Are you looking to prolong the life of your car?

There’s nothing quite like hitting the open road in a brand new car. But nowadays, more people are driving their old reliable vehicles instead of brand spanking new cars.

In fact, drivers are holding onto their cars longer than ever before. The average age of cars on the road increased from 8 to 11 years since 1995.

Getting your car to the 200,000 miles (or 300,000 miles) threshold is more attainable than ever. If you want to ensure that your car lasts a long time, then you need to know these basic car maintenance tips. Read on for 10 must-know vehicle maintenance tips to extend your car’s life.

1. Practice Good Driving Etiquette

There’s no shortage of car care tips available. But there’s one key piece of advice on how to extend the life of your car: practice good driving etiquette.

Driving with care is fundamental if you want to extend the life of your car. You should avoid putting unnecessary strain on your car.

How can you practice good driving? Avoid fast acceleration, pumping the brakes, and revving your engine.

You should also avoid too many quick trips. Your car bears the most damage within the first few minutes of a drive. You can bundle trips and avoid heavy traffic to keep your engine happy and healthy.

2. Break in the Engine

Did you buy a new car?

It’s easy to get distracted by all the bells and whistles and that new car smell. But you have work to do if you want to extend your new car’s life.

New engines are more susceptible to aggressive driving. That’s because they have imperfections that smooth out over time.

Your first 1,000 miles are the most crucial to car maintenance. Check your user manual for advice on breaking in the new engine.

As a general rule of thumb, avoid long-distance trips at the beginning of your car’s lifecycle. You should mix up the speeds and practice extra care while driving.

3. Change Your Oil

You might know that you should change your oil roughly every 5,000 miles. But you might not know why it’s important.

Oil plays a crucial function in car maintenance. For one, it helps your engine burn fuel. It also cleans and cools your engine.

A lack of oil can wreak havoc on your engine. Low oil levels result in rusting, heating, and thermal degradation.

You can avoid engine failure by regularly changing your oil. Pay special attention to your make and model’s preferred oil. When in doubt, seek help from an auto mechanic.

4. Tire Pressure

Tire pressure is one of the most overlooked aspects of car maintenance. Not only does tire pressure keep your car running smoothly, but it helps to avoid dangerous car accidents.

Low tire pressure creates friction between the tire and the road. This can result in overheating and even excessive tread.

On the other hand, overinflated tires are just as dangerous. These tires have less traction, which leads to sliding stops.

Both overinflated and underinflated tires have long-term consequences on your car. You can invest in a tire pressure gauge to keep you and your car safe.

5. Replace Your Air Filter

When was the last time you replaced your air filter? If you don’t know the answer, it’s time to buy a new one.

Air filters play an important role in how to extend the life of your car. Dirty air filters lead to reduced air flow. This harms spark plugs and can even lead to problems starting your car.

You should aim to replace your air filter every 12,000 miles. You can easily purchase a new air filter and replace your existing one. Simply pop the hood, replace the filter, and clip on the new one.

This simple and cheap maintenance activity can save you big money in the long run.

6. Replace Power Steering Fluid

There’s no denying the importance of steering. Still, few people pay attention to one of the most crucial elements of steering: power steering fluid.

Power steering fluid moves through a complex pump system. When there is a clog, the steering wheel becomes difficult to turn.

You can check your owner’s manual to learn how to replace your power steering fluid. This will prevent steering system issues and will ensure your car enjoy’s safe steering for years to come.

7. Headlight Cleaning

Headlights are some of the most critical components to car safety and longevity.

Headlights become less powerful over time. You should check your headlights when you take your car in for maintenance. Your mechanic should let you know if you need to replace a bulb.

You should also dedicate time to headlight cleaning. Cleaning your headlights makes sure your vision isn’t distorted while driving.

8. Rotate Your Tires

Tires are essential to car maintenance.

In addition to gauging your tire pressure, you should also rotate your tires every 5,000-10,000 miles. This helps make sure even distribution of tire wear.

You don’t want the weight to be unevenly distributed on your front and back axles. Rotate your tires to prolong their life and keep you on the road.

9. Drive Belt Replacement

You can’t avoid wear and tear on your car. As your car begins to age, however, there are certain pieces that need replacing.

One such piece is the drive belt. These usually need replacing after about 50,000 miles.

Serpentine belts last even longer. Check with your mechanic as your car ages to stay on top of your drive belt.

10. Battery Check

Have you ever jump-started your car from a bad battery?

Don’t wait until it’s too late. Check your battery frequently to make sure it’s charged and ready to go.

You can inspect it by looking for corrosion. You can also invest in a leak detector or a battery tester for diagnostic reports.

Your Car’s Life

Car maintenance is an integral part of extending your car’s life. Spend a little extra time to keep your car humming along for another 100,000 miles.

Are you interested in learning more about your car? Check out our random doses for information on all things interesting.