It is interesting how many times you see late model vehicles stalled on the side of the road – yet many people with older vehicles drive them for many years and experience little or no trouble. The secret is preventive maintenance. We know of one client who still drives a 1993 Ford Escort on a daily basis that has never needed major repairs, yet auto repair shops are filled with newer vehicles that owners have failed to take proper care of.
Even the most finely-engineered machinery requires periodic upkeep; by having this done on a regular basis, you’ll have a vehicle that will serve you well for fifteen and even twenty years.
The Basics
You’ve read about them before, but here is a reminder – follow your vehicle’s recommended maintenance schedule. Many car makers offer low-cost or even no-cost maintenance for a period of time after you’ve made your purchase; you can also buy maintenance/repair plans for a low cost; these plans will cover most or all of the costs of maintenance and major repairs – which can be very expensive.
This said, one of the most important – and least expensive – steps you can take in order to maintain your vehicle is to have the oil changed every 3000 miles (synthetic oils actually last longer, but cost more). Oil begins to lose viscosity after awhile, providing less effective lubrication for your engine’s moving parts, which in turn can cause rapid and premature wear.
At the same time, check fluid levels, particularly coolant, on a regular basis. Examine the elements of your cooling system as well; when hoses begin to crack or look brittle, it’s time to replace them. One bad incident of overheating can lead to a myriad of mechanical problems later on, such as warped heads. The entire cooling system should be flushed out at least once a year or every 12-15,000 miles.
You should also keep an eye on your fan belts; like hoses, these also become brittle with age.
Developing Good Driving Habits
The other key to vehicle longevity is good driving habits. A vehicle with 150,000 highway miles on the odometer is almost always in much better condition than one that has been driven in the city for 30,000 miles. You may not be able to avoid driving in the city, but you can use some principles to reduce wear and tear:
1. Avoid sudden acceleration. Pull away from a stop slowly and smoothly, using the least amount of throttle.
2. Avoid sudden stops. This puts extreme wear on your brake pads. If you see a red light, don’t get into the habit of rushing up to it; start slowing down well ahead of time. Downshift if you have a manual transmission and allow the engine compression to slow you down. (This is also a handy tip when you are descending a steep hill.)
3. Avoid idling in traffic. If you are going to be stopped for an extended period of time – for example, at a railroad crossing or where road work is going on – shut the motor down.
4. Avoid use of the air conditioner if at all possible. This puts an extra load on the engine; it’s not so much a problem on the open highway, but can really put a strain on your motor in stop-and-go city traffic.
5. For those driving vehicles with a manual transmission: make judicious use of your gears. Pay attention to the tachometer; do not allow the RPMs to get too high, but do not allow the engine to “lug down,” either.
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