenance routine or driving habits is never a bad thing! We’ve got the perfect resolutions to help you along the way in 2021.
If you struggle to keep up with your car maintenance, check out these 5 resolutions to keep your car in tip top condition.
Clean Your Car
How many times have you told yourself that you’re going to clean your car tomorrow but it’s still not done two weeks later? You know that the longer you leave your car, the worse it’s going to be and the less you’re going to want to clean it. So how do you get over it?
Start off with a deep clean at the start of January, empty out your entire car; glove box, boot, the lot! Take a look at everything in front of you and get rid of anything you don’t need - be strict with yourself. You definitely don’t need that beach towel in the middle of winter. Whilst everything is out of your vehicle, it’s the perfect opportunity to hoover your car from top to bottom. Why not get 10% off Halfords cleaning products and stock up on everything you need!
Now your car is sparkling clean, set yourself a routine to do this every other weekend. The more regularly you keep up with it, the shorter the job will be!
Change Your Car Oil
Nothing is more important than keeping your engine healthy, and you can do this by ensuring your oil is topped up and changed when it's required. We know oil isn’t the most exciting thing to spend your money on, but spending a little every so often can save you hundreds, or even thousands, if your engine fails in the future.
After you’ve travelled a few thousand miles, your oil will become dirty which could damage and cause wear to your engine. We recommend changing your oil every six months or 5,000 miles to ensure the amount of wear is reduced. Twice a year! Now that’s an easy resolution to keep.
Check Your Tyres
This certainly isn’t a long job but can help prevent premature wear and tear. We recommend checking your tyre pressure and tread fortnightly to keep give you the best chance at avoiding a flat tyre.
To check the pressure of your tyres you can either purchase your own pressure gauge or visit your local petrol station (as almost all have one). Simply unscrew the cap on your pressure valve and firmly insert the gauge - shortly after you should receive a reading. Checking your tread depth is even easier, all you need is a 20 pence piece. Simply insert the 20p into the main grooves of your tyre and if the edge disappears, then your tyres have enough tread depth.
Why not take out MotorEasy's Tyre Insurance to keep you driving smoothly throughout 2020.
Stick To Your Service Schedule
Keeping to your cars service schedule can save you money on repair bills as well as helping you sell your vehicle in the future, as the condition will be kept to a high standard.
You’ll be able to find your service schedule in your manufacturer’s guide, and sticking to this allows any potential underlying faults to be identified, which can save you money in the long run. If you’re wanting to sell your car any potential buyers will be able to view that the service history has been kept up to date and can improve the selling price of your vehicle.
Protect Your Car
No matter what the year is, there’s still a chance that your car can run into trouble - and the repair bills can make a large hole in your pocket. So why not make sure your car is protected with a range of MotorEasy products. You'll find paying a small amount now can help save you both time and money in the future.
Our instant warranty cover can help keep those expensive repair bills down and you'll have peace of mind knowing your car is protected throughout the year. Don’t stop there though, consider MotorEasy’s Alloy, Tyre and Cosmetic Repair Insurance to keep your bodywork looking good as new. We know how scary a write-off can be so help bridge the gap of your insurer’s payout with MotorEasy GAP Insurance.
Now you’ve got your car’s resolutions taken care of, it’s time to think about you and how you’re going to change your driving habits.
Control Your Road Rage
We’re all guilty of it; you find yourself in a rush, stuck in traffic and surrounded by terrible drivers! Getting angry and beeping your horn might feel good in the moment but it’s solving nothing and just putting everyone in a bad mood.
Set yourself a resolution this year of trying to keep that road rage to a minimum and be more patient with others on the road. After all, they’re probably in just as frustrated as you are. If you find yourself rushing and that’s the cause of your anger then consider leaving 10/15 minutes earlier than you would normally. The roads are likely to be less congested, reducing the likelihood of road rage.
Drive Safely
Driving safely won’t just benefit your car, but also keeps everyone else on the road at less risk of danger. Keeping the revs on your vehicle low and obeying speed limits can help save you fuel and prevent your clutch from burning out. Driving slower also allows you to be more aware of obstructions and obstacles in the road such as potholes, you’ll have more time to react to them and prevent tyre or suspension damage.
Sticking to speed limits and avoiding aggressive braking also improves the safety of others around you. You’ll be able to judge the correct stopping and braking distances more effectively, and will allow the drivers around you to react better if you’re driving the appropriate speed.
Reduce Your Carbon Footprint
Doing our bit for the environment is extremely important in the times we live in, so why don’t you make a difference with your driving? Electric vehicles are becoming more and more popular with a range of manufacturers jumping on the trend. If electric is too big of a jump for you, why don’t you try a hybrid vehicle? Check out our Electric Vehicle/Hybrid warranty to give you ultimate peace of mind against expensive repairs.
Save Up For Your New Car
Either you feel it’s time to get rid of that old banger you’ve been driving for years or you’re just bored of your current motor, 2021 might be the time to treat yourself.
If you don’t have the patience to save up, why not take a look at MotorEasy’s car finance options. We’ll compare over 90 lending options in just 2 minutes to find the cheapest option, so you can start 2022 in style.
