At some point, you will have to say goodbye to your favorite car. They aren’t meant to last forever, after all. However, they aren’t meant to only last a few years after you’ve made the last payment either. You can drive a car for decades before it finally gives up the ghost on you. It’s up to you to make sure that it lasts that long.
There are a lot of reasons to keep your used car running for a long time. You can have a no-loan car for years so you can save money. You can save a lot on car insurance as you can see from this Progressive auto insurance review. And, it can help the environment since there is less consumption involved when you aren’t buying new cars every few years. In this article, we will go over what it takes to keep your car running for years.
1 – Keep it maintained
There are a number of things that have to be changed or repaired regularly with any car. When you take care of these things, then your car will last a lot longer than if you neglect them. For instance, changing the oil on time will help keep the parts in the engine from wearing out prematurely.
The timing belt is also something that needs to be changed on time. This is the key to the engine working and when it breaks it will kill your motor. You can’t drive the car forever without changing it at least once in its lifetime.
You should check out the owner’s manual to get an idea of the routine repairs and maintenance things that should be done and when they need to be done. Create a spreadsheet that will help you stay on schedule with them so that you don’t have to worry about what is coming up and what should have been done already.
2 – Be a better driver
How you drive your car is going to have a direct effect on how long your car lasts. Think about those senior citizens that drive slowly and carefully and then notice the condition and age of their car. They are driving cars over twenty years old that look brand new.
When you drive carefully and obey the road rules you will not only avoid getting into an accident that will ruin your car, but you will also reduce the wear and tear on it.
The engine will last longer since the parts are not being strained. And you will reduce the risk of the chassis having issues from rough stopping and taking corners too fast.
3 – Keep it covered
Keeping your car in a garage or under an awning will help keep the elements off of it so it lasts a lot longer. The hot sun and cold air take years off the car and when you keep it under cover it is protected.
