Which kind of auto part and tool should one always think of having on hand? This is a question that plagues many car owners. Regular car maintenance and cleaning are important if you value your car and want to do some of that yourself. Here are five parts or tools that might be useful.
Air Filters
If you are planning a road trip or have not changed your air filter lately (every year or every 12,000 miles), this might be the first thing to tackle. Replacing an air filter is a relatively easy procedure even for beginners. Your car will run much better.
You will only need to follow a few steps if you are planning to change your car’s air filter. They include:
- Purchase a new filter – There are several places where you can buy an air filter. You could decide to get yours from an auto-car parts store or in a huge supermarket. On top of that, they are surprisingly cheap!
- Look for the car’s air filter box once you open its hood – it’s quite easy to locate the air filter compartment. It’s a black box, made from plastic which is usually next to the engine or just above it.
- Get rid of the dirty air filter – Open the black, plastic, air filter box by unhinging those metal clips holding its cover and slowly, remove the dirty filter.
- Visually inspect the old filter – it’s important to check your car’s filter box for signs which show it needs replacement. For instance, if it has a gray color with dirt inside its folds.
- Now install the new air filter – As you put in the new filter, ensure that it’s properly snug inside the box and remember to close down the clips.
Windshield Wipers
Windshield wipers are essential for rain and snow driving. They can easily wear out and sometimes break in heavy snow removal. Important to carry a spare set with you just in case. Here are the basic steps in their replacement.
- Buying a new one – This might sound pretty basic, but it’s something which you should be really keen on to avoid damaging your car. So, before you purchase one, make sure that it’s the right one for your car. This means that you will have to look at things such as the year, model and make.
- Removing the old ones. The first step is to pull up the whole wiper assembly. It should be vertical so that it allows you to see the hinges. Now, beside the hinges, you will see a small kind of tab, pull it then pull down the wiper.
- At this point, both the arm and the blade are completely separated, and you will only need to remove the blade using one of its holes.
- Installing the new wipers – fix the wiper arm through any of the appropriate blade holes. To be sure align the hole which it needs to go through, carefully adjust the hinges to make them perpendicular to the new wiper and ensure that the hook of the wiper arm goes over the hinge. You will hear and even feel a click once it’s fully snapped in. Repeat the same process in the other windshield wiper.
A Microfiber Towel
One of the simplest car wash self service tools that you need to have is a microfiber towel. Don’t use paper or bath towels as they tend to be a bit coarse and may not even dry the vehicle properly. With a microfiber towel, you can dry your car safely once you’re through cleaning it. You can find them in an auto parts store, a large car wash, and automotive sections of general and hardware stores.
Car Brush
If you’re taking a long trip, your car will gather a lot of dirt and dust especially if you are moving across a rough road. Car brushes are made from soft polymer fibers which allow you to brush off your car without leaving a single scratch. Now, when choosing the best car brushes for effective cleaning, here are the factors that you will need to keep in mind:
- The brands
- Weight
- Size and shape
- Cost and durability
- Functionality and comfort
EOBD Facile Car Diagnostic Tool
If you don’t know ‘how to reset your car computer after service,’ the EOBD facile should suit your interests. It has a simple connection process which allows you, as the user, to monitor your vehicle in actual or real time. With it you can:
- Observe all engine coding faults
- Create brand new records of your GPS data
- Clear your check engine alert light
With these five car parts or tools, you’ll hardly have any trouble with your car when it comes to repairing, cleaning, and maintenance. We recommend that you get all of them especially if you’re a travel enthusiast. They will make your journey convenient, stress-free and of course, quite enjoyable.
So, which tool do you think will suit your needs best? Do you have any previous experience using any of them? Let us know in the comments!
Carlos travels a lot in his car and makes every effort to keep it always in great shape. For him, the car is the best assistant in how to conduct active rest, go in for fishing and hunting, about which he writes on the website GearExpertGuides and others. He happily shares his impressions.
