Were you aware that the majority of insurance companies estimate that vehicles have about 10 years of useful life before they need to get scrapped? While there’s many older vehicles that don’t maintain a practical gas economy and a environmentally efficient fuel standard, there’s many others that will remain efficient for years to come. Many people at the Environmental Transport Association even recommend keeping a somewhat older vehicle, that it’s somewhat cleaner to hang on to it rather than buy a new one altogether.
If you follow a maintenance schedule, you can double your car’s life and spend much less time at the repair shop or gas station. There’s many ways to help minimize the natural degradation of your vehicle’s quality – here’s some of the best tips, as prepared by the experts here at Towing Chicago:
Windshield Wipers
These need to be replaced from time to time, however you can definitely extend their lifespan. Wipe off the rubber portion of the wipers with denatured alcohol or sandpaper on a monthly basis to keep them flexible. You only need to replace the rubber squeegee, not the metal rod, unless it’s been seriously bent.
Tires
Longevity of your tires depends on their craftsmanship about thirty percent, and up to seventy percent the amount of care and maintenance you give then. Make sure that they are fully inflated (best times to do this are when the seasons change,) properly aligned, and that they are rotated on a regular basis as recommended by their manufacturer. This will help avoid uneven early wear and tear.
Brakes
Don’t speed up and brake rapidly when driving, rather break slowly and gradually. By letting your vehicle slowly stop by timing the release of the accelerator you can really reduce the amount of damage towards your brakes.
Batteries
Batteries should last years, but you need to keep the battery and it’s connection clean (try using a tablespoon of baking soda mixed with water as a cleaning solution) as well as properly insulated. Don’t run car accessories for long periods of time unless the engine is running – and if you can, check your vehicle’s water levels to make sure they are at the right level, and if you’re not driving your vehicle for long periods of time, try using a solar battery charger to keep the battery well primed.
Use Synthetic Oil
Synthetic oil lasts twice as long as regular motor oil due to it’s formula which doesn’t break down under high temperatures – this way you can extend your maintenance schedule by almost 6 months.
Get a lifetime washable air filter
These are more expensive than paper filters, but should last for the entire lifetime of your vehicle. It should be said that a special kind of oil is required to reactivate the filter after it’s washed, but almost anybody can perform this sort of maintenance.
Keep your Vehicle Covered
Metal and plastic, when exposed to the elements ,can break down rather quickly. Intense heat and sun can make a vehicle degrade – and so can rain and snow. To slow down the process of your car’s paint degrading and rusting, store your vehicle inside a garage or at least under a carport or car cover. This will help your vehicle’s exterior looking new – as well as lengthen the general longevity of the vehicle, and your chances of selling it in the future – increasing its level of being able to get re-used.
