Make Your Car Last Longer with These Tips

Here are some expert tips I have come across in my travels which will help to keep your car running like a dream.

First things first. Do you know what checks to do on your car weekly, monthly etc. Here's a little help in that department.

Tire pressure: Once a month you should check the air pressure in your tires.
Wiper blades: You should change your wiper blades twice a year, whether you think they need it or not. When? Spring and Fall.
Filters: Your air filter should be changed about once a year or every 15,000 miles. Remember the filter keeps 98% of dirt out of your engine but only does that if its clean.
Oil Change: You should change your oil every 3,000 miles or three to six months depending on the amount of driving you do.

Now to a few little tips to make your car last longer.

Too many keys on your keychain: I used to be the worst for this. On my keychain I had two sets of house keys (mine and my moms ) two sets of car keys, locker keys and a few others....The thing weighed a ton. And according to experts, a heavy key chain puts pressure on the tumblers in your ignition which can eventually cause problems with your starter...Just by lightening your key chain you can save up to 150.00 in repairs down the road.

Using Neutral when Idling: Many people believe that when stopped in traffic or for a train etc, putting the car in neutral is a good idea because it saves gas and wear and tear on the car. In actuality there are no studies to prove this true but there are studies that say, switching gears to often can wear out the gears. So for the most part, leave it in drive while waiting in traffic.

More about your tires: Every time you get an oil change, you should rotate your tires. This ensures they will wear better and ultimately last longer. Now I know many people choose to rotate their tires on their own which of course saves money..But , if this is the case make sure you have an alignment done to insure your tires are running straight down the road. This saves on your tread and suspension.

Dealing with Scratches: Better than a little paintbrush, why not use a syringe to fill in the scratches. Just put the paint in the syringe and you'll be able to fill in the scratches very easily.

Take care of your car and it will take car of you....

 

Great list of tips! The last one to deal with scratches is particularly interesting. I just had an asshole who used some sharp object to scratch my hood

I tend to drive my car gently, meaning accelerating slowly and not snapping the head back. It means anticipating your braking so you can brake gently and avoid panic stops. All these have somehow helped me in the maintenance of my cars for years.

 

Nice tips anyway. In order to make car long live we should not drive it roughly. Always drive your car carefully and don't try to push over the limits.

I use neutral in traffic blocks to free up my leg from the clutch. I was also unaware of changing wiper blades.

 

Really great article, but does "not leaving your gear on neutral" while idling count for manual/ stick cars or just for automatic cars?

 

I'm pretty sure he meat automatic transmissions only, manual cars tend to not have a "drive" setting on them

 

I beg to differ my learned friend , he never mentioned anything like "drive setting" he just said that while driving and drive, nothing like drive setting. . and I rest my case

 

Excellent tips. One thing I would add is having your radiator serviced. An inefficient radiator increases engine heat which can have negative effects.

 

I would like to add that it's best to never delay a needed repair, especially if the cost is not an issue. I ruin a transmission once because I failed to replace two little timing sensors. The total cost for the sensors was less than $20, and I could have installed them myself in about an hour.

I kept putting it off, thinking everything would be alright until I got around to it. Bad mistake.

 

Thanks for the tips, you just reminded me that I need to clean the filter on my cold air intake., I should do that ASAP. I never thought about my keychain being too heavy, I will be mindful of how many items I have on it.

 

Very informative in fact.I think am the most affected on using neutral when idling. But I think that has only minimal effects since I have used my car for the last four months and it is still running..gears properly working and to date I haven't noticed any gear issues.

 

That's a very comprehensive list I like the fact that even a newbie such as myself can get it lol. I'm not that handy with cars, so it's really nice to find things like this! I liked the way you exposed all the info Very clear and concise article Now I'll know for sure when I'm supposed to check the pressure of my tires I'd also like to add that I read in another article that we should always check the tires when they're still cool, not warm.

 

That's a great list, and even though alot of people know about it, I can't personally remember all the details when I go to check it up. I think I'll start writing down what to check and what not so I wont forget.

 

I agree with most of the tips and learned a new one on the syringe and paint. I am glad you posted the issue with two heavy a glob of keys and gizmos on an ignition. Many people do not realize the problems this can cause. I have learned to use a detachable key chain with just the hood and trunk that twill separate. Its good on the ignition and also good if you are going to use valet parking.

 

One way to keep your car on the road for longer is to keep getting it serviced on a regular basis. I think that it has to be maintained for you to be able to get the best results from it. I always get my car checked at least once every 6 weeks and i have not had any major breakdowns.

 

These tips are really great to follow in order to keep the car lasting longer. Most of them I have my husband do for me and he always urges me to keep the car at neutral when idling. One tip that is new to me is having less key on the key chain. I only have two on mine but still it is something to be aware of, so I am happy for the information.