to think I shouldn't ... (car related)

[clayspaniel]

AIBU to think I shouldn't have to do weekly or monthly checks on my car (oil, water etc)? Have been told that the reason my car is such a money pit is that I don't do these sort of checks. Does anyone actually do them?

Yes. Otherwise the car can become a dangerous moneypit.

Why would you not check your oil etc

You are driving a tonne of metal that could potentially kill someone. So yes, you need to do your checks for your own safety as much as anyone elses.

Weekly ? No

Monthly? probably if car is older and or you do a lot of mileage especially

I have mine serviced annually and depending on the warning lights for everything else. Never had a problem

How old is your car?

I don't check them that often. Tyres yes. Monthly. For everything else there are warning lights and yearly service.

Of course people check them! If you don't know how, you should get someone to show you. There's no excuse for not knowing something that basic.

No point waiting for warning lights! Once they come on, the damage is often done. It's hardly that big a job though, checking a few things.

Car is nearly 8 years old and is serviced twice a year. I should get someone to show me how to do checks - didn't think people did this themselves.

No. They don't need checking that often.

Modern cars all have warning lights and systems built in to help you with stuff like that.

And if the oil warning light comes on, then what? You can't drive the car in that case because if the risk to the engine. Far easier to dipstick it regularly.

And how many cars have tyre inflation lights? I've never driven one.

My car is fifteen years old and done 220,000 miles. I never check anything.

It doesn't even get serviced any more, just the MOT.

I've been driving over twenty years and never dine these checks. Had several boyfriends and not aware they have ever done them on their cars either.

If you break down tomorrow out you'll remember typing that out

Who changes the oil, or tops it up? How do you know that your tyres need replacing?

I do it every couple of months and before a big journey, say 2 hours or over.

Something my dad always did so I do it too. And he always asks me if I've done it!

To clarify, I've never changed oil, only topped it up when needed.

And I check tyres, lights, water and coolant.

My car is 8 years old and I check the oil, water and tyres every 4-6 weeks or so because it doesn't get used every day.

My dad showed me how to do it when I got my first car and made sure I knew it was important.

If you own a car, you have a responsibility to at least know some basic stuff about how it works. Worn or damaged tyres can lead to an accident, and running out of water/oil could end up being a very expensive repair for you not to mention potentially being stranded somewhere while you wait to be recovered. Don't rely on warning lights - they don't always work and by that time it could be too late anyway.

Out

Seriously I've been known to be fairly lax in the past but that outdoes even me !! You can't just never check your oil it will eventually run out out surely ?! The blow your engine up! For the love of god check it !!

If you have run flat tyres you get a light to alert you to issues someone cars do have a tyre warning light.

My car has a computer that checks the oil level... But every time I do a long drive I'll check water/oil and check tyre pressure every time I'm somewhere there is a free air machine.

And also sensors can be faulty especially on older cars for the sake of one minute to check oil level it's not worth destroying your engine and needing a new car !

I never checked my X reg car until I drove to a safari park one day, kids in tow to find water pissing out the bottom. Got towed home by recovery. Car went into garage and they fixed the water leak only to discover when it was on the ramp that the back axle was hanging on by a thread and had that of come off whilst I was on the motorway, me and the two kids would probably have been killed. That was enough to shock me and make me realise how stupid and idiotic I had been. I now check my new car regularly - cars are so fucking dangerous

I check oil, water and tyres every day that I use the car. Takes 2 minutes. I carry oil, water and a basic tool kit.

Full service every 10,000km, and a roadworthy yearly where absolutely everything is checked for wear.

I do a lot of driving on isolated country roads, and prevention is much better than being stranded for hours waiting on help to arrive.

I do FLOWER checks before a long journey

F - fuel in the tank
L - lights working
O - oil levels correct
W - water for the windscreen
E - electrics in order
R - rubber (tyres) and blown up properly (check at air thing at supermarket) and have plenty of tread.

Never weekly though, only if I'm going say more than 50 miles