Automotive

Extending the Lifespan of Your Car

The cost of owning and maintaining a car has been on the rise so as you can imagine the last thing anybody wants is to have their car breakdown leading to incurring additional and unforeseen costs. Instead, you should protect your car to enable you to get from point A to B as safely as possible. This post is aimed at drivers that want to extend the life of their cars and save them money on repair and maintenance costs that you might not have planned for.car

Owner’s manual

Your owner’s manual should be your best friend, you should familiarise yourself with the helpful tips and suggestions. The owner’s manual will have a recommended maintenance schedule as well as information on the cooling system, suspension and other components of the car. The owner’s manual is designed to help car owners with any issues they might face during their possession of the car so you should take full advantage of it.

Responsible Driving

You don’t only put yourself in danger when you drive recklessly, you are also risking the life of your passengers and members of the public. Apart from the human lives you are risking, driving dangerously can also affect the lifespan on your car. It can wear down your car, by slowing down and following the rules of the road you are following the law, saving lives and prolonging the lifespan of your car.

Short Trips

You should avoid driving short distances, driving from a cold start is hard on your engine and can have long term effects for your car and shorten the life of your muffler. If the car is not left to run the condensation in your exhaust is not given enough time to evaporate, which can lead to rust and water being accumulated in the muffler. You can combine errands for longer trips or walk to the shop if it is in walking distance. You should also avoid going to the other extreme which is not using the car often enough, try to drive it at least once a week to keep the fluids from draining out.

Air Filter

An air filter that doesn’t work properly can affect the fuel efficiency of the car as well as its acceleration. Your air filters should be changed every 30000 miles to work effectively, you should be particularly careful when driving in extreme conditions to prevent dust and other debris from getting into the car.

Tyre Rotation

Your tyres should be rotated every time you take it in for servicing, if you are off your warranty you should try to get them rotated every 3000 to 6000 miles. Your owner’s manual should have an exact recommendation on how often you should be rotating your tyres, however, if you do not have access to your owner’s manual every six months is a standard time to follow. If you notice a puncture or blotches you should consider checking for tyres online. While you are checking out the tyres you should also remember to check your spare tyre as well.

Servicing

Regular servicing is very important to the long-term performance of your car and can save you a lot of money in the long-run. Your vehicle should be serviced by a reliable professional that’ll know when your fluids need to be replaced or that your tyre tread is below the recommended allowance. In relation to how much you are going to be forking out on repair costs, you might be better off biting the bullet and paying for regular servicing. If you have access to your owner’s manual there should be a recommended maintenance schedule.

Listen

Your style of driving can also affect the lifespan of your car, shifting the gears carelessly, accelerating too quickly and more can wear down your vehicle too quickly leaving you with some expensive repair costs. Apart from driving carefully, you should also be listening out for noises while you drive and if you hear anything unusual you should address it immediately.

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