20 Tips to Prolong The Life of Your Car: Part One

Whether your car is brand new or you have had it for a few years, we know how important it is to make sure your car lasts as long as possible. We have put together some top expert advice and car care tips on prolonging the life of your car. Because there are so many aspects to your cars performance and health, we have put together a two part blog series of 20 tips to prolong the life of your car. Keep an eye out in the following weeks for 10 more tips.

Read the car manual

Most importantly, keeping up with the maintenance schedule may help avoid costly problems with your cooling system, drive train, suspension and other components; ensuring you get the full benefit of the manufacturer's warranty.

Fix small windscreen chips

A small crack or chip has damaged the windscreen? Get it repaired as soon as possible. This can be very cheap, often can be carried out on your driveway and will cost a lot less than inevitably having to replace the whole windscreen.

Don’t store your vehicle for prolonged periods

If you do need to store your car for long periods, make sure you have the car looked at by a mechanic before driving again. Fluids will slowly drain from a car if it is not driven regularly, at least once every other week.

Touch-up when needed

It is important to touch up scratches and chips in paintwork sooner rather than later to avoid rust. Keep a matching colour around so it blends in well and you have it on hand for those annoying occasions it is needed!

Change Oil Regularly

This improves your petrol mileage and protects your engine. The recommended mileage between oil changes is 5000 - 8000 kilometers or every three to six months, depending on the type of oil you use and your driving conditions. Having the oil filter changed at the same time is recommended as there is little point in putting clean oil through a dirty filter. In general, conventional oil and harsh driving conditions (like short trips, taxi/police/delivery use, extreme weather, heavy loads) will require more frequent oil changes than fully synthetic oils and light driving conditions.

Keep an eye on your brake pads

Monitor your brake pad thickness and don't let the pads wear down to metal. Allowing them to wear down will damage to your brake rotors or discs. It is important to know that cleaning a brake pad is pointless it needs replacing.

Don’t over pack the roof rack

Check the weight limit of your roof rack (if you have one) and your car's roof load weight limits and don’t exceed them! Heavy loads can cause issues in several areas of your vehicle.

For heavier or oddly shaped loads consider hiring a truck or getting it delivered.

Rotate the tyres regularly

This is important as it reduces uneven deterioration on the tread and as a result extending the life of the tires. It is recommended to rotate the tyres diagonally (front right to rear left and front left to rear right) twice a year. It will keep the tread even for increased safety on the roads. This may vary depending on the drivetrain of the vehicle, and the type of tyre.

Regularly Check power-steering fluid

We recommend checking power steering fluid once a month when the engine is warm. If the level is low, have the hoses and pump inspected for leaks. In addition to making your car difficult to steer, low power-steering fluid will damage the power-steering pump. Make sure you check the fluid recommended by your car.

Protect the Paint with Wax

Waxing is hard work and time consuming but definitely worthwhile. It will keep your car looking its best for longer by upholding the paint by forming a barrier against sap, salt air, bird droppings and pollution. For a great range of paint protection check out our own range.

At Tony White Group we know that keeping your car in-tip top shape for as long as possible is important. If you have decided that you are in need of some new wheels call into one of our dealerships today and speak to one of our friendly staff on what car in perfect for you!

Find your nearest dealer here.