There are many benefits to owning an older car. The first of which is that it saves you the expense of buying a new vehicle sooner than necessary. Next, it has been “broken in” so to speak. This means that there is no period of adjustment as there is with a newer car. Nonetheless, older cars do require additional care. Here are a few tips to erase some signs of aging both cosmetically and under the hood and to keep your older vehicle running well past 100,000 miles
- Keep up with the manufacturer’s maintenance recommendations: If you have been doing this all along then you are already way ahead of the game. You should take special care to change the oil and filter routinely, to replace spark plugs and coolant and to check your brake fluid. All this can prolong the life of your care immensely.
- Don’t neglect your tires: According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), underinflated tires cause 660 highway deaths and 33,000 injuries annually. What’s more, under-inflating your tires can make your car less fuel efficient. This adds more wear and tear to your car and to your wallet or pocketbook.
- Lube up: Oil is the lifeblood of all cars. However, it is especially important to keep older vehicles properly lubricated. Use a quality grade of oil and have your oil changed regularly as oil protects the vital parts of your car from wear and tear.
- Keep it clean: Dirt and grime can deposit particles onto and in your car then can deteriorate both its exterior and interior. Clean your car inside and out on a regular basis as if it was new and it will look that way.
- Have your engine timing belt replaced: Most experts recommend that you have your timing belt replaced once it reaches 60,000 to 100,000 miles. A broken timing belt will result in many problems down the road.
- Repair scratches before they begin to rust: It can be pretty easy to ignore small scratches. However, over time blemishes to your car caused by accidents, road gravel, hail and the like can grow to become rather prominent rust marks. For these minor kinds of repair you can use a scratch remover kit or you can take it to a body shop.
Adhering to a regular preventive maintenance schedule, is one key to extending the life of your old car. At Chevron Fast Lube you can come in for a synthetic oil change which can help extend the life of your vehicle. Our oil change prices are reasonable especially in comparison to the cost of replacing or repairing an engine once it has been damaged by sludge.
