For many self-employed individuals, their vehicle is an important part of their livelihood. You might rely on your car or van each day for visiting clients, making deliveries, picking up supplies or travelling to different projects. This means that you do not want your car to let you down otherwise this could impact your income, work schedule and could even cause you to lose work.
So, how can you maintain your work vehicle so that you can rely on it each day?
1. DIY Maintenance
There is actually a lot of basic maintenance that you can do yourself to keep your car or van in the best possible condition and avoid costly breakdowns. A few of the main tasks that you should be doing throughout the year include:
- Checking and maintaining tyre pressure
- Changing engine oil
- Replacing spark plugs
- Topping up fluids
- Changing the air filter
2. Maintain Regular MOT & Service Schedule
You need to get your yearly MOT when it is due and not just for legal reasons as this will keep your car in a roadworthy condition. If you’re wondering when is my MOT due? You can use a handy tool to find out. You should also stick to the service schedule outlined in the owner’s manual, which will see any key maintenance tasks carried out and prolong the life of the vehicle.
3. Don’t Overload Your Vehicle
In terms of daily usage, you need to try and avoid overloading your vehicle. Many tradespeople will overload their vehicle with tools and equipment to save time, but this could end up costing you more in the long run by causing excessive wear that could shorten the car’s life.
4. Drive Smoothly
Following on from this, you also need to think about the way in which you drive the vehicle. To prolong the life of the car and prevent excessive wear, you need to drive as smoothly as possible. Aggressive acceleration, sharp cornering and sudden braking can cause damage to different parts of the vehicle and also increase your chances of being in an accident.
5. Care for the Bodywork
You also need to make sure that you are looking after the car’s bodywork. Your vehicle is a key aspect of your business and reputation, so you do not want to arrive at your destination in a car covered in dirt and scratches. You should wash the car inside and out regularly and get any noticeable scratches fixed when they appear.
These are the 5 main ways to look after your car and keep it in the best possible condition. For those that are self-employed and rely on their vehicle, this is an important part of your livelihood, and you need to keep it in good condition to keep it on the road for as long as possible and carry out your work to a high standard.
