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Proper Vehicle Maintenance

When you buy a vehicle, whether it be new or old, you’re going to want it to last. I just recently bought a used 2014 Kia Optima. The car was in great condition when I bought it. It will continue to run a long time afterwards if I continue to maintain it. I also own a 1999 Ram 2500. This truck has over 700,000 miles on it and is still running like new.

The key to a vehicle’s long life is proper maintenance. Nobody wants to spend their money regularly on their car; but, doing so is what will make your car last as long as possible. Maintaining a vehicle is a lot more than just changing the oil. It means taking care of all of the vehicles’ various systems. By doing this, whether you do it yourself or take it to a mechanic, is what will ensure that your car runs for a long time. Not all cars, even if well maintained will go a long time like 700,000 miles. Regardless, you can get the most out of your car by proper maintenance, whether you bought a car for $2,000 or $40,000.

Breaking in a Vehicle

If you buy a new car, the way you drive it for the first short while, will have a tremendous effect on how long the car lasts. Many people overlook that their vehicles’ manufacturer will have several recommendations for the first thousand miles of driving. These recommendations can be found in your owners’ manual. Following these guidelines will make sure that your car is broken in as it should and that it lasts as long as possible.

These recommendations vary slightly by manufacturer, but the general rule is that you do not push the accelerator to the floor and that you do not redline it. As you start driving your piston rings begin to wear into your cylinder bore. If this is done properly, you will have no problems down the road. Flooring it can lead to hotspots. By driving the car easy for the first little while, will make sure that the car breaks in as it should.

It is also recommended that you don’t use cruise control. You want your car to operate at varying speeds and loads. This allows for it to break in as it should. Driving at a constant speed for a long period of time, is not ideal for a new engine. If you would like to learn more about these things, check out the video below. 

Manufacturer Suggested Maintenance

After a good break-in, that is where the routine maintenance will come into place. If you have purchased a new vehicle, then your manufacturer will have outlined your required maintenance. They will generally specify what services need to be performed at certain mileages. These vary by manufacturer but could be mileages such as 5,000, 10,000, 30,000, 60,000 and so on. By changing out these parts or fluids, you are avoiding future costs and damages to your vehicle. Your manufacturer has recommended these services at these intervals after an intensive amount of testing and study.

Some of this work can be crucial to the life of the engine. For cars that come with a timing belt, your manufacturer will have a specified mileage by which you should change your timing belt. Ignoring this can cause catastrophic damage. If your timing belt breaks due to wear, the valves can take an excessive amount of damage from the piston. This can destroy your valves, pistons, and even put a hole in your engine block. Your only choice will be to buy a new engine after this.

Some other things recommended for service are to have a new battery installed, brake fluid changed, brake pads changed, rotors changed, coolant flushed, transmission fluid changed, spark plugs changed, power steering fluid changed, and many other things. Depending on your vehicle’s warranty, these services will generally be covered. Making sure the proper steps are taken to ensure your car lives a long life is well worth the cost.

Regular Vehicle Service

On top of your interval maintenance, your vehicle will also require other basic maintenance. This means things like an oil change. Every car has different recommended intervals as to how often they should have their oil changed. Check your owner’s manual to see how often is recommended for your vehicle. Generally, it is recommended that your oil is changed every 3,000-5,000 miles or every 3-6 months. Changing your oil routinely, allows for the engine to continue to receive proper lubrication.

Your car will also need other routine services such as wheel alignments. A wheel alignment is not needed as often but is still very important. Your car will need a wheel alignment when new tires are installed. Apart from that, you are generally fine to drive for a long time without getting an alignment. If you notice that the wheels are out of alignment, it is a great idea to get it done as soon as possible. Other than that, you should be fine for 2 or 3 years.

Many other basic services are needed from time to time including lubricating chassis parts, tire rotation, air filter replacements, and changing lightbulbs. All of these services are important to ensure that your car runs as it should for a long time.

Auto Service Is What You Need

Anyone would love to be able to see that their car ran until the odometer read 1,000,000 miles. Now, that is not possible for every car. Regardless, proper vehicle maintenance and care will allow for your car to last as long as possible, whether that be 300,000 miles or 1,000,000.

If you are not so mechanically inclined, many mechanic shops also offer these vehicle services at a very low cost. They can generally be performed very quickly. Whether you do it yourself, or take it to a professional, making sure that these things get done is crucial to the life of your vehicle!

Our sponsor for this article is: 

A-1 Auto Tech, Inc. 89 Pioneer Way, Mountain View, CA 94041 650-487-2240 https://mountainviewautorepairs.com/