Prolonging Your Car's Lifespan

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Cars are some of the biggest investments we make in life, other than purchasing a home. Ideally, we want them to last as long as possible. Maintaining your car mechanics, interior, and exterior saves you money on repairs and extends the life of your car. It also keeps the car feeling fresh and new for maximum driving joy and makes it less likely you will want to trade it prematurely.

Why car maintenance matters

We often choose our car based on what matters the most to us personally. Gas mileage and maintenance costs are paramount for some people. Speed and power or sleek exteriors might be the selling point for others.

Whichever vehicle is right for you, it is vital to recognize that every model is different. A car within the same class or with the same look as another can have different needs for maintenance or keeping in tip-top condition.

Spending a little time researching what your car needs to remain in its best condition can make all the difference in the long run.

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Understand your car’s needs

Keeping your car in the best condition possible requires a little research. Your manual or service provider can help with information for:

• Correct fuel grade for your engine
• Schedule for oil changes and maintenance
• If your climate affects your maintenance recommendations
• The correct tire pressure for your vehicle

Regular Inspection and Maintenance

As with our health, prevention is better than cure. While we go to the gym, eat a balanced diet, and use medicine, supplements, and skincare, our car will last longer if it is maintained as we go.

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Be proactive about maintenance and replacements

Knowing a little about what to expect with maintaining and when you should expect to replace parts helps to both plan and budget for them in advance. Knowing things in advance, such as which size tires your car uses, allows you to shop around for the best quality and prices as they near replacement. This approach is much more wallet-friendly than buying replacements on the fly during an emergency.

Finding out what your car will need to keep it in peak condition is crucial to extending its life span. Some of the more common parts of your car that will need maintaining or replacing over time are:

• Engine oil and cooling
• Brakes
• Battery
• Air & fuel filters
• Spark plugs and alternator
• Tires
• AC components

Fuel Efficiency

Driving economically for both gas mileage and the environment. The less gas we use, the fewer fossil fuels we burn, and the less money we spend on filling up our cars.

We can actively drive in a more economical way to promote fuel efficiency, less environmental impact, and safer roads. Some ways we can drive in a more fuel-efficient way include:

• Regularly check your tire pressure. Under-inflated tires can lower fuel economy and cost you and the environment more in the long term.
• Choosing a vehicle with higher gas mileage - a hybrid engine or a design that gets a high gas mileage is a way to be as economical as possible from the beginning.
• Drive at consistently slower speeds. Accelerating and braking aggressively use gas at higher rates than consistent and more moderate driving speeds.
• Use synthetic engine oil - Synthetic oils often allow for longer periods between oil changes, saving both product and money.

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Protect Your Car's Exterior

Looking after your vehicle's exterior helps to prevent damage that can lead to rust, wearing of glass, and paint damage. It also keeps your car looking its best. Often when our cars start to look old and tired, we get into bad habits about their maintenance or begin to feel like we should buy another when that might not be the most sensible thing for us to do.

Prevent exterior environmental damage

Environmental damage happens to our car exteriors in a lot of ways. Depending on the climate of where you live, the weather is a major factor in wearing down the paint shine on your car.

Over time, rain, wind, salt, UV rays, sand, and snow will all cause damage to your car's exterior.

Drivers who park their cars outside for long periods can be especially vulnerable to sustaining damage from the environment over time.

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Car covers can preserve the exterior

One way to help preserve your car’s exterior despite environmental conditions is by regularly cleaning and waxing your car to remove any dirt and salt buildup.

Using an exterior car cover can protect your car from environmental and weather damage that can shorten the lifespan of the car. Using a car cover can also save you a lot of time and inconvenience during days with extreme weather.

On snowy mornings, removing the cover is quicker than scraping the ice and snow from your car, potentially scratching it in the process.

In the extreme sun, getting into the car can be physically unpleasant to touch the seatbelts, wheel, and controls.

CarCovers.com supplies an extensive selection of top-rated, durable, perfect-fit car covers that protect your exterior from:

• Rain
• Wind
• Snow
• Sand
• Salt
• UV damage
• And more

With a lifetime warranty, guaranteed perfect-fit covers, and free shipping, protection is available for more than just cars. Options are available for a variety of vehicles, including:

• Trucks
• Vans
• Bikes
• Snowmobiles
• Scooters
• ATVs
• Jet Skis
• Limos

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Preserve Your Car’s Interior

Cars simply feel different when they have that clean interior feel. A good part of the thrill of a new car is the look and smell of the car’s interior after all. People covet the “new car smell” but what if we didn’t need to wait until it was time to change a car to enjoy a nice interior?

Keeping your interior in good condition not only gives you a better cabin experience but it goes a long way to preserving the life of your car. Often people change their cars not because there is any mechanical issue, but because the seats are torn and the car doesn’t feel good anymore.

Maintaining the interior

Maintaining your car's interior regularly is much easier and cheaper than letting it reach the point where you need a professional detail service to improve the situation. Some ways that you can protect and maintain the interior of your vehicle are:

• Regular vacuuming
• Using a sun shield to protect the interior from the sun's UV rays
• Installing seat covers, particularly if you have pets
• Regular cleaning with a soft microfiber cloth and gentle car cleaner
• Having an assigned place or bag to put the trash and starting a habit of emptying it every time you get gas.

