Lifestyle | Cars On Park Mode: Tips from Ford

Ford Ranger Garage

The world is currently experiencing a pandemic and that has brought a lot of cars to be parked in each garage. Even the cars are being parker, there are things that should be done to maintain the car's optimal performance even for a month of stay at the parking space. Don't worry, the tips to be given is applicable to all mobile cars.

So, here are the tips that Ford has shared for us to follow:

1.    Choose a parking spot

Picking a spot where to park your vehicle is very important to its overall well-being. Do not park it on grass or soil, because moisture can make its way up and rust certain parts of your vehicle. Make sure to choose a covered area, or an area out of direct sunlight, and has a solid floor. 

2.    Give your vehicle a wash

Spend time to wash your vehicle in your garage or parking area once in a while to ensure you are able to remove dirt particles or even bird droppings. These will be harder to remove after a couple of days if left uncleaned.

3.    Clean and place a dehumidifier inside the cabin

Give your interior thorough vacuum and throw away food particles or remnants. Having a clean car will avoid insects and animals from entering your vehicle and potentially causing damage to it. Placing an off the shelf dehumidifier inside your vehicle can help combat unwanted moisture, especially in more humid climates. 

4.    Fill up the fuel tank

Make sure to fill the fuel all the way to the brim. This avoids a gap in your fuel tank where oxygen can oxidize. Oxidization is a chemical reaction between the fuel and oxygen which results in gum forming in your fuel tank, which can cause damage to your vehicle if not properly cleaned before using.

5.    Overinflate the tires

The tire pressure can slowly drop over a period of time, even when the car is not in use. Ensure that you overinflate your tires and the spare tire before parking your vehicle. This can also avoid flat spots forming on your tires.

6.    Leave the parking brake down

If you leave your parking brake engaged, it could possibly become stuck or seized after being parked over time. Unless you are parked on a slope, simply shift your vehicle into Park for automatic transmissions, or engage the first gear for manual transmissions.  Keep in mind about shifting back the transmission to Park or engage the gear back to neutral for manual transmission when starting the car.

7.    Lift your wiper blades

This very simple advice can save you money and time after the strict travel restrictions. Lift the wipers and place a ball of cloth underneath it so the blades are not touching the windshield. Heat can damage the wiper blades over time and take away its wiping credibility.

8.    Start your car once a week

Take at least 10 minutes every week to start your vehicle. Let the engine idle so the oil and other fluids can circulate through the engine. This will also enable to recharge your battery if you do not have a trickle charger. This will keep your battery healthy and ensure an efficient start every time.

Hopefully, you got the tips and will be able to execute for your cars, your assets.

Thank you for visiting my avenue, www.ten7avenue.com.

Public Service | Discussion of PUVMP at Mindanao Transportation Cooperatives Congress

Recently, the Mindanao Transportation Cooperatives Congress was held in Davao City. It was participated by cooperatives from different parts of Mindanao. The cooperatives present were from UV Express/Tourist Service, motorcycle for hire, taxi service, public utility jeepney (PUJ) / multicab, buses and multiple types of units. The event was also graced by representatives from the Department of Transportation, Office of Transportation Cooperatives, Land Transportation Office, Land Transport and Franchising Regulatory Board and City Government of Davao.

The event was conducted to discuss the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP) which is part of the Duterte administration's legacy for a safe, reliable and comfortable mass transportation. It was a very big ticket of transformation, there were a lot of challenges but a strong political will made a step towards achieving the goals of the program.

The current situation of our mass transit is really not at par to international standard. It may be a "very Filipino" to have the jeepney in the streets, but it is not safe, reliable and comfortable at all. There may be health risks that can be associated with these mass transport and a lot of times being involved in the vehicular accident. There are a lot of question of road safety and road worthiness of such vehicle.

However, with the PUVMP, it aims to modernize our transport fleet, reform the current system of the industry, be environment friendly, change the way Filipinos do mass transport and improve income among drivers and the industry itself.

So far, within this program, Local Government Units (LGUs) are very much involved as they are more knowledgeable about the situation in their own localities. This step is among the best ways to make the transformation more appropriate. So far, there are a number of LGUs and cooperatives in selected areas who took the risk of adopting the program and it has been reaping good results!

The government is very willing to help the cooperatives achieve the goals of the program. One thing is through the 5-6-7-8 mechanism which involves loanable amount from Landbank and Development Bank of the Philippines - 5% equity, 6% per annum, 7 years to pay and P80,000 subsidy from the government.

There are high hopes for this program as it will be a step to make our mass transportation more systematic, safe and comfortable. I am very happy with its initial start and very hopeful for its full implementation as the congress has helped the cooperatives understand more of the program. Aside from that, many suppliers are eager to help the cooperatives realize their needed transformation.

I hope this article helps!

As a frequent traveler, this modernization program will bring us closer to what the international community has been implementing years back. We are yet to explore and start but never too late to be on track. We need to learn how to adapt with changes and deal with it in our daily lives. Modernizing our transport system will also make the middle class opt more for public transportation and have their private cars rest for a while in their own garage. A more efficient transportation system will reduce the number of vehicles running in our streets!

Thank you for visiting my avenue, www.ten7avenue.com and hopefully to hear your thoughts! 😊