7 New Year Resolutions For Your Audi
New year, new you.... or something like that. Start things off on the right foot by making a promise to your Audi that you will be the best owner in the whole wide world by following these steps.
1. Don't Drive So Aggressively
Do you find yourself trying to beat every yellow light? Slowing down to the bare minimum when taking a turn or just living your life a quarter mile at a time? Some people see this type of driving as just putting the car through its paces but they're actually slowly killing it. All of that extra stress is speeding up wear and tear on the car that will result in big and increasingly frequent trips to the repair shop. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with a bit of spirited driving every now and then when it is safe to do so. But don't jump into your Audi pretending that you're Frank Martin tearing about the city!
2. Keep the Interior Clean
Spilled drinks from when that person cut you off and then stopped hard. French fries when you were starving and grabbed a sloppy handful of fried potatoes to sate your hunger while commuting. Melted chocolate from one of the kiddies in the backseat that looks something like fine aged Swedish poo on your leather seats. Time to vacuum, clean, and condition your interior until things look a bit more becoming.
3. Wash It More Often
A clean car is more than just a point of pride, it's safer. A car with dirty windows has a lower visibility leading to a harder time for someone to see out of the car at night. If you are in an area where you experience heavy snow, then that needs to be cleaned off as soon as possible, too. The reason is, the snow on your car will pick up the salt that was poured onto the road. When that snow starts to melt all of that salt will gradually eat away at your frame causing cancerous rust. When things warm up, you'll want to keep some water and a soft microfiber towel in your car to clean off errant bird poop that will burn into the paint and cause permanent damage.
4. Rotate Tires If Applicable
Rotating tires is a sure fire way to get the most of your tires and keeping yourself safe when you things get sketchy on the road.
If your wheels are staggared and have directional tires, then you won't be able to rotate them at all. If this is the case for you, then check tire wear often and be ready to have an alignment and balancing done ASAP. Otherwise, you're going to have to break open the wallet and purchase anywhere from 2 to 4 new tires for your Audi.
Even if you have the Quattro system there are other factors at work for you. Front tires tend to wear faster, usually at the outside edges. The engine weight amplifies tread wear in these locations.
5. Learn How to Detail
Normal car washing and vacuuming that we covered earlier is good for your car, but that's just routine stuff. When you want to really restore the shine and add a coat or two of protection to your car then detailing is where it's at. A wax coat should be applied to your car at least twice a year to the painted surfaces to protect the car from oxidation and airborne contaminants. If you have free time and don't mind getting some dirt under your nails, then detailing your car can be a quiet therapeutic exercise. Also, by doing the job yourself, you can save a fortune on labor costs.
6. Heed Your Lights
Warning lights can be easy to ignore while the car "seems" to be running fine. Some owners won't take notice of the car until it goes into limp mode or flat out starts to become difficult to drive. When your light(s) start going off and you don't recognize the issue, check out your owner's manual or check online. Remember, the faster you take care of a problem, the lower the repair bill may be.
7. Explore More
Now that your Audi is in tip top shape and you're not going to drive a band of bank robbers in a manner that would end in them escaping some foreign police department, you should go out there and explore! Find some cool local spots to make a day trip of, look up a new restaurant in some neighboring town and go check it out. Seriously, find some new beautiful place and get lost in it for a while.
For information on maintenance and repairs for your Audi, visit our How-To section here in AudiWorld.com!