5 Tips to Help Keep Your Car on the Road for 10 Years
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What keeps any car going is preventive maintenance. Just like your yearly physical at the doctor’s office keeps you in shape, regular preventive car care can help you get more miles out of your vehicle.
Car manufacturers provide recommendations on when to complete maintenance tasks. For instance, most experts recommend checking battery fluid levels four times a year, and an engine’s timing belt should be replaced within 100,000 miles. Find out what your car’s manufacturer recommends and stick to it. Spending a little now can save you from a big expense, and hassle, later on.
Check and replace fluids
There is no type of automotive fluid that lasts forever. Checking and replacing fluids can help keep your vehicle on the road longer as a well-oiled machine. Consider that engine oil usually needs to be changed every 5,000 miles, or every six months; engine coolant needs to be checked twice a year and flushed and replaced as necessary; and transmission fluid needs to be flushed every two years or 30,000 miles.
One that is most consistently overlooked is brake fluid. Brake fluid attracts and absorbs moisture, and over time, it can do a lot of damage to the internal parts of your anti-lock braking system. It should be flushed every two years regardless of mileage. And, don’t forget to flush the power steering and change the differential lubricant, as well.
Slow down and lose the lead foot
Driving gently may help reduce the wear and tear on your car. This means slowing down for bumps or potholes, taking corners at a reasonable speed and avoiding putting your foot to the floor. Driving hard puts more stress and strain on your car’s components. According to the US Department of Energy, it takes 73 percent more horsepower to cruise at 60 mph, and a whopping 159 percent more at 70 mph, than it does at 50 mph. This means your engine is working that much harder and wearing down that much more quickly if you continue to speed.
Also, slowing down may keep your repair costs lower. Increasing your average speed from 50 mph to 60 mph increases maintenance costs by 38 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Increase your speed to 70 mph, and you’ve added 80 percent more in repair costs.
There are also fuel consumption implications: each mile per hour you travel over 50 mph will cause a 1.5 percent increase on fuel consumption, the Department of Energy says. Speed just 10 mph over 50 and you’re wasting 15 percent more gas. That’s several dollars more each time you have to fill up!
Do your homework and buy a reliable car
Overall, cars are getting more reliable, but there is still a wide range of reliability from company to company, model to model, and even between different model years of the same vehicle. When you’re shopping for a new or previously owned car, choose one with a proven track record of reliability. Also, be sure to choose a car company that’s going to be around for a while, with a good reputation for supplying parts.
There are many sources that provide this information, such as Kelley Blue Book. So if you’re really interested in getting the most out of your car, choose a reliable model to begin with–not just one that looks good.
Consider an extended warranty
Even by following these four steps perfectly, your car is, unfortunately, not built to last forever. Parts break or wear out, seemingly at the worst possible time. One way to protect yourself from this inevitable circumstance is to invest in an extended warranty for your vehicle. An extended warranty can help ensure that your vehicle is always in the best mechanical condition and can help you avoid expensive repair bills.
Joe Campanella is the EVP of business development at CARCHEX. Headquartered in Hunt Valley, Md., CARCHEX is the premier provider of Extended Auto Warranties and Mobile Vehicle Inspections. CARCHEX is the preferred partner to the most trusted names in the automotive industry, including Pat Goss of TV’s MotorWeek, Carfax and Kelley Blue Book.Want to protect your car? Get an auto insurance quote now.
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10 whole years, huh? Wow, how about 15 or 20? That is actually impressive. 10 years is easy if you drive a reliable car.
If you own a SUV, 4WD or a RWD vehicle, don’t overlook replacing fluids in the differentials. It is also important to inspect (and replace if needed) the air filter, PCV valve, serpentine belt and the Cabin Air Filter when necessary. Preventative maintenance is a very wise investment as it extends the life of your vehicle’s vital components.
my 97 lincoln still looks & drives like new. even w/190,000 mi. the secret? reg maint,attn to detail, constant inspection.
Really moronic article. The speed limit is 65, if you drive 50 mph on the freeway, you’ll get run right over by a Prius. Also, if you drive 50 mph for 10 years, I hope you don’t have a job or family, because you won’t have time to do anything but drive slow. Thanks, clueless.
DICK, that’s not what they said. They never said anything about the ‘freeway’. I interpret it that if the speed limit is 50, drive 50 and not 60 or 65, let alone 70. Most everyone – including myself – drives at least 60 in a 50 zone, and I bet you do too.
