Back to the Basics: 6 Things Every Car Owner Should Know

6 Essential Tips For New Car Owners

According to statistics, 91.55% of households have access to a vehicle. But does every car user have basic knowledge of cars? As a first-time car owner, it’s easy to simply fantasize about hitting the road. However, after buying a car, you must consider plenty of nitty-gritty details — at least if you care about making the most of your vehicle.

From vehicle maintenance to obtaining a good arsenal of resources, there’s plenty to consider after purchasing your first vehicle. So keep reading to learn about six things every car owner should know.

1. Car Maintenance

Owning a car is only half the battle. The other is maintaining it, ensuring that you keep it in tip-top shape for as long as possible. Even if it’s brand new, you could drive it to ruin by evading car maintenance.

You shouldn’t maintain your Kia at sporadic intervals, either. Instead, you should be performing car maintenance regularly. This will cost money, so don’t blow your budget on your car. Budget aside maintenance funds to make the most of your prospective vehicle. Maintenance is especially important for those that want to eventually sell their vehicle for a minty price.

Not only that, but most vehicle warranty guidelines require preventative maintenance. If you don’t follow them through, you could void your warranty. Here are a few areas of your vehicle you should be regularly performing maintenance on:

• Brake fluid
• Coolant
• Engine oil
• Steering systems
• Windshield wipers
• Brake pads
• Spark plugs
• Air/fluid filters

Related: Common Repairs on Reliable Cars

2. Jumpstarting a Battery

No one can predict exactly if and when their car battery will die. Therefore, every car owner should know how to jumpstart their car battery. You can’t always rely on a passing stranger to know you. Luckily, jumpstarting a Kia’s battery is simple. After you call a friend out or get the attention of a friendly passing stranger, here’s how to do it:

• Attach a red clamp to the positive terminal of the dead battery
• Attach the other red clamp to the positive terminal of the live battery
• Attach the black clamp to the negative terminal of the live battery
• Attach the final clamp to the metal surface of the dead car’s engine block (doing so prevents sparking)
• Turn on the live car, which should jumpstart the dead car
• Wait for at least half an hour to charge the battery

Knowing this much can prevent you from being stranded for hours on a highway. Just make sure you keep the necessary clamps in the trunk of your car.

3. Getting a Good Mechanic

Committing to a great mechanic can save you a lot of trouble. However, it’s not always easy for first-time Kia owners to identify a good mechanic. Most people abide by their friends and family members’ recommendations. But they could also search online for reputable car mechanic businesses. It’s easy to look up most businesses’ Google reviews, so start there.

You could also search for specific keywords within these reviews, particularly those that relate to the service you’re searching for. Doing so will help you understand the likelihood of getting quality maintenance.

Once you find a good mechanic, it also helps to explain your problems adequately. Of course, they can inspect and diagnose your issue themselves, but it’s much faster to offer detailed observations on the get-go and help them fix your problem sooner.

4. Deep Reading Study Guide Manual

Passing your driver’s test may not be enough to drive your car. At least, to drive without surprises. Every car is different, and your Kia might have a different suggested maintenance schedule than most other cars. Your dashboard warning lights may also look different, critical for urgent repairs and safe driving.

If caught unaware, you could inadvertently ignore your vehicle’s indications for necessary repairs. Doing so can run your car down or cause it to malfunction during a drive. You could incur steep costs at the very least and potentially risk the safety of anyone inside your vehicle.

Learn More: The Ultimate Car Accident Checklist

5. Keeping a Spare Tire

It’s essential to be prepared for anything, including a punctured tire. Who knows? You might drive over a spike, commute through rugged terrain, or speed through a ton of broken glass. Either way, you want to keep a spare tire around. But every car owner should know how to change their tires and maintain the appropriate tire-changing tools handy.

6. Learning Good Driving Habits Early On

Regular maintenance and not getting into accidents isn’t the only way to prolong your vehicle’s lifespan. Your driving habits can make a massive difference to your Kia and could also prevent accidents.

Smooth driving isn’t only helpful in avoiding vertigo. It can also sustain the durability of your vehicle’s parts, which would otherwise wear down with the cumulative impact of a constantly jolting vehicle.

Another great tip is to come to a full stop before shifting your gear, whether that be to drive, reverse, or park. Otherwise, you could risk early transmission failure. It’s also important to try and steer only when your car isn’t moving. Steering while your car isn’t moving could place too much pressure on your steering rack and its components, risking steering rack failure.

Tips Every Car Owner Should Know

After internalizing these tips and facts, you’ll be ready to cruise by in any car. So come back to this guide on six things every car owner should know whenever you need a refresher.

At Burlington Kia, we’re determined to offer car owners their perfect vehicle. That is why we have a wide selection of vehicles, including those that are custom-ordered, new, used, and more! Feel free to come into our dealership or contact us to learn more first!