2021 is almost upon us, and that means it’s time for planning new year’s resolutions. While you may be planning to go to the gym more or eat more vegetables, have you ever thought about making new year’s resolutions for your car? Here are five easy ways to keep your car in top condition this year.

1. Get your oil changed regularly

All car owners have heard about the importance of getting regular oil changes. That isn’t just talk – oil changes help prolong the life of your car and improve the vehicle’s efficiency, saving you money over the long haul.

Check your owner’s manual to see how frequently oil changes are recommended for your vehicle. Alternately, give T3 Atlanta a call and we’ll be able to provide answers based on your vehicle make, age, and your personal driving habits.

2. Keep your car on its maintenance schedule

Your car maintenance schedule is effectively a list of recommended maintenance checkpoints that should be done throughout the year. Oil changes, tire inflations, fluid changes, and key component checks and/or repairs are just a few of the items that are on an average schedule.

Sticking to your maintenance schedule will not only help keep your car running smoothly, it will extend the lifespan of your vehicle and help preserve its resale value.

3. Wash your car

Washing your car may not do anything for the health of your engine or the vehicle’s components, but there are several benefits of giving your car a good scrub-down.

The biggest reason to wash and wax your car is, of course, to protect the paint from getting damaged. Not only does your vehicle look better, it will help with the resale value.

Car washes typically include a coat of wax. This isn’t just to make your car shiny. Putting a thin coating of wax on the exterior will make rain drops bead off of your windows, improving your visibility while you are driving in the rain.

If nothing else, a car wash will make your ride look great!

4. Make sure to winterize (and de-winterize) your vehicle

‘Winterizing’ your vehicle is the process of getting your vehicle ready for colder months. This typically involves replacing your windshield wipers, checking your tire tread, installing snow tires on your car (if you need them), checking your coolant and other fluids, adding antifreeze where necessary, and so on. It’s recommended to winterize your vehicle in the fall, before the weather gets too cold.

On the flip side, remember to de-winterize your vehicle this spring in preparation for summer.

5. Use the right kind of gas in your vehicle

It can be tempting to use the cheapest option at the fuel pump, especially with gas prices so high these days. However, the engineers who designed your car optimized the engine around a specific octane – the amount of pressure needed for fuel to combust – for a reason.

In general, putting high octane fuel into a car that runs on low octane fuel won’t hurt the vehicle. However, expensive fuel won’t give your car any additional benefits, either. Putting low octane gas into an engine that requires high octane fuel, on the other hand, can cause pinging, decrease fuel efficiency, and lead to other preventable issues.

Let T3 Atlanta Help You Keep Your New Year’s Resolutions For Your Car

These five easy resolutions can help keep your car working at its best, making sure you stay on the road instead of waiting for a tow truck. T3 Atlanta provides comprehensive auto service for Nissan, Lexus, Infiniti, and Toyota vehicles at our convenient Smyrna and Decatur locations. Give us a call and we’ll pen you in for an appointment!