Did you know a car has over 30,000 parts? Even if you cluster major parts like engines as one, you still have tens of car components. While mastering all car machinery parts can be daunting, being conversant with essential vehicle parts and accessories helps enhance your safety on the road and potentially save you a buck.
Which are these parts, you ask? This article explores ten must-know car machinery parts and accessories to keep your vehicle at peak performance. Let’s dive in.
Dent Repair
Although unforeseen, road accidents are bound to happen. According to Forbes, the U.S. records nearly 5.3 million accidents annually. Besides accidents, hail, and severe weather, animals and tree limbs can also dent your car. Your vehicle may also get dents while in the parking lot.
Repairing a car dent nowadays isn’t tasking. For instance, you can go the DIY route with hot water, use a plunger, or go for a body filler. But you must know the type of dent to get the fix right.
Minor surface dents are classified as dings. They occur when an exterior force hits the surface of your car, causing lower indentations, commonly less than half an inch in diameter. Therefore, car dings won’t damage your vehicle’s paintwork and will require a paintless dent removal procedure to fix the damage.
Sharp dents result from a sharp object that slams fast across your vehicle’s exterior surface. The object may cause a sharp mark on the surface, but the more significant damage will be below the panels. Depending on the size of the damage, the dent will often require filling and sanding.
Hollow and round-shaped dents that leave a shallow mark on the surface fall under the round dents category. Sometimes, the dents may have a funnel shape due to a swift hit from a ball, hailstone, or other rounded objects. Paintless dent removal by a trusted local dent repair technician is the most appropriate method to rectify such damage.
Crease dents mostly occur on the side panels. Your car will have such dents when an object causes a significant impact on your car’s metal surface and dragged along the panel. Such impacts cause an irritating screening noise and significant damage.
Oil
Mechanics recommend doing a regular oil change service. The AAA recommends changing engine oil after 5000–7500 miles. But have you stopped to wonder why it’s essential? Well, let’s start from the basics.
Pumping oil into your engine lubricates its moving machinery parts, leaving a slippery film on the surface. The film lessens friction by minimizing contact between engine machinery parts. Suffice it to say oil significantly reduces your vehicle’s engine part’s wear and tear, extending its service life.
As your car engine runs, it produces contaminants and by-products, such as acids, metal particles, dust, and soot deposits, which can easily wreck your engine. When your engine oil is in circulation, it automatically suspends the contaminants, minimizing contact between them and the machinery parts of your engine, thus preventing damage.
Additionally, engine oil helps keep your engine’s temperature constant. Normally, when you start the car, the engine heats up immediately. Notably, engine oil contributes to about 40% of the cooling process of your engine. Also, the oil keeps temperatures constant when circulating over surfaces cooler than operating temperatures.
Engine oil also prevents corrosion by creating a protective barrier on your car’s machinery parts. It generally enhances vehicle performance through lubrication and prevents leaks by sealing the microscopic spaces between the cylinder and the piston. Changing oil is vital and shouldn’t be overlooked.
Windshield
Let’s be honest. As a car owner, your primary focus and attention is usually on the vehicle’s performance and driver assistance features. Your windshield rarely appears in the picture – a common mistake most drivers make. They fail to understand that a windshield is more than a mere addition.
A windshield is an essential safety component in your vehicle. That’s why it’s made of laminated glass, which is more robust than ordinary glass. The protective layer protects your vehicle interior from stones, wind, bugs, rain, dust, and other elements.
Also, the PBV in the laminated glass doesn’t shatter easily like typical glass after an accident, protecting you from severe injuries. It keeps passengers safe in a collision due to its high resistance to penetration. It often prevents the driver from being ejected from a vehicle when not wearing a seatbelt (caution: always wear a seat belt).
A windshield also helps to deploy airbags in case of a collision. The airbags heavily depend on the windshield to provide a backstop to inflate towards the passengers. Without the windshield’s capability to absorb the airbags’ impact, they may not work efficiently. Moreover, your windshield protects your vehicle’s interior from UV rays damage.
If your windshield has a crack, it’s best to visit your mechanic for a repair. The National Windshield Repair Association (NWRA) recommends replacing the windshield if a chip is three inches and a crack is over 14 inches. Visiting an auto body shop specializing in your vehicle’s specific make is prudent. For instance, if you own a truck, opt for an auto repair specializing in truck windshield services.
Professional Help
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, nearly 2% of vehicle crashes result from machinery parts failure. Usually, accidents occur due to a lack of proper care, whether worn-out brakes, engine failures, or low tire pressure. For your safety, ensure you visit a professional auto repair shop for professional care and preventative maintenance services. Otherwise, you risk a shoddy job, which may result in accidents. You must take the necessary precautions by visiting expert mechanics to ascertain your vehicle components are in good shape.
Problems with your vehicle may occur during the worst times. While some of these problems may be minor, they can quickly turn costly. Therefore, you must keep up with auto repair maintenance through regular inspections to be safe and save money. A professional mechanic can detect minor problems before escalating to costly repairs.
