subject: General Maintenance Issues [print this page] General Maintenance Issues General Maintenance Issues
That was until I realized that the air conditioning wasn't working. Seeing as how it was a brand new car and the middle of June in North Carolina, I was none too thrilled at the prospect of having to turn right around and have something like this fixed. I should've known then that it was a sign that perhaps buying a Jeep wasn't such a good idea for me.
Not unlike the problem that I encountered with my Jeep (which was one of many problems), there are countless others out there who inevitably have issues with their car. However, unlike the problem(s) that I had with my Jeep, most of these problems can be avoided with a little preventive maintenance. Little things such as simply keeping up with oil changes, regularly checking tire pressure as well as remembering to wash your car every now and then can help to keep your car running like brand new years after it was bought. Especially if you live somewhere near the ocean, it is important to at least rinse your car off once a week. Although car manufacturers have improved the quality of paint and materials used on most vehicles, there is still the chance of buildup occurring on your vehicle due to things such as dirt, rust from ocean mists that accumulate as well as bugs, etc.
Rinsing your car off or even having it detailed can help to preserve the paint job as well as clear up any gunk that may have had the chance to start accumulating. Don't wait until it's too late because doing so will wind up costing you more money than you had originally bargained for. If you live in an apartment complex, see if there is a designated area to wash your car, or simply check around the area that you live in for a local car wash. A few years ago, I was driving my Jeep when I noticed a strange sound. Indescribable really, this sound occurred only up to a certain miles per hour in my Jeep. Once I stepped on the gas and pushed my Jeep past sixty miles per hour, I no longer heard the sound. After the sound got so bad that it was actually hurting my ears to drive, I took my Jeep in to have it looked at. It turned out that there was a massive accumulation of gunk on the undercarriage casing to my 4-wheel drive transfer case. This buildup had been accumulating ever since I had taken my Jeep off-roading on the beach in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, which was months prior to that time. I was mildly embarrassed because, admittedly, I had not washed my car in months (something which was unheard of for me). As a result, the mechanic actually had to use a blowtorch to get the buildup off of my Jeep.
It just goes to show you that keeping up with the general maintenance of your car will serve you well in the long run. Thirty bucks for an oil change every couple of months is much better than spending thousands to have something else replaced.
