1. GET TO KNOW YOUR CAR

Read your car owner’s manual and keep it in the glove box. The better you know your vehicle, the easier it is to spot faults when they start and take action before they get more serious.

2. CHANGE THE OIL AT REGULAR INTERVALS

The primary purpose of oil is to lubricate the engine. As it ages, it loses this function. This is why changing the lubricant more frequently is important as it keeps corrosive substances away from the engine, and thus protects parts from wear and premature failure. Car makers’ guidelines recommend taking your car for an oil change after every 10 000 to 15 000 kilometres on average.

3. MORE HASTE LESS SPEED

Did you know that speeding not only puts your safety at risk, but also endangers the long-term flawless performance of your car? Experts consider that going at 80 to 88 km per hour is the optimal speed. Driving at even just 10 km per hour above this speed strains the engine up to 70% more as the moving pistons pump far more fuel into the engine at higher speeds than the optimal, which can lead to the engine wearing out much faster.

4. CAR CARE MEANS MORE THAN A POLISHED EXTERIOR

When cleaning or washing your car, or otherwise keeping it looking its best, don’t forget the engine bay. Periodically clean the surface of the engine of deposits to prevent it from overheating.

5. MAKE THE BEST USE OF THE GEARBOX

Have you ever felt that when you change up to a gear that is too high for the speed and revs, your car jerks and slows down? This strains the engine unnecessarily, which can damage the cylinder heads. To avoid this, always use the right gear for your speed.

6. ACCELERATE AND BRAKE WISELY

Decide how hard to press the accelerator by carefully assessing the traffic conditions, as unnecessary acceleration is usually followed by hard braking. These two together increase not only fuel consumption significantly but also the wear on the brakes and other parts, and thus car maintenance costs.

7. DON’T FORGET THE WHEELS

Measure tyre pressure regularly, move the wheels at regular intervals and have the suspension settings checked at least once every two years. Wheels that are not right wear faster and cause extra strain on the suspension.

8. FILL YOUR CAR WITH GOOD QUALITY FUEL

To protect your engine and the fuel system, use premium-grade fuels regularly. This will not only protect the parts of your car from corrosion, reducing maintenance costs, but also give you a more dynamic driving experience. Remember: VERVA premium fuels, available at selected Orlen service stations, have special ingredients that can help protect the parts of your car and give you a superior driving experience. Besides this, EFECTA regular fuels are also a safe choice because they meet both Hungarian and European Union standards and have undergone a rigorous series of quality checks.

9. FILTER SYSTEMS ARE A CAR’S GUARDIAN ANGELS

The filter systems in your car keep dirt away from the main parts, so replacing filters regularly is a recommended preventive measure even if they don’t appear to be worn. Make sure that the best quality filters are fitted in your car as this is the only way to guarantee that its parts are protected.

10. PLAN YOUR ROUTE BEFORE LONG JOURNEYS IN ADVANCE

Even for journeys within a city, it’s worth planning your route in advance to avoid long detours. Shortening the distance travelled saves you time and money: it gets you to your destination faster, using less fuel, and, in the long term, slows the depreciation of your car’s value. Also, it’s worth using traffic monitoring apps as this helps avoid traffic jams that can increase journey times and fuel consumption considerably.