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Safe Driving

Nothing will make a car undrivable faster than a road accident. They are unfortunate and happen sometimes, but we can reduce the possibility by driving safely and remembering how much we value and rely on our cars.

Accidents that leave a car totaled are not the only ones that can lead to a shortened lifespan for a car. Those unrepaired fender benders and scratches can create rust and leaking problems that reduce the years we can enjoy the car.

Some ways we can drive in a safer way to help prevent accidents and car damage are:

• Driving consistently at slower, safer speeds
• Being mindful of our alertness and not driving while tired
• Remaining free of distractions like cell phones
• Repairing small bumps and scrapes as soon as possible
• Avoiding roads when possible during extreme weather

Impact of driving habits on car longevity

How much pressure we put on our car daily and how we drive it can also impact its lifespan. We can give our car extra years by changing our habits while driving. Some bad habits that can eat into the lifespan of your car, are:

• Aggressive accelerating and braking that wear tires and brakes prematurely
• Letting the fuel run low too often puts more pressure on the fuel system.
• Regularly carrying too much weight in the car
• Using low-quality gasoline with fewer detergents shortens the life of the fuel pump.
• Not driving a car often enough so the engine does not get lubricated. Cars left stationary for too long require more maintenance.
• Driving for too long on tires with low pressure
• Using a car in an unsuitable environment for its design, such as using a sedan offroad or regularly driving on sand beaches.

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Handling Breakdowns

Over the lifespan of a car, breakdowns of some variety are likely. Whether a simple tire problem, a battery passed its prime, or a more dramatic mechanical problem ails it, maintaining your vehicle well can help minimize breakdowns.

Despite good maintenance, we must prepare for potential issues and breakdowns on the road. Purchasing a roadside assistance membership can turn a crisis into an inconvenience if the worst happens on the road.

Emergency Preparedness

We never know when we may come across a problem while driving. Keeping items like a spare wheel, a jack, and a battery booster in the car can help us prepare for some of the more commonly expected problems.

Keeping some drinking water and snacks in your trunk is a good idea. You will appreciate them while you wait for assistance or find yourself stationary longer than expected.

As well as joining a roadside assistance plan, it is advisable to be aware of any patrolling highway services your area might have.

Many highways provide a service to help stranded cars at the side of the road. A number for such a service will usually be listed on signs near a highway and is worth keeping for the future.

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Know when to call a professional

If you have some good knowledge of under the hood of your car or regularly perform your car's maintenance, it can help you understand what is wrong with your car when it breaks down.

On the flip side, it is important to understand when your car needs a professional's help and when you may need to consider towing your car to the shop.

Keep Your Car Up-to-Date

When people think about car parts and systems that need maintenance, the last item they consider and usually forget exists is the software and firmware.

Software and firmware updates

Most cars today use sophisticated computers to run most of the management systems. Even turning the car's ignition these days involves pushing a computer-operated button that lights up a variety of dashboard options as the engine sparks to life.

These software systems need maintenance, like the hardware in a car. For cars with a built-in GPS or Bluetooth system, these updates also keep your directions and phone compatibility up to date.

Conclusion

Our cars are a fundamental part of our modern lives and often how we get around daily. Although cars have so much more capability and longevity than they used to, they are still such an expensive investment that it makes sense for us to the most value out of them by keeping them for a long time.

Extending the lifespan of our car goes further than simple mechanical issues. We can help save our cars and wallets by changing our habits around maintaining, driving, and being proactive about what our cars will need.

Whether we preserve the mechanics of our engines or shield the exteriors from weather and sun damage, we owe it to our cars to remain, good partners, while they protect us from the elements every day.

FAQs

How often does my car need maintenance?

Every vehicle has a different maintenance schedule. It is also affected by the climate you live in. For guidance on how often you should take your car for maintenance, see your vehicle manual or ask your service provider for a specific list of recommendations. Most vehicles are fitted with a dashboard reminder light when it is time for maintenance or to take your car to the service department.

What should I do when my check engine light comes on?

When your check engine light comes on, but you see no visible signs of the car's distress or damage, it is best not to panic. Usually, if you are driving on a short journey, you can make it home or to the service mechanic to get the problem checked. Always seek service as soon as possible, and never begin a long journey with the check engine light on.

What about light bulbs?

Light bulbs are a vital part of car maintenance as they are critical to our and others' safety. When you take your vehicle for its maintenance, they will check and change your light bulbs accordingly. It is still important for you to regularly check your lights at home, particularly before any long journeys or harsh weather seasons. Check that your lights not only work but are not dimming.

Why is there condensation in my headlights?

Condensation can build up when moisture enters your headlight casing due to broken seals and wear and tear. When moisture gathers in your headlight casing, it can lead to your bulbs burning out faster and water entering and damaging your car's electrical system. Most car service departments can provide service that clears moisture from your headlights.

How often should I change my wiper blades?

Most service professionals advise you to change your wiper blades at least once a year. Many people leave wipers for years before changing them, but a decrease in quality wiping is noticeable, and in extreme weather, older wiper blades can add to the dangerous conditions.