You have to “put up with” the car until you can afford a new one, so what do you do? Fortunately, there are several things anyone can do to get another thousand miles out of their used vehicle and hopefully make it to even 200,000. Used car prices have increased so much recently that getting the most out of your vehicle is worth it.
1 – Change your oil regularly.
2 – Replace your battery once it reaches 3 years old.
3 – Add a fuel stabilizer when refueling and drive around for at least 15 minutes before turning your engine off.
4 – Try not to let the temperature in your car drop below 40 degrees Fahrenheit or exceed 95 degrees Fahrenheit; if you cannot maintain that range, park in an area with shade or a garage.
5 – Replace the air filter every year or 20,000 miles.
6 – Every 3 months, remove your spark plugs and clean them by dipping ONLY the threads in gasoline, do not put any fuel near where the porcelain meets the metal. This does two things: it gets rid of dirt build-up on the plug, so you can get better gas mileage, and it keeps carbon deposits from building up, which inhibits proper combustion. Also, when changing any filter element, clean all of its contacts with sandpaper or steel wool where possible.
7 – If your car has a timing belt, replace it every 60,000 miles; if it uses a metal timing chain, then change it every 100,000 or 120,000.
8 – Use your car’s specifications to determine what type of replacement fluids to use (transmission fluid, brake fluid, engine oil).
9 – Keep the tires inflated to the recommended pressure (found on your tire’s sidewall.)
10 – Get rid of hoses and belts showing signs of wear and tear; belts last around 50 000-100 000 miles while hoses last between 100 000-200,000 depending on the material used for their construction. These parts usually last significantly longer with regular maintenance replacing belts/hoses at the recommended intervals.
11 – Replace your spark plugs every 60,000- 100,000 miles, a new set of spark plugs can last up to 200,000 if cleaned regularly.
12 – Change the transmission fluid and filter every 5,000-100,000 miles or when damage is apparent, depending on the severity of the damage.
13 – Use fuel system treatment for gasoline engines once every 2 months to keep injectors clean and running smoothly. These products treat 82% of all gas problems by removing accumulated deposits. At the same time, your vehicle sits between use; injecting cleaner into the engine while it’s off will treat problems such as rust & corrosion buildup in tanks/fuel lines along with water accumulation caused by condensation.
14 – If your car is a rear-wheel-drive vehicle with a manual transmission, change the differential oil every 25,000-50,000 miles or if it starts to whine/make noise.
15 – Regularly check the condition of all fluid levels and top them off as needed.
16 – Keep tires clean of debris by occasionally running over a curb, knocking the excess dirt off the tire’s edge.
17 – Replace worn suspension parts such as tie rods, ball joints, steering linkage, springs, and shock absorbers every 80,000-100,000 miles for safety reasons. Worn-out suspension can cause loss of control, leading to injury or death.
18 – Inspect your exhaust system for holes or leaks that will cause engine problems.
19 – Use an anti-rust spray under the gas cap to prevent rust formation inside the tank.
20 – Remove excess weight from your trunk, roof rack & spare tire. Extra weight can lower your gas mileage up to 1% per every 50 pounds added.
Ignoring These Car Problems Might Be Costing You More Money In Gas
