The convenience of having a car is something we often take for granted. So, what if all of a sudden, your vehicle reached its last legs, leaving you without a car? That is a real possibility for car owners who do not correctly care for their car, often forcing them to spend an extensive amount of money on a new one. While some car maintenance can seem expensive at first, it’s a small price to be able to keep your vehicle on the road, so you won’t have to pay a much bigger expense for a replacement car. We provided five tips you should follow to extend your car’s lifespan:
1. Don’t Skip Out on Oil Changes
Oil changes keep your vehicle parts lubricated and running smoothly. By choosing not to get an oil change every 3000 miles, you run the risk of engine failures, inefficient gas mileage, and other issues that can damage your car. So, whenever you see that oil change light or any other warning light, be sure to bring it into our shop!
2. Avoid Leaving Your Car Outside in Extreme Weather
In extreme weather conditions, it’s ideal to park your car in a garage, if possible. High heat can overwork your A/C, damage your engine, and wear out other parts while freezing temperatures can cause your engine and battery to freeze or even stall your vehicle. Parking in an enclosed space or garage helps protect your car from weather-related damage. However, for many car owners, this isn’t always an option.
As an alternative, you can use sunshades to prevent overheating or invest in a full car cover to shield your vehicle from the elements when it’s not in use.
3. Use Your Parking Brake
Engaging your parking brake reduces strain on your transmission’s pawl, a mechanism that locks your car in place when in park. Relying solely on the pawl puts stress on the transmission while using the parking brake helps distribute the load, minimizing wear and tear. Over time, this simple habit can extend the life of your engine and improve overall vehicle longevity.
4. Care for Your Tires
Your tires keep your car upright and are essential for keeping your car safe and stable. Maintaining proper air pressure, alignment, and tread depth helps extend their lifespan and ensures a smoother ride. As a rule of thumb, replace your tires when the tread wears down to 2/32 of an inch. Also, refill them with air whenever the warning light appears. If you are driving on misaligned, worn, or underinflated tires, you are increasing the risk of an accident, so don’t wait until it’s too late!
5. 100K Mile Service
After your car reaches the 100K mile mark, you should pop a champagne bottle and… just kidding. While it is an achievement to reach 100K, we want your vehicle to last for 200K, even 300K miles. So here are some things to check for once you’ve reached this milestone:
- Service the transmission
- Replace the cooling system
- Replace worn-out parts, such as spark plugs, timing belts, hoses, and filters.
Visit KC Automotive for Car Maintenance
KC Automotive offers expert maintenance and repair services to keep your car running longer. We work on all makes models, and years, ensuring top-quality care for every vehicle. Our goal is to provide reliable service at an affordable price while keeping you informed with honest, transparent communication. Visit our shop today or give us a call at 703-978-0707 to schedule your appointment!
