Maintaining Your Car Will Make It Last Longer

By: Matthew C. Keegan

Regular maintenance of your vehicle will extend its life perhaps
well beyond what you or others may think is its normal lifespan.
Today's cars can easily top the 100,000 mile mark with many cars
on the road exceeding 150,000, 200,000, even 250,000 miles. Ask
owners of high mileage cars how they got to that point and most
will point to their own rigorous and disciplined maintenance
schedules as being the chief factor. By carefully and diligently
following a maintenance schedule, you can extend your vehicle's
life too. Let's take a look at several important maintenance
steps you must take in order to avoid costly repairs and to help
you hold onto your vehicle longer.

Regular oil changes - The 30 minute oil change
specialists recommend that you change your oil every 3,000 miles
or three months, while some manufacturers state you only need to
change your oil once every 7,500 miles or six months. Opt for
more frequent changes than lengthy manufacturer recommended
intervals, but change your oil [and oil filter] every 3,000
miles if your car is subject to hard driving.

Change your air filter - Your engine will run better and
cleaner if you change your air filter at least once per year;
more so if you do a lot of "stop and go" driving or put on many
more miles per year than average.

Rotate your tires - Evenly wearing tires will help ensure
that your car stops properly and stays on the road. Have your
brakes and shocks inspected too to avoid potential handling and
control issues.

Transmission fluid - Your transmission isn't guaranteed
to run forever. Change your fluid at manufacturer recommended
intervals, generally once every 30 or 60 thousand miles. Neglect
it and face costly repairs and potentially fatal [to the car]
consequences.

Drain the radiator - Periodically draining the radiator
and replacing the antifreeze will help flush out rust and dirt
particles that can clog up your cooling system. When the
coolant's rust inhibitors get used up then corrosion will show
up within the radiator as well as in the engine block

Change the spark plugs - Some manufacturers have
installed long life spark plugs meaning that changing spark
plugs once every 60 or even 90 thousand miles or more is a
possibility. Keep in mind that the longer your spark plugs sit
in place, the more difficult it may be to remove them later.
Optimally, replacing your spark plugs once every 30 thousand
miles is ideal.

Examine your exhaust system - Your muffler, catalytic
converter, and remaining exhaust system parts can wear out. A
poorly functioning exhaust system saps your engine of needed
power.

Wash and wax - Yes, your car may mechanically run well,
but if the body falls apart, then what do you have left? Regular
washings and a once a year wax job should do the trick.

Other stuff - Replace your battery, fuel filter, PCV
valve, belts, and hoses as needed and every other part that
wears out. Sensors come and sensors go; usually you will only
have to replace your knock or oxygen sensors if and when a
problem arises.

Ultimately, refer to your manufacturer's repair book for
guidelines as to when to perform maintenance. The key to
extending your vehicle's life is in doing the maintenance when
needed to head off costly repair bills. Otherwise you will be
neglecting your car to the point where it "dies" prematurely.

You can extend the life of your vehicle. If you aren't up to the
task, hire a qualified mechanic to service your vehicle
regularly.

About the author:
Matt Keegan writes for The Parts Bin, a retailer
of high quality K&N
filters, EBC
brakes, and
Husky floor mats available to you at deeply discounted
prices.