What is a car made of? Well, when you take the question literally, it is mostly plastic, metal and glass. Over 90 per cent of cars in Uganda are bought used which makes them suspect for problems later in their use. But what makes a car? Think of it like what should be important to any driver or car buyer. In order of most important to the least important, engine, transmission, suspension and finally the body, and that is all there is to it.
The engine
This is the heart of a car. Without it your car is just another exalted metal box on the roadside. The purpose of a car engine is to convert fuel into motion so that your car can move or as elementary physics would articulate, covert chemical energy to kinetic energy through the gear box and finally to the wheels.
At the end of the day it is the engine that makes a car perform its key intent of moving you from point A to B. It is imperative that any driver makes sure the engine is in good shape.
Things like weird sounds, fluid leaks, timing belt, exhaust smoke, electricals and mechanical inspection probably with a mechanic shall go a long way in determining whether or not an engine is sound.
Mileage should never be a sole determinant of engine condition, as very often you shall find a car with higher mileage having an engine in much better condition.
Besides mileage odometers can be tampered with so you are not better off matching the general condition of the car to the odometer reading, but rather the actual condition of the engine. Donald Lule, an instructor with the Nakawa Vocational Institute says neglecting oil changes is one of the biggest engine enemies. Oil is the lifeblood for engines.
Not regularly changing it by following the cars manufacturer’s recommended intervals will certainly spell doom for your engine over time. He continues to say that it’s important to use the proper oil type for your engine. “Many of today’s newer car manufacturers have required the use of higher grade oils in their cars to help maintain peak performance and fuel efficiency,” he concludes
The transmission
This is what changes the gear of an engine, thereby transferring the engine’s power to the wheels with the purpose of moving the car ahead at various speeds as the driver might see fit. While the description of what a transmission does is simple, it contains hundreds of components working together to move your car.
The transmission fluid inside enables cooling and lubrication. By changing the transmission fluid on a regular basis, the fluid stays clean and will keep the transmission running smoothly.
Old and/or dirty transmission fluid can lead to problems such as loss of acceleration, difficulties in gear shifting, and in worst-case scenarios total transmission failure. There are two designs of transmissions;
automatic and manual. Automatic perform all the shifting work for you based on a precisely predefined criteria whereas manual transmissions are run entirely by the driver.
The transmission should be able to run smoothly and in relative silence. Any sort of whiny or grinding noise that seems to be coming from under the car is a severe cause for concern. You should watch your RPM gauge which you drive.
The suspension
This system is an intricate network designed to work in concert for smoothing out the ride and keeping the car in control. Specifically, the suspension system maximises the friction between the tyres and the road to provide steering stability and good handling. The suspension system also provides comfort for passengers to limiting the impact of particular road conditions to not only the car, but the passengers inside. The suspension is the part that keeps your car’s body connected to the wheels.
Since the suspension is ground zero when it comes to poor roads, the parts wear out, and even break. If your car does not seem to ride like it used to, you may have a problem below. The suspension does include the ever important braking system too, which, as a subset of the suspension should be number one.
These parts
These mechanical matters, which are usually coupled with distinct sounds and sensations are key indicators that something is not functioning the way it was designed to. Before their problems have reached the point of no return, they will show signs that there is trouble. It is only rational to have them in good working order because endangering both yourself and others is a sign of carelessness.