Chances are that next to your house, your car is your biggest asset. But a car isn’t built to last as long as a house, so car owners need to be more intentional to prolong the lifespan of a car. Luckily, how you drive and treat your car can extend your car’s life longer than the average of 12 years.
The experts at Loper’s Performance Center know firsthand how important every action is with your car to lengthen its life. So, we’re here to offer 10 tips to prolong the life of your car.
Get to Know Your Car
It’s estimated that only 40% of people read their car manual, even though your car manual can provide valuable information about regular maintenance, operating instructions, and knowledge for all of the warning lights or signs. Simply put, your car’s manual will make you a more informed driver and owner of your car.
Promptly Take Care of Repairs
One of the biggest flaws we see drivers do is not tend to their car’s problems right away. If you notice anything, such as a weird noise, a drift, or a leak, don’t ignore it. This will make the problem grow into something worse than it already is. Get it serviced right away.
The Loper’s Performance team is ready to quickly service your vehicle whenever you need it. Don’t hesitate to contact us for any issues you may suspect.
Routinely Change the Oil
There’s no doubt that oil is essential to your car’s engine. Typically, you should change your oil every 3,000 miles for optimal performance. Many newer cars also have a feature on your dashboard to display how much oil life is left in your car, so you know when exactly to expect an oil change is needed and plan accordingly.
Even the oil you use has an effect on your car’s performance, and this is another area where Loper’s Performance can offer advice depending on your car’s age and mileage.
Routinely Check All Fluids
While oil is the most important fluid, there are a couple of other fluids that your vehicle depends on: brake fluid, transmission fluid, coolant, and power steering fluid. Periodically checking these yourself or having a mechanic inspect these often will keep your car running well for longer.
Keep Your Car out of the Sun
When possible, it is also helpful to park your car in the shade or in a garage. This protects its paint and interior, keeping the upholstery intact and ultimately increasing the lifespan of your car while maintaining quality.
Check Your Tire Pressure Often
Properly inflated tires improve a car’s gas mileage and handling. Every month it can be good to inspect the psi levels of each tire, and newer cars also have a display for each tire’s air level as well. Especially as the weather gets colder, tire pressure deflates and you’ll need to add air more often. It can be a huge convenience to have a portable tire inflator handy in your car or garage.
Keep Your Car Clean
Getting rid of dust, debris, and dirt from the outside and inside of your vehicle improves a car’s lifespan. These cause unnecessary wear to your car that can be prevented with frequent cleaning, detailing, and vacuuming.
Combine Trips
Many people don’t know how tough they can be on their car with frequent, short trips. A cold start causes the most wear to a car, so combining trips or errands to reduce how often you’re driving is beneficial to let the engine rest and not unnecessarily overwork itself.
Driving Responsibly and Cautiously
Accelerating when you don’t need to, aggressive driving, or hard stopping are all bad driving habits that can quickly deteriorate a car’s engine and tires. When you’re behind the wheel, think about how important your driving today affects the car tomorrow and later in the future.
Modifying Your Car for Optimal Performance
As gearheads and experts, we also understand how modifying your vehicle can greatly enhance its performance and its lifespan as a result. There’s many routes you can take to change your car, including turbocharging or supercharging, a cat back exhaust system, a muffler delete, and more. If you can improve your car, you can prolong its lifespan.
We recommend reaching out to automotive experts first before any significant change. And as always, we’re glad to discuss any modification ideas or services to your ride.
About Loper’s Performance Center
Loper’s is proud to call itself the largest speed shop in Arizona, and we’ve been servicing customers since 1969. If you’re looking for a mechanic team you can rely on or ways to prolong your car, contact us today to learn how we can help.