It’s easy to own a car but running it and being a good car owner are various things. There are many things you need to look into such as road tax, insurance and service and ensure you are ready for any situation. As a car owner, it’s your responsibility to make sure your safety and that of others in addition to knowing a little about what it takes to own a car and keep it safe.
See below some of the things you should consider when owning a car:
Is This the Legal Way?
Either you buy the car right off the line or buy second hand You still must watch out to ensure you stay road legal. This is not only a legal requirement but also a security issue. This means that you must have a sound MOT completed yearly, have the relevant road tax for your vehicle, and own it insurance for cars. These all ensure your car is road legal and without them, you should not be taking your car on the road. While having a service is not part of keeping your car road legal, it’s also recommended that you have it serviced yearly to keep the car running as smoothly as possible. Most people tend to have this at the same time as their MOT. You can expect things like having your oil changed and an in depth inspection of your vehicle to be completed. They’ll look at areas like your rest, air filter, and spark plugs.
Do You Know About Your Tires?
A big part of keeping your car safe and you safe is ensuring you are tires in working order and that you know what to do if you do not. Whether you have a warning system that appears on your dashboard otherwise you need to do a manual check, it is important that you know and understand how to look after your tires. You need to check for things like tire pressure, tread depth and bad scuffing. At some point, you may need a replacement tire but this can be done at a repair shop. It’s also a good idea to familiarize yourself with how to fix a flat tire, does your car have a spare or does it have filler to fix a short-term leak?
Do You Have an Emergency Kit?
Regardless of the time of year, you should consider having an emergency kit in your car in case you break down or get stuck in a long traffic congestion. In winter you’ll want to include items such as some blankets, deicer, ice scraper, window cleaner and a few snacks. In the summer you may need water, snacks and things like window cleaner. It’s also a good idea to include details of your emergency damage cover in the package.
These three things are important things to pay attention to when you own a car, do you have other considerations that must be included in the list? Please share in the comments section below.
