Ways To Maintain Your Car During Lockdown

Due to the current lockdowns and restrictions in place, you may not be able to drive your car as often as you used to anytime soon. For the most part, the only reason you may have to use it is to go out for groceries and other essentials. Despite this, your car still needs to be maintained regularly to run when you need it. Even if you’re not using it right now, what happens when you finally need it eventually? What if it breaks down due to not receiving proper care and maintenance?

With this, we’ve compiled a list of necessary car maintenance even in the event of a lockdown.

Have a car insurance ready

This may seem trivial at first due to it not being immediately related to maintenance. However, a good car insurance policy in the Philippines is a great investment in the long run. It can provide financial assistance and coverage in the event of an accident or damage. Some of the best car insurance policies in the Philippines also offer access to accredited repair shops, so you don’t need to search high and low for one. Insurance will make maintenance and repairs easier amid lockdown.

Go for a drive at least once a week

Going out to drive your car at least once a week has a lot of benefits to its overall health. For one, it can prevent your battery from dying by avoiding it from discharging. It also keeps the engine and other inner parts well-lubricated so that they can make your car run properly. Moreover, driving it at least once a week keeps your gas fresh, avoiding any complications caused by bad gas in your tank. Make it a habit to go around your subdivision weekly to prevent issues related to lack of use.

Change gas regularly

As mentioned earlier, having bad gas in your tank can cause complications. Not replacing it with fresh gas will result in operational problems, as well as internal damages. By going on a weekly drive and changing your gas regularly after a while, you prevent it from stagnating inside. Make sure you top off the gas as well to prevent condensation, water contamination, or corrosion.

Check for any flat tires

Just because you’re not going out daily or even weekly doesn’t mean your tires can’t go flat. On the contrary, lack of use can cause the tires to lose pressure and flatten after a while. By doing maintenance checks, you can spot flat tires and have them replaced immediately. But if you want to avoid tires flattening from lack of use altogether, refer to item #1 and go on weekly drives so your car can still get some usage.

Avoid using the handbrake when parked on a flat surface

If your garage floor is a flat surface, it’s recommended not to have the handbrake engaged. Keeping it on for too long will cause the brake pads and rotor to get stuck due to rust eventually. This will, in turn, jam it and make it harder to disengage. Use a tire stopper instead of the handbrake if possible, especially when not parked on a steep surface.

Clean your car

Even with you not using your car often, it can still accumulate dust over time. Make sure you wash your vehicle at least once a week so that it’s ready to go in case you have to use it. Make sure you clean the interiors and air it out to remove any odors that have accumulated inside.

Store your car under a roofed garage

Lastly, keeping your ride protected from external elements such as harsh sunlight, heavy rain, or other calamities can help avoid damages to the exterior. The sunlight can degrade the quality of the paint, while heavy rains can make your vehicle dirty or even break the glass if a stray flying branch falls on it. By keeping it under a roof, you can steer it away from harm. But if it does get damaged from natural calamities, a car insurance in the Philippines with an Acts of God coverage can compensate for the needed repairs.

Follow the tips above to ensure your car’s good health is preserved even with inactivity during the pandemic. By remembering these pointers and getting the best car insurance in the Philippines, you can protect your vehicle more efficiently. And once these lockdowns are over and you can travel more freely, your ride will be there working perfectly and ready to take you anywhere.