Jakarta, 27 April 2023 – Mudik (homecoming) is an inseparable tradition for most people during Lebaran. Hundreds of kilometers are traveled to strengthen ties with family in their hometowns. Not only by public transportation, such as planes, trains, and ships, but people also often use private vehicles such as cars and motorbikes to go home.
“Before or after a long trip like mudik, vehicles must be maintained extra to optimize their performance. Tokopedia's internal data shows that during the Ramadan 2023 period, Automotive became one of the most popular categories.* This indicates the high awareness of the people in preparing their vehicles for mudik, both for going and returning,” explained Fransiscus Leo Chandra, Associate Vice President of Category Development at Tokopedia.
Tips for Maintaining Vehicles after a Long Mudik Trip, Find Automotive Products with Discounts of up to Rp3 Million on Tokopedia Garage
Tokopedia shares tips with the public to maintain vehicle performance to remain optimal after a long Lebaran mudik trip. “We also hold the Tokopedia Garage campaign that can be accessed through the search column on the Tokopedia home page to make it easier for people to get various automotive product choices,” said Leo.
“There are many attractive offers on Tokopedia Garage that can make shopping for automotive products more efficient. For example, cashback of up to Rp400,000 for the purchase of spare parts and vehicle maintenance, even discounts of up to Rp3 million for the purchase of cars,” explained Leo.
1. Check tire pressure - During mudik, people usually encounter various road conditions. “The road conditions we pass through during mudik certainly affect the condition of the tires and wheels of the vehicle. So, check the tire pressure if it still conforms to the standard, especially after a long trip like Lebaran mudik,” said Leo.
One seller on Tokopedia, Ottoban Indonesia, added tire care tips. “Improper tire pressure can affect handling, fuel efficiency, and tire life. Also, in hot weather, tire pressure tends to increase. Rotate the tires to extend their service life and avoid uneven tire wear,” said Kevin Sulaeman, Head of Retail Development at Ottoban Indonesia.
2. Check brakes and vehicle spare parts - As components that maintain speed and support the vehicle's condition, brakes and vehicle spare parts, such as shock absorbers, springs, and tie rod ends, should be checked for their condition, including after a long Lebaran mudik trip. Make sure there are no significant damages that can reduce vehicle performance.
“If there is damage, people can buy official spare parts through sellers on Tokopedia, such as Astra Otoparts, which offers spare parts purchases with discounts of up to 60%. Tokopedia sees the average transaction of spare parts products, both for motorcycles and cars, increase by nearly 1.5 times during this Ramadan,” added Leo.*
3. Check the condition of the oil and check for leaks in the engine - Engines that work continuously during a long trip will affect the condition of the oil. After a long trip and passing through hot weather, change the oil according to the vehicle's specifications and check for signs of leaks in the vehicle engine, such as oil spills or other fluids.
“The high awareness of the public to maintain the performance of their vehicle engines is evidenced by the almost 1.5x increase in transactions on Tokopedia for oil and fuel-saving products during Ramadan 2023, compared to the monthly average in Q1 2023. The public can obtain various oil products through Pertamina's official distributors on Tokopedia," said Leo.
4. Pay attention to the interior condition - During the mudik journey, most of our time is spent inside the vehicle, so the condition of the car interior, such as seat covers and carpets, also needs to be considered for damage. One seller on Tokopedia, Trapo Indonesia, shared tips for maintaining the cleanliness of car interiors.
"The car carpet can be one of the dirtiest parts inside the car, and if left uncleaned, it can trigger the growth of bacteria and germs. Therefore, after a long journey, people must clean the car carpet thoroughly. Make sure the car interior is also kept clean and comfortable for the next mobility," said Marketing Trapo Indonesia, Ossiane.
The public can find various interior protective products, from carpets to seat covers, at Trapo Indonesia and Durable with special discounts of up to 62% only on Tokopedia.
"Internal data from Tokopedia shows that the public is very concerned about the car interior, which can support long-distance journeys such as mudik. This is evidenced by products such as car mattresses, car pillows, and anti-heat car window protectors, which have seen an average increase in transactions on Tokopedia by almost 2x," explained Leo.
5. Protect the vehicle's paint - Recently, the temperature in Indonesia has been around 36-37 degrees Celsius. Hot weather can affect not only human bodies but also vehicles, one of which is the car or motorcycle paint. Paint is located on the outermost part of the vehicle and directly exposed to temperature changes, weather, and the environment around it.
"To maintain the condition of the vehicle's paint to remain optimal, perform regular maintenance by thoroughly washing the vehicle. This is to remove dirt, dust, and pollution on the surface of the vehicle after a long mudik journey for Eid al-Fitr," said Leo.
"Also use paint protectant products, such as wax or sealant, to protect the paint from damage due to UV rays, dirt, and air pollution. The public can obtain vehicle paint protection products with discounts of up to 50% from Nanotech Protections only on Tokopedia," concluded Leo.
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