7 Ways to Prolong the Life of Your Car
Cars are expensive. Whether you buy new or used, a car is sure to set you back a significant sum of money. Given the investment you have to make to purchase a car, it’s important to do what you can to prolong the life of your car. With that in mind, we’d like to dive into a list of seven ideas to keep in mind when caring for your vehicle.
Perhaps the most powerful idea you will find on the list below is to park your car in a covered spot. With shelter provided by American Steel Carports, Inc., you’ll be doing your vehicle a huge favor.
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#1 – Oil Changes
This is an easy place to start the list, as it’s an extremely important part of owning a vehicle. If your vehicle has a gas or diesel engine, be sure to have the oil changed according to the schedule set forward by the manufacturer. While some people change their own oil, most car owners just take their vehicle to the dealership or to an oil change business for service.
#2 – Washing Your Car
You may think about washing your car as a vanity project more than anything else – you want it to look good when you drive down the road. But car washes are actually about much more than looking good. Keeping your vehicle clean can help the condition of the body as the years go by. If you live in an area where salt is a concern – either from a nearby ocean or from salt applied to the roads during the winter – consistent washing will help ward off rust.
#3 – Respond to Problems
When you notice an issue come up with your vehicle, it’s best to address that problem right away. This could be something like a strange noise or a warning light on the dash. Getting professional help as quickly as possible can make for an easier and less expensive fix.
#4 – Watch the Tires
The only pieces of your vehicle that should ever be in contact with the road are your tires, so keep them in good condition. Two important tire-related keys are to check the air pressure regularly and to monitor tread depth as the miles add up. Tire care can help you get more miles from a set, and it should also keep you safer on the road.
#5 – Park in a Protected Area
At American Steel Carports, Inc., this is our favorite point. We believe that cars should be parked under a roof at the very minimum, if not inside a garage. Parking in a covered spot will keep elements like rain and snow off the vehicle, and that roof will also protect the car from the sun’s powerful rays in the summer months. Protecting your vehicle is an important way to prolong the life of your car.
#6 – Periodic Preventive Maintenance
This goes along with the point on oil changes, but it deserves an entry of its own on our list. The owner’s manual that came with your vehicle should outline periods of maintenance that will include things like changing fluids other than the oil, checking the brakes, and much more. Hitting all of these maintenance checkpoints, often at intervals like 30,000, 60,000, and 90,000 miles, will do wonders for your car.
#7 – Build Good Driving Habits
How you handle the vehicle from behind the wheel can also say a lot about how your car will hold up over the long run. Drivers who are overly aggressive with their vehicles, both when accelerating and braking, can do damage through their harsh actions. It’s best to drive relatively gently when you can, easing onto the gas and onto the brake to keep the car under control at all times.
Car Storage and So Much More
We hope these tips were insightful with ways to prolong the life of your car. With one of the most important tips, that is to ensure you have a covered and protected space for your vehicle. The best thing about adding a covered parking space to your property is the other uses that structure can provide as the years go by. If you build a metal garage, for example, you might be able to use it for parking as well as storage, or even as a project space. Think of what you would like to accomplish with your new building and then bring it to life with a custom structure from American Steel Carports, Inc.
