How to Make Your Used Car Run Longer

If you have recently bought a used car — congratulations! You saved money while also contributing to rescuing our environment. Now your task is to make your car serve you as long as it can, which can be tricky if your car’s mileage is high. However, depending on how you care for your car, you can keep it on the road for many years to come. In this article, we are going to cover some tips on how to keep driving your used car for as long as possible.

Don’t skip maintenance

While owners of new cars can afford the luxury of performing regular car checks only occasionally, you might want to stick to the maintenance schedule which you can find in your car owner’s manual. Ask the previous car owner — what are some of the car’s problem areas? What should you keep an eye on? Regardless of your car’s specific needs, here are some regular procedures for your car:

• Oil changes;
• Tire checks;
• Brake inspections;
• Cooling system refills and inspections;
• Battery checks.

Listen to your car

Your car has an array of ways to communicate with you, and the main ones are lights and indicators. If you notice a weird blinking light each time you start your car and you are not sure what it means, it’s probably time to blow the dust off your car manual and check its meaning. While the problems your car is trying to report may be pretty harmless, try to understand your car’s indication to solve or prevent problems before they start.

Don’t forget to watch your car’s fluids and filters

Your car consists of thousands of small and delicate moving parts, which require motor oil, transmission fluid, and coolant to function. If any of these fluids are running low, driving your car may cause damage to your engine. While you are refilling the car fluids, don’t forget to check the filters. Your engine air filter and in-cabin air filters are the most important to check and replace, if necessary. Doing these easy checks will keep your car on the road longer and will save you a lot of time and money.

Let the Tire Checks Not Tire You

While most car owners understand how important your car’s under-the-hood parts are, many underestimate the need to perform regular tire checks. Don’t forget that so many of your car parts depend on the wheels, such as your car handling, braking, acceleration, and more. Because of that, you might want to take your car to the specialists every once in a while, especially if you notice low tire pressure and excessive or uneven tire wear. These symptoms may signal that your tires need rotating, aligning, or changing altogether.

Following these simple tips and rules, you may:

1. Help fuel economy;
2. Save time and money on service and repair;
3. Keep your vehicle longer on the road.

Follow this advice and get a happy, healthy car. Happy driving!