20 Tips to Prolong The Life of Your Car: Part Two
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 and tips for taking better care of your vehicle, we have put together a two-part blog series of 20 tips to prolong the life of your car. You can see the first 10 tips in our previous blog here.
11. Change the air filter
Changing your vehicles air filter is something which is reasonably easy to do at home yourself with little or no tools. Filters are available to buy at most auto parts stores and your car's manual should clearly show you where it's located. Without a clean filter, your car can get a build up of dirt, dust and grime which can affect your mileage and acceleration.
12. Keep an eye on your fluids
Your vehicle's power steering fluid, brake fluid, and cooling system anti-freeze should be 'flushed' and replaced every two years or as per the directions in your owners manual. Some newer cars, however, allow longer intervals between changes. Transmission fluid & filters should be changed at least every 70,000 - 80,000 kilometers. If these fluids aren't replaced regularly, they may not be as effective at lubricating and cooling parts and may leave your car unprotected in severe conditions (for example, old anti-freeze may not perform well in very cold or very hot conditions).
13. Keep Tyres Inflated to the correct PSI
Tyres are a vital aspect of your car's performance and if not properly looked after, can cause extremely dangerous situations, especially when travelling at higher speeds. Under-inflated tyres have a 15% shorter life-span and can decrease your fuel efficiency by up to 10%. Make sure you check the correct PSI for your tyres, this should be located in your manual and/or in the driver door of your vehicle.
14. Don't fill up if you see the fuel tanker.
When a fuel tanker is refueling at the petrol station, the turbulence within the underground tanks can cause sediment to be stirred up. If this sediment gets into your vehicle, it can lead to clogged fuel filters and injectors, which can not only affect a cars performance but may cause problems that need mechanical repairing.
15. Keep your keychain light
A lot of people don’t realize the affect of having too much keys handing off your car key. The weight of this, combines with the bounciness of driving, can cause damage and wear on the tumblers in your car’s ignition. This can wear your ignition out much sooner than expected and can lead to the switch failing when you least expect it. If you car key ‘sticks’ when you try to turn your car on it’s a sure sign that your ignition switch is on the way out, so take car and have it replaced as soon as possible.
16. Look after your car’s paint
The paint on your car isn’t just for looks; it’s a protective layer for your vehicle. It protects from not only rust but also from moisture, bird droppings, tree sap, dirt, dust and more. The sun also damages your car’s paint, causing it to fade, so keep your car out of direct sun, utilizing garages, a car cover and shady spots whenever possible to extend the life of your car.
17. Keep your leather seats supple
Leather car seats are durable and usually don’t need much maintenance to stay in shape. A little TLC, however, can keep them looking and aging better than most. A seasonal wipe down with a leather cleaner will remove any dirt and stains from the seats. Follow this up with top coat leather protector for great looking and lasting leather seats that are more resistant to strains going forward.
18. Never forget about your timing belt
Whilst you don’t see your timing belt when you pop your hood, it’s one of the most vital pieces of your engine, and if it fails it can cause you more than a few thousand dollars to fix; so it pays to keep it well maintained. Check your manual and have your timing belt replaced on your before it’s due!
19. Don’t overturn your steering wheel
Holding your steering wheel at extreme left or right hand turns for more than a few seconds can cause damage to the power steering pump and cause it to wear much quicker than it should.
20. Keep trips to a minimum where possible
The majority of your vehicles wear and tear comes from the short drives you do. Whether it’s to the grocery store, post office or anywhere, try to consolidate your short drives so that you not only reduce your cars wear and tear but produce less pollution. Doing your errands in bulk and during low traffic hours will help keep your engine happier, longer.
At Tony White Group we know that keeping our 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 is perfect for you!
Find your nearest dealer here.