That is BS..nobody will run you over at any speed of the freeway. Just stay out of the #1 lane like most of the morons and just give them lanes to go around you.
Please people, Stay Alert for everyones’ sake.
If you’re going to do the “speed limit” on any given highway, please stay in your right lane. The left lane is your “passing lane” & you should’ve known that little bit of information tidbit when you first got your learners’ permit. Nothing brings out “Road Rage” more often than some idiot who thinks they can can just talk on their cell phone in the left lane & not pay attention in their rear~view mirror that maybe somone that’s behind them wants to pass.
If the guy behind you wants to do 110 mph in a 55 mph highway, that’s his buisness, not yours’. Got it !!! Let the Police deal with him~Not You.
I’m a Police Officer in Pennsylvania, & trust me, nothing pleases me more if you’re driving in the left lane, cruising along with not a care in the world & you’re not passing anyone ?….(it’s different if no one is behind you~totally different) God Help You ! Because you’re screwed. There’s a ticket called “Impeding the Flow of Traffic”. I promise you, If I’m on duty & you do that, you’ll be receiving that ticket from me. That causes “ROAD RAGE” & thank God for having patience, if not I would explode ! Sometimes I get applause from the other drivers’ who finally got to pass them, thanks to me.
Keep in mind, you’ll be paying $137.50 each & every time I catch you. I don’t mean to be arragont or anything like that, but all I’m asking as a fellow motorist just like you is, is be couteous to your fellow drivers. Pay attention to the other cars’ & especially motorcycles around you. It’s not just your road or just your lane.
I have nothing but applause and respect for you. I had to deal with this last night coming home from work, and my commute went from enjoyable to pissy in about 10 seconds.
I drive the AC Expressway, average four times a month.I drive in the right hand lane. I set my cruise control at 67 or 68.Speed limit is 65.It is on very rare occasions that I ever have to pass anyone.My destination from home is 104 miles.It takes me approximately two and one half hours, the way I go.It is a very pleasant experience.
10 years lol.
I bought a Honda, skipped all scheduled maint.. I changed the oil twice a year, have not changed any other fluids. I dive it like I am mad at it, have had it up to 128 mph. After 13+ years here is my total list of repairs: tires and wipers ( of course) did front brakes once $150. 2 Batteries $150. Replaced rear brake lines and a steering hose $300. Replace an o2 sensor under warrenty -0-.
Car has not rust, or pealing paint, not even faded much. Starts and drives like new, no rattles.
Total depreciation and all maint. and repair costs over 13+ years = <$15,000
Try to beat that, it would be pretty hard. An entry level BMW would cost more to maintain probably if you were given one free.
Oh yeah put in spark plugs and air filters myself too, add 90.
You just proved that the article is flawed in suggesting that you get a reliable car and buy an extended warranty. A reliable car makes an extended warranty a money mnaker for the dealer.
Not necessarily. I bought an LS 400 Lexus from a Lexus dealer with 48K, and F&I asked me if I wanted the extended factory warranty. I had heard about some expensive suspension creaks, so said, “yes.” Ended up paying $700 for it, which paid for itself just six months later when the front upper control arms bushes had “perished” and were squeaking over every bump and stop.
After the service guy handed me back my keys with a big “no charge” on the invoice (including a new Lexus loaner for my trouble) I asked how much this would have been out of pocket, and he replied “about $1,300 as the bushes are not renewable and the arms themselves had to be wholly replaced.”
So, it all depends on the level of car you buy, and the expected parts and labor charges. Do your homework or caveat emptor!
So much for Lexus! I bought a 2001 Chevy S10 (that will run on E85, incidenaltly) when it was less than a year old. I change the oil maybe twice a year, had the brakes and front wheel bearing replaced just recently, and but a new batter in. New tires and shocks not too long ago, because I drive on back country dirt roads regularly. Aside form those things, all I do is fill the tank and it goes. Why would I want to buy a newer car, that will probably be a lot more expensive, and need a lot more maintenance, and will cost more for insurance and registration! I’ll keep driving this truck till it won’t go anymore!
I just bought a two year old Lexus ES350 that had 30,000 miles on it. The warrenty is good for 3 yrs from the date I bought it plus the remainder of a 100,000 mile warrenty so why would I buy an extended one??
Stop Making Sense, It’
s So Un American!!!
1999 Ford Ranger Pick up….I change oil every 4,500 miles. I’d rather pay for oil than engines. Outside of doing my own maintenance, I have replaced the timing belt & 1 set of plug wires.(technically, that is also maintenance) 266,000 miles. Will be driving it on 500 mile trip next weekend.
Actually Suke, you are mistaken about BMW repairs costing more. Probably have more miles on my beemer (255,000) than your honda and have spent half in repairs. Going on 13+ years. The trick is to have a good mechanic and not take it to the dealership.
I drive a ’68 V W Bug……so far ,so good !
Cool, think of all the money you have saved that you spent on ‘smoking’, hehe
I have a 1985 Toyota Corolla, 5-speed. Gets 40 mpg and I drive it 50K miles/year as a field technician. Had it for 11 years and put 600K miles on it. Had 100K miles when I bought it. Replaced engine at 498K. You can keep a car almost as long as you want. Had tough electrical problem lately and will not put another engine in it. The parts that wear out at 200, 300 or 400K miles are the same that wear out at 100K. If you can’t afford the newer car, buy an older car cheap and keep up the maintenance! But, do your homework and buy a good car. Look for what is still on the road (in quantity) long after it was made. Those are probably good vehicles for the long haul.
Oil should be changed according to the maintenance schedule for your vehicle–which for my car (an many others) is 7500 miles, not the 5000 you mention. Too frequent oil changes are unnecessary, wastes money and petroleum. Also, extended warranties are often worthless–
Agree!
I agree with you 100%
Dumb article. First…try going 50 MPH on a highway with a 70 MPH, or more, speed limit. Second, purchasing an extended warranty has been shown by consumer groups to be a waste of money. Third, what’s the big deal about driving a car ten years?? Like I said…dumb aritlce.
Tip # 1, Dont Buy American…
Dont Buy American?Thats whats wrong with the economy now.Plus dont hire aliens.
I cannot drive very much. I have a 2007 Suzuki. It has only 6000 mi on it. I take it for every fillup at a hopefully reliable automotive. Inever am low on oil. I have had only 4 oil changes. I have never been advised to have my brakes checked. Should i ask about that? Thank you, Bobbie Sena
If it only has 6000 mile, it had better not be low on oil! Why would you even have a car if you’re driving less than 1,000 miles a year? Seems like a waste of money, to me!
Some areas do not have public transportation. Bikes and walking only work if you are close to everything. This is why people have cars when they do not drive much. There is no alternative!
Your brakes will likely last your lifetime at 1000 miles / year. You should have the fluid checked for contamination but the rotors / pads normally last 30000 miles or more (depending on driving style).
Excellent article. Reliability says it all!
OK , this was a waste of space. But at least now I know to assume anything associated with “CARCHEX” is, if not an outright scam, close enough it doesn’t make much difference. For most of us, buying an extended warranty is no different than tossing cash into the fireplace. Hard to think of a more worthless insurance.
Hmmm.
The premier Consumer magazine states that there is no need for an extended warranty. Period. They would know.
Whaddaya know, the author is the VP of an extended warranty company.
Good read. Checking of your cars condition should be done regularly. Always check fluids and tires to avoid accidents. Thanks for the tips.
This is NOT an article, it’s advertising for CARCHEX. if you want to drive a car for 10 years, buy a Japanese car, do the routine maintenance, garage it and don’t beat it up.Pretty simple! Japanese cars are designed for a longer duty cycle than the typical American car and they routinely last well beyond 100k miles/10 years.
I have two American made luxury cars frm 1993. Both are reliable. I suppose Japanese cars are okay, too, but my 1993 Caddy has been fantastic.
Just parking a $25K car in the garage (instead of using the garage to store $500 of junk you will never use) will greatly extend its life.
My 2002 Camry is still a pleasure to drive. Buy a reliable car – get everything you want and enjoy it for as long as ossible.
Since I retired, I have been using Synthetic oil in both my pickup (2003 S10), and my wife’s 08 Honda Civic Hybrid, and get the oil changed only once a year. It may be more of an expense to install, but I feel I save about $50 on each vehicle every year.
Agreed. I still have my H.S. ’79 CJ-7 Renegade w/a 400HP 360 ci (5.8Litre). It’s ha hybrid. Mud and pavement! I’m doing my 2nd frame up resto. It’s a fun project, funner ride. Old classics like your Bug RULE. My daily driver, ’06 Accura RSX-S will still do 140 MPH @ never less than 26 MPG. Of cousre since GOD makes foreign cars it requires no servicing(?). Ask any RSX-S owner and none of us get more than 55-70k out of the transmission. I spend 2 hours, 1 saturday a month, doing service work on my vehicles and bikes.
Also drive w/o the radio on once in a while, listening for noises. Do as much work as you can. It’s cheaper and more fulfilling.
Another secret: your Lincoln is American made!
I drive a 1992 Toyota Carolla with 154K. She runs like a top and the only thing I’ve done besides brakes, tires and batteries is rfeplace the timing belt twice.
I’m still driving my 1994 Saturn SL1, which came with unknown mileage when I bought it for $800 about 7
years ago at an auction. The ceiling is shedding on my head, the upholstery is falling apart, and the paneling clatters like a pocketful of change in a washing machine (but only the paneling; the engine and frame are rock solid).
1) I am religious with the routine maintenance. If it sound weird, I pop the hood and take a listen. Anything sounding strange gets checked out.
2) I’ve always changed fluids at the recommended intervals and use Amsoil products.
3) I drive responsibly, but I’m certainly not trying to save gas or my engine. Cars are meant to be driven, not babied.
4) Saturns have a good reputation if you keep up with the maintenance, but they aren’t really known to be reliable.
5) Obviously I did NOT get a warranty of ANY kind.
Lesson? –> keep up with the routine maintenance and change out the fluids. You can keep even a piece of crap on the road if you do. Oh, and absolutely do NOT get the extended warranty. WASTE. OF MONEY.
While I believe that it is true that Japanese cars (2 or 4 door sedans and the like) are built better, are more reliable, and will keep moving forever with proper maintenance, the same goes for American truck based vehicles, specifically full size pickup trucks and SUV’s. They are built like a rock and will last you forever with proper maintenance performed, especially if you go the extra mile and do things like using full synthetic engine oil at all regularly scheduled oil change visits as recommended by your manual. (As well as other fluid changes, like the differentials / transfer case / transmission, etc) In short, if you want a car, buy Japanese and it will treat you right with proper maintenance. But full size American trucks are right up there with them, and hold their resale value just as well. V8 engines have a higher maintenance cost, but they are well designed, well built power houses, and when taken care of, they will never let you down. Japanese full size trucks (Titan, Tundra, Ridgeline) have never been successful sellers in the US, and are slowly disappearing from the market for a reason.
Extended warranties are garbage and a complete waste of money for the buyer / pure profit for the dealer because they have so many exclusions to ensure that anything that goes wrong can be denied in a claim. The only time a vehicle extended warranty is a good idea is like it was previously mentioned – for high end, luxury, performance cars that have extremely expensive potential repairs, especially BMW. One other reason to buy a warranty is if your car has a fully automatic hard top convertible system. Those things have a lot of moving parts that make it look like your car should be starring in Michael Bay’s next Transformers movie when you push the button to raise or lower the convertible top. Moving parts break.
Never buy any dealership extras when purchasing a new car – the protective undercoating, nitrogen filled tires, paint protection, VIN etching – it is all overpriced to maximize the dealer’s profits, and if you really want that stuff, you can do it yourself much cheaper. Don’t give in to dealer sales pressure on those, and they lay on the pressure thick.
After 10 years, a great preventative is to replace all rubber vacuum hoses and tubes. They develop tiny cracks, and next thing you know, you’re engine is throwing a code, or the cruise control is toast.
I drive a 1996 Honda Accord with 630,000 on the original engine and drive 200-300 miles per day. I faithfully change oil every 5,000 miles and do all other maintenance myself, as needed. I drive the speed limit or 5 MPH over. Changing the oil is the most important!
10 years is easy if you’re not a total moron. Who reads these things? My VW is 11 years old and still drives like the day I bought it. Regular maintenance is a stupid human trick. As others have said, give me a 30 year car, THEN I will be impressed.
I have a Honda that is over 6 years old, just changing the oil keeps it running just fine. My Ford van just passed the 10 year mark and is running with only doing oil changes as well. This article is probably written to get people to buy extended warranties. If you do your homework, you buy a reliable car. A reliable car does not need an extended warranty, its an oxymoron. Buy a piece of garbage and then get a warranty – that would be cost effective. Extended warranties are money makers to those who sell them. It’s marketing catering to the uninformed.