In the year 2012, 165,000 new cars were manufactured every day. This means that over 60 million passenger cars were produced that year.

Buying a new car is an exciting and expensive purchase.

No matter what kind of car you buy, however, it’s absolutely essential to know certain things about your new car in order to ensure that it runs as well as possible for as long as possible.

Let’s take a look at 10 secrets for new car owners so that you can keep your vehicle in the best shape possible.

 

1. Gas Requirements

You will want to know about your new car if it has particular gas requirements. It is important to understand that certain miles require higher grade gasoline in order to function properly.

Some cars might even malfunction if they are filled with a type of gasoline other than the particular grade required.

This is something that you might want to look into before purchasing a car. If it bothers you to be spending extra money every time you go to the gas station, you should check into the gas requirements of any vehicle you’re considering buying.

The higher prices for higher-grade gasoline are not just an excuse to charge people higher prices. It is a legitimately different product, and putting the wrong type of gas into your new car is not what you want to be doing.

 

2. Maintenance Schedule

Another very important thing that you’ll need to know about your new car is its maintenance schedule. Many people do not have the time to be working on their own cars and performing their own maintenance. Cars have become much more complicated in recent decades and is therefore very reasonable to outsource maintenance to professional mechanics.

You want to take a look at your cards manual in order to learn about the maintenance schedule for your particular vehicle. You can also ask a mechanic that you trust.

The maintenance schedules for different types of cars will be different.

You’ll also find that different parts in your car need to be maintained and/or inspected at different times. Unfortunately, it is not very realistic to simply scheduled maintenance for everything during one appointment after a certain number of months or miles. Your car is a major investment that you have made, and it is worth being sure that it is maintained properly so that it lasts as long as possible.

 

3. Tire Pressure Rating

Another thing that you will need to know about your new car is the tire pressure rating. Tire pressure is measured in psi, or pounds per square inch, and this tire pressure rating is going to vary depending on the make, model, and size of your vehicle.

If you fill your tires to a lower pressure than the recommended tire pressure rating, the tire surface will pass too closely on the ground and create unwanted friction.

If you overfill your tires to a higher tire pressure than the recommended rating, this can result in unsafe driving and bumpier jiving.

You want to take a look at your cards manual to learn about the ideal psi for your tires.

 

4. How to Change a Flat (and Where to Find the Spare!)

One secret for new car owners is that you should learn where your spare is and learn how to change a tire before you need to do so.

There is nothing quite as stressful as trying to change the tire on the side of the busy roads when you don’t really know what you’re doing. Even if you choose to call a professional to help you change a tire if you were to get a flat, it’s a good idea to have a basic sense of how to change a flat.

Vehicles are so reliable these days that it’s easy to forget that anything can never go wrong. However, if the unfortunate event were to occur that you work stranded on the side of a rural road with a flat tire and no cell phone, you would be glad to have taken the time to learn how to change a flat tire.

This means that you’ll also want to have any tools that you need to change a tire.

The general, basic rules for changing a tire are that you should try to do so in the safest location possible. You can then turn on your hazard lights, and you want to loosen the lug nuts gradually in the pattern of the star.

You mustn’t try to loosen the lug nuts when a vehicle is raised up onto a jack.

 

5. Dashboard Controls

When you get to know your new car, one of the things that you want to investigate is the dashboard controls. Dashboards are different between different makes and models of cars.

This is one of the first things that you really want to learn before driving your new car. You won’t want to be trying to figure out where the windshield wiper controls are while you’re driving on the highway. Similarly, you won’t want to be scrambling to figure out how to turn headlights on when you’re driving your car for the first time at night.

Take some time and look over the manual of your vehicle. This should tell you just about anything that you need to know about your dashboard controls.

Another really helpful tool at your disposal our forums and, of course, YouTube. If you have any questions about how to use various dashboard controls or what they are for, you will certainly be able to find the specific answer online with a little bit of searching.

 

6. Dashboard Lights

Many drivers are guilty of ignoring dashboard lights that come on.

This is not a good idea. It’s very important to learn what each symbol in color might mean on your dashboard to understand what your car is trying to tell you.

All of the information that you need in this way you can find in your driver’s manual. Again, you can also find the answers to these questions online. You should make sure that you are getting the information from a reputable source, however.

Certain lights come on are communicating to you that there is something wrong with your car. It is a good idea to bring your car to a mechanic if the dashboard light comes on in this manner.

While dashboard lights do sometimes come on when there is nothing wrong with your car, it is better to look into it meant to ignore it and assume that nothing is wrong. If you do this, you could be setting yourself up for a real hassle is not a disaster in the near future.

 

7. Warranty Information

One of the perks of new car ownership is that new cars often come with a warranty. You can get information on your word from car manufacturers or car dealerships.

When you have a warranty on your car, it means that certain replacements and repairs will be covered under warranty. This is not mean that all repairs and replacements will be covered, so it is important to understand the details of your warranty.

Something else that you want to understand about your warranty is how long it lasts. Warranties tend to last for a certain number of miles or a certain number of years.

Having as much information about your warranty is something that can help you out as a new car owner a lot. Warranties can be incredibly helpful but they won’t be much help if you are confused about the terms or the length of the contract.

 

8. Road Side Emergency Kit

For this secret for new car owners, it does not matter what type of car you have. It doesn’t matter if you have bought a Tesla or a Toyota, you’ll want to have a roadside emergency kit in your car.

It’s important both in vehicle ownership and in life to some extent expect the unexpected. Vehicles have become incredibly reliable over the last several decades. That means that most of us don’t think twice about the fact that when we get in our car we will easily get to where we’re going.

Things can still happen, however. Your car could break down, you could get a flat tire, or you could get into an accident through no fault of your own. In the case of an emergency of this type, you want to have a roadside emergency kit in your car at all times.

You can find a variety of lists of what should be in your roadside emergency get online. But here are some of the things that you might consider including:

• First aid kit
• Blanket or emergency blanket
• A gallon of coolant
• Jumper cables or a jumper pack
• Flares, triangle reflectors, or LED flares
• A flashlight and extra batteries
• Tire pressure gauge
• Toolkit with suppliers, screwdrivers, pocketknife, and adjustable wrench
• Ice scraper
• Paper towels
• Pen and paper
• Spray bottle with washer fluid
• Bottled water
• Energy or granola bars
• A can of tire insulator and sealant

Hopefully, you will never have to use anything that is in your emergency roadside kit. However, you should know as a new vehicle owner that things certainly can go wrong from time to time. By preparing yourself in this way, you can ensure that any issue you run into can be dealt with in the smoothest manner possible.

 

9. Vehicle Fluids

If you are wondering what you know about your new car, one of the most important thing to know about the variety of fluids that need to be topped off or replaced from time to time. You can learn about the intervals at which these fluids are supposed to be replaced or topped off from your manufacturer. You will likely find this information in your vehicles manual.

The most crucial vehicle fluids are engine oil, power steering fluid, coolant, windshield washer fluid, radiator fluid, transmission fluid, and brake fluid.

The world of vehicle fluids can be confusing to somebody who is not mechanically inclined.

Even if you are not someone that is interested in cars, you probably understand that engine oil is a crucial part of the operation of the vehicle. Engine or motor oil is what helps to lubricate the engine of your car. This means that your car can consistently, smoothly operate.

If you let the oil level in your car get too low, this can lead to costly engine damage and dangerous circumstances.

Radiator fluid is a fluid that helps to keep your engine from overheating. It does this by drawing heat from your engine and circulating it throughout your radiator and then out into the atmosphere. Low levels of radiator fluid can cause damage to your engine through reading your car to overheat.

Transmission fluid, power steering fluid brake fluid, coolant, and windshield washer fluid all have important functions as well. It’s important to make sure that the fluids of your vehicle are either replaced and topped off as necessary to help keep your vehicle in tip top shape.

 

10. Headlights and Taillights

Another thing that you want to know as a new car owner is that the taillights in the headlights will get dimmer over time.

This means that it is a good idea to regularly inspect them. This is a preventative measure that can help you to avoid dangerous situations. If you notice that your headlights or taillights need attention, it is important to get them repaired or replaced as soon as possible.

 

Is It Time For You to Trade In Your Vehicle For a New Car?

Whether this is the first time you are buying a new car or you have many times before, purchasing a new vehicle is an incredibly exciting thing to do.

Is it time for you to buy a new car? Are you considering trading in your old vehicle? We’d be happy to make you a cash offer on your car or truck today!