Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Doing 1 and 2 is important, but not adhering to 3 can overcome all the good of doing the first two.
well, if one does drive like a mad idiot, they can mitigate the damage by adhering to a stricter maintenance schedule. for instance instead of changing the oil every 3000 miles, you change it every 2000 miles, and you use a top quality oil.
My cars last a long time and I rarely have problems, but I drive Suzuki mainly. I only do oil changes every 6-10k miles. I skimp on maintenance but I do make sure all my fluids are full, even if dirty haha! I have a Sidekick Sport with about 170k and has never broke down or had any problems aside from a fuel pump and an ignition coil.
I think it depends what kind of car you have too. My brothers old Blazer at 50k was needing major repairs quite often and he babies his cars.
#1 secret isn't maintenance..... it's choosing the right brand/model!
I've been known to be lazy with my Hondas when it comes to maintenance.... such as oil interval of 20,000 miles and skimping on other service items. But they have gone 200,000 miles without a single problem.
OTOH..... meticulous maintenance on Ford/Chevy/Dodge and they all broke down with major problems.
Sure, all the Fords that died after 10,000 miles that you mentioned in another thread.
I've run three Chryslers, a Pontiac, and a Ford over 200K with no major issues, and a half-dozen more domestics up to 175K or more, sold them all still running. I wasn't particularly adherant to any set maintenance schedule on any of them, but I did keep the fluids topped off and fixed minor problems as soon as they popped up.
The key is how the vehicle is driven when it's broken in. If some little old lady buys it new and drives it three blocks to churck, six blocks to the grocery store, etc., and some guy buys it when she dies and drives it normