There are plenty of ways to improve the life and longevity
of your vehicle. The most important thing you can do for your vehicle is to
Drive Nicely. Let’s start from the beginning.
The way that we drive our vehicles has a very
large impact on the longevity and durability of your car, truck, or SUV.
Patience while we break in a brand new car will help to
ensure that it lasts as long as possible, in top condition. Remember these
things as you drive your dream car away from the dealer. While you are first
breaking the vehicle in, the first 1,000 miles or so, try to keep vehicle speed
under 55mph or to the speed recommended by your car manufacturer. Avoiding
heavy loads such as towing trailers or loading up a roof rack, or even filling
the truck with heavy materials will keep you from putting too much weight and
stress on your drive train. Don’t allow your new car to idle for extended
periods of time. You should take care to keep your vehicle from idling
throughout the life of the car.
One of the best thing we can do for our vehicle, whether
your car is brand new or good ol’ reliable, is to drive with care every day. If
we are sure to be car considerate, past the break in period, your car will
reward you long term. There are a lot of great ways we can be considerate of
our vehicle. Don’t race the engine during start up;
racing the engine can add years of wear and
tear to the engine, especially if it is cold outside. As the vehicle is warming
up, accelerate slowly. The most wear to the engine and drive train occurs in
the first 10-20 minutes of the vehicle being driven. Do not warm the engine by
letting it idle in the driveway. The engine doesn’t operate at its peak
temperature; doing this will actually result in incomplete fuel consumption,
harm your gas mileage, and add soot deposits to the engine cylinders. This will
add years of wear to the engine in a short amount of time. You can put less
strain on your engine and automatic transmission by shifting the vehicle into
neutral at red lights; otherwise the engine is still working to push the car,
even while it’s stopped. Avoid driving at high speeds and accelerating quickly
in extreme weather conditions. You can easily extend the life of your tires by
following posted speed limits, avoiding fast starts, stops, and turns. You can
also extend tire life by avoiding pot holes and other objects in the road. Take
care not to run over curbs or hit the tires against curbs when parking. Of
course, don’t burn rubber if you want to extend the life of your tires. When
you turn your steering wheel, avoid holding the wheel all the way to either
side, because this can damage the power-steering pump.
Another great piece of advice, consolidate your driving trips.
Most wear and tear (even pollution) occurs in the first few minutes of driving
each trip. If you can group trips/errands, you can keep your engine healthier
for longer.
