Extend the Life of Your Car
Cars today tend to last longer than in the past. Innovations in manufacturing, oil, computers, and parts have made today’s vehicles more reliable than ever. There are still things you can do, though, to prolong engine life and learn how to extend the life of a car. These car maintenance tips and tricks will help you get more out of your car or truck.
Keep up with Regular Maintenance
This is the one you always hear, but it’s well worth repeating. If you want to know how to extend the life of a car, start with oil changes and other regular maintenance. Even today’s more durable motor oil needs to be changed regularly. In fact, the longer wait between oil changes can make us forget to have it done on time. Making sure you have that little mileage sticker on your windshield or setting a reminder in your phone, can help you remember to get it done.
Keep Your Car Clean
Of all the tips for maintaining your car, this one might seem superficial, but it’s not. Keeping the exterior of your car clean will help keep the car’s body in good shape. This is especially true for the undercarriage of your car if you drive in a cold climate where salt is applied to the roads. Salt can eat away at your vehicle and age it. Keeping the interior clean helps prolong the life of your seating, which helps maintain its value as well as your driving experience.
Know Your Car
A good way to prolong engine life is to pay attention to your car. When you are familiar with how your car runs, how it feels, and how it sounds, you will likely notice changes in these things sooner. If something subtle starts to go wrong with your engine and you notice right away, you could get it taken care of before it becomes a bigger problem.
Drive Carefully
Being a good driver is an important part of knowing how to extend the life of a car. It goes beyond avoiding accidents, which is of course very important. It also means giving yourself more time to brake, so you don’t wear them out so quickly. Avoiding potholes and other road hazards will add life to your suspension, keep your car aligned, and keep you safer in addition to prolonging engine life.
Take Care in the Cold
Your car works hard, especially in the cold. While the reliability of cars today tends to make us think we can just start the car up over and over for short trips all day in the winter, doing so is hard on your car. Give it a little time to warm up if you can, and combine trips so your car isn’t starting up so many times on a harsh day.
Read Your Owner’s Manual
Many tips for maintaining your car are right there in black and white. Your owner’s manual lists a number of key maintenance and car care tips that you can use to maintain your car for a long time.
Being a safe driver and taking care of your car will help it last a long time. However, sometimes no matter what you do, your car ends up in an accident and is damaged. Call Cascade Collision today if you need auto body and collision repair. Getting repairs done right will help it last longer once it’s back in shape.