An added advantage of visiting a professional auto body shop is enhancing your vehicle’s performance. A professional mechanic’s diagnosis ensures car machinery parts perform at peak levels, boosting your vehicle’s overall performance. You’ll enjoy your highway cruises more.
Dash Cam
Did you know a car cam makes drivers feel safe? According to The Seattle Times, more than 80% of rideshare drivers admit that a dash cam makes them feel safe. Imagine you’re involved in an accident, and the other party takes you to court. How do you prove your innocence when you aren’t at fault?
A dash cam is your best chance to win a legal battle. It provides first-hand evidence of the accident. The cam footage can exonerate you in litigation, prove the other party’s negligence, and help you save money in a frivolous lawsuit.
A dashcam also helps you prevent erroneous tickets. Living in a democracy means that when wrongly accused, you can prove your innocence easily with unreputable evidence. When sure that you’ve been served with a ticket erroneously, you can contest it in the traffic court using the footage of your dash cam. Hence, you don’t have to worry when the police issue you a ticket without proper cause; a dash cam will help you disprove liability.
A dash cam can also thwart car vandalism and break-ins. Advanced dash cams can record and automatically upload footage to the cloud while still in the parking lot. It’s a deterrent to thieves, stopping them from vandalizing your vehicle. In case of a break-in, you can collect the footage as evidence and present it to the authorities when filing a report.
Specialists
Hiring a novice mechanic or a family member who knows their way around cars may seem like a good financial call because they are cheap. However, do you trust them to keep you safe on the road? Probably not.
On the other hand, specialists can guarantee quality car repair services. Some specialize in specific vehicles, while others work exclusively on car components like engines and autobodies. For instance, you can rest assured Ford specialists will take care of your Ford F series while German car mechanics will restore your Benz or BMW to a pristine mint condition.
Take it from us: specialists guarantee top-tier services. Typically, they undergo vigorous training and possess competency skills and knowledge to deal with your specific car problem. Additionally, they receive proper mentoring typically from the manufacturer programs, enabling them to deliver exceptional auto repair and maintenance services.
Most specialist auto mechanics use state-of-the-art tools and equipment. Additionally, they procure original equipment manufacture (OEM) parts for your specific make of vehicle. So, the replacement will work seamlessly with other car machinery parts, enhancing efficiency.
Storage
You need a place to store your vehicle and car machinery. For instance, you may want to store your car during the winter, or perhaps you have a cargo van rental and need to park it temporarily. Whichever the reason, you must store the vehicle properly to protect its machinery parts from rust and dirt. How do you prevent component damage?
First, fill up your vehicle’s tank before storage. When the gas tank is empty, it can easily rust due to moisture build-up. Topping it off leaves no room for air or water in the tank, minimizing the chances of the tank’s corrosion from the inside. Also, add a fuel stabilizer to enhance protection against corrosion.
To help protect the engine and other car machinery from rust, remove the spark plugs, spray oil onto the cylinders, and replace the plugs. If the task seems an impossible DIY solution, consider hiring a mechanic to help you when taking your car for a pre-storage oil change with your car machinery.
Usually, when a vehicle stays dormant for a lengthy period, the battery may drain and die. To avoid this problem, consider connecting your battery to a battery maintainer (charges the battery over time, keeping it fresh). So, when you are ready to hit the road, you won’t have a problem with your battery.
Golf Cart
Are golf carts only useful on the golf course? No! You can use golf carts for almost everything, from work to play. There are plenty of reasons why you should consider a golf cart as your preferred form of transportation. Let’s explore a few.
If you’re an environmental champion, you can use a gas or electric cart for short-distance movements. They’re a smart way to protect the environment by reducing or eliminating your carbon footprint. Also, petrol-powered carts create lower carbon emissions than traditional SUVs and cars.
If you’re a big fan of fishing, camping, or hunting, a golf car will give you access to narrow, off-road spaces that other traditional vehicles can’t access. As a result, your adventures will be more fun and exciting. When hunting, a golf cart has optional camouflage customization that won’t deter your prey. It offers quiet rides for an effective hunt.
Extra Keys
According to the PR Newswire, nearly a quarter of Americans misplace their car keys twice weekly. You have probably misplaced or lost your car keys severally. It wasn’t a good experience, was it?
It’s normal to accidentally lock yourself out of your vehicle. To ensure this doesn’t recur, you should contact locksmith companies. Understand their pricelist, and choose the most affordable one to duplicate your car keys for a bad day.
If you lock in your keys, an extra key gives you quick access to your vehicle and car machinery. You can also save your original copy from wearing down by alternating your car keys often. Generally, a spare key ensures you never get locked out of your car, giving you peace of mind.
As a driver, having a basic knowledge of essential car machinery parts and accessories is essential. Your car may accidentally break down when you least expect it. With some car components information, you can fix the issue and get back on the road quickly. However, invest in a proper car machinery care maintenance routine to keep it at peak performance. If you want to know more about tricks and hacks to keep your car components in mint condition for years on end, check out our website for practical insights.
