<p>After buying a car, performing regular maintenance is critical to ensure its longevity, safety, and drivability.</p>
<p>Evidently, visiting an authorized dealer once in a while is imperative if you want to make sure that your vehicle is well taken care of.</p>
<p>If you own a Volkswagen car, for example, only a professional working at an authorized Volkswagen service center can identify and solve specific malfunctions.</p>
<p>However, there are several maintenance tasks that you can do yourself. These include:</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter" title="Volkswagen service center" alt="" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3065/2988982283_77ed9684ce.jpg" width="535" height="335" /></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Car Washing: </strong></li>
</ul>
<p>While frequent washing helps you maintain your car in good condition, failing to do it the right way may trigger unwanted repercussions.</p>
<p>For instance, if you use a high-pressure hose very close to rubberized parts, the pressure can rip them off.</p>
<p>Additionally, washing your car too often with detergent can dilute lubricants and deteriorate rubber and plastic parts, such as cables.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Oil/Oil Filter Replacement:</strong></li>
</ul>
<p>If you forget to check and replace your oil and oil filter, your car will eventually become noisy and stop working.</p>
<p>If you don’t know how to change your oil and oil filter, ask a mechanic to show you.</p>
<p>Typically, the oil must be changed every 5,000 miles and the oil filter replaced every 10,000 miles.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Replacement of Other Fluids: </strong></li>
</ul>
<p>Besides oil, your car needs brake fluid, windshield washer fluid, transmission fluid,</p>
<p>power steering fluid, and coolant fluid to function. Make sure that you check all these fluids once a week and replace them as needed.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Fuel Filter Replacement:</strong></li>
</ul>
<p>Changing the fuel filter yourself is quite difficult. However, it can be done once you learn the dos and don’ts.</p>
<p>If you own a high-mileage vehicle, don’t forget to replace the fuel filter annually.</p>
<p>This can help you prevent rust and debris from accumulating inside the fuel tank, which minimizes the risk of plugging.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Tire Inspection and Replacement:</strong></li>
</ul>
<p>Check your tires on a regular basis to see whether they’re properly inflated or not.</p>
<p>Before doing this, be aware that the companies manufacturing tires recommend a certain pressure level for their products.</p>
<p>Additionally, check your tires for tread-wear indicators. If you don’t know how these indicators look like,</p>
<p>approach a local tire dealer who can show you the elements you need to check when inspecting a tire.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Brakes and Battery Inspection </strong></li>
</ul>
<p>The latest car models come along with braking systems that have to be replaced periodically.</p>
<p>Although you can learn how to do this yourself, it’s crucial to have your brakes checked by a professional who can tell you whether they function properly or not.</p>
<p>Most manufacturers advise drivers to check brakes once a month and replace them right away if problems are detected. The battery is another important component of a car.</p>
<p>To avoid certain malfunctions, check your battery once a month for corrosion and clean it as needed.</p>
<p>When you battery gets old, replace it with a new one, and check the distributor and alternator to make sure that they&#8217;re still working.</p>
<p>Some other things you should inspect include the safety belts, lights, windshield, windshield wipers, and emission control system.</p>
<p>If something seems to be wrong, approach a professional as soon as possible.</p>
<p>If you own a Volkswagen car, never forget that only the professionals working at an authorized Volkswagen service centerhave the expertise, skills, and tools to provide complete service for your car.</p>
<h5>Featured images:</h5>
<p><span class="license">License: Creative Commons</span></p>
<p><span class="source">image source</span></p>
<p>Ashely is a new writer that is a diehard Volkswagen driver. To see more, follow her on Twitter @ashelymarie1985.</p>

How To Maintain Your Bug
