8 Logical Ways to Prolong the Life of your Car
8 Logical Ways to Prolong the Life of your Car
Most of us are no stranger to the financial pinch, and with our newfound junk status, we are forced to hang on to our cars until the wheels fall off. Here are our top tips for ensuring you and your car stay together forever - or as long as possible.
- Service your car as per the manufacturer’s instructions
The people who built your car know what’s good for it, and when you should have it serviced.
Having your car checked out when it needs to, will also help come resale time - having a full service history is essential. The owner’s manual will have all this info handy.
- Don’t neglect checking the oil, and changing it when needed
Maintaining proper levels of oil is of the utmost importance. Oil acts as a lubricant, preventing friction and keeping everything running smoothly. Driving with low oil levels is very damaging to your car’s engine.
Oil needs to be changed regularly. But how often? These days, it can be anything between 5000 km to 12 000 km, with some cars running well past the 30 000 km mark without needing a change. Newer cars need their oil changed less frequently, and have oil life monitoring systems in place that will tell you when it’s time. Wondering how this works? http://auto.howstuffworks.com/under-the-hood/car-part-longevity/oil-life-indicator.htm
- Ensure the correct fluid levels
Apart from oil, there are many fluids that keep your car in tip-top condition - that is if they are at the right level. These include brake and transmission fluids, steering fluid, and a water/coolant mixture for heat reduction. Consult the manual, as these will have to be checked regularly, and changed once in a while.
- Rotate those tyres, and keep them inflated
Tyres are a vital part of car safety, and driving around with deflated, worn, or misaligned tyres is not just dangerous, it is also bad for fuel economy. While many cars come with a tyre pressure monitor nowadays, many don’t have this feature. Your local garage will check your tyre pressure if you ask nicely.
Rotating your tyres regularly also helps them last longer - just for the record, rotating them means putting them in different positions, not just spinning them around! If you suspect your alignment is out, have this seen to as soon as possible. Misalignment will also wear your tyres down and shorten their life.
- Give your car some TLC
Regular washes, polishes (not too many though, as polish can strip paint) and the odd valet actually help your car live longer. Also, if you don’t have covered parking, don’t neglect using sun shades or another form of protection, as UV light is just as damaging to your car in the long run as it is to you.
- Roll lots of short trips into one
When your car’s engine is warm, your car is at its happiest. Running plenty of little errands separately is not only bad for your engine, but also for your fuel consumption.
- Chill out behind the wheel
If your driving style is jerky and aggressive, and you regularly pull away fast only to slam on the breaks at the next traffic light, don’t expect loyalty from your car. Wear-and-tear will be so much greater with this kind of mistreatment. Adopting a more flowing driving style will be easier on your stress levels, as well as your car... and also your fuel bill.
- It helps to buy a car with a good warranty
This has become a huge selling point for manufacturers, and there are some brands who offer class-leading warranties and service plans. Hyundai is an example thereof: their cars come standard with a 5-year / 150 000 km warranty and an additional 2-year / 50 000 km powertrain warranty, which also includes a 5-year / 90 000 km service plan.