9 Brilliant Ways to Make Your Car Last Longer

Aside from basic car maintenance like oil checks and tire rotation, people tend to ignore other thorough car maintenance tips like the proper use of handbrakes, regular car alignment checks, and using a proper key chain, until it’s too late. This can be bad for the life of your car. Ensuring proper car maintenance is vital for the durability of your car.

Bright Side knows how important it is for your car to be in perfect and durable condition, so we decided to share tips with you for how you can make your car last longer.

1. Don’t rest your hand on the gear shifter.

People often rest their hands on the gear shifter. Even though people see this as a normal thing, it’s not. Resting your hand on the gear shifter will result in premature wear on the transmission’s components, especially in manual cars.

2. Do the first oil change after 50 to 100 miles.

It’s imperative that you change your car’s engine oil after the first 50 to 100 miles, especially when it’s a brand new car. This will extend the life of the car. But if you’ve been driving the car for a long period of time, you should regularly change the oil after every 5,000 miles or after the recommended break-in period mileage.

3. Don’t keep your car for too long without driving it.

Leaving your car for a long period of time without driving it can lead to the killing of your car’s battery, and the misshaping of your tires. If you keep the car idle for a long period, always be sure to store it in a good indoor location, washing it often to keep the paint in good condition, overfilling your tires to keep them in the proper shape, and connecting the battery to a trickle charger to keep it alive.

4. Lighten your key chain.

Sharing your key chain with loads of other keys can be a very high load on your car, especially when it’s in the ignition. A weight like that, when driving and bouncing, can have a negative effect on the tumblers in the ignition, in turn leading to ignition failure. It’s important that you use a light key chain to make your car ignition more durable.

5. Monitor your gas fill ups and mileage with your phone.

You can use a car maintenance app on your phone or a pad and pencil that are always kept in the glove compartment to record your mileage and gas fill-ups. Why? It’s very important to keep an accurate record of your gas fill-ups and mileage. This is so you know whether or not your gas mileage is getting worse. And if it worsens, it’s important that you report the issue to your service person.

6. Always check your car’s alignment.

This is often neglected by the majority of drivers. It’s imperative that you drive on properly aligned tires. Driving on improperly aligned tires can affect the durability of your tires, and even lead to an accident.

7. Change your air filter whenever possible.

Your car’s air filter is the lung of your car. As the car’s usage increases, you may have a tendency to drive on dusty roads, and this requires a changing of your air filter. If it’s filled with dust, this will lead to your car being filled with dirty air, and this reduces your car’s performance. You may be able to change your engine air filter yourself, while some might need a service person to do it. It’s imperative that you check your car’s manual to figure out how often you need to change your air filter.

8. Avoid using pressure washers on your engine.

Cleaning your engine with pressure washers can cause serious damage to your engine, damage which includes the dislodging of electrical bits, hoses, and rubber seals. If you wash your engine, rags and a degreaser fluid are enough to clean your engine well, and this should be done twice a year.

9. Don’t neglect to use your parking brake.

It’s important that you always use a parking brake, whether your car is parked on a steep hill or flat ground. Using a parking brake often takes the strain off of your transmission and, generally, the transmission isn’t made to hold your car steady. Being in the habit of always using a parking brake can increase your car’s life.

Did you learn any important tips that you can use to make your car more durable? Have we missed any important tips? Please share your thoughts with us in the comment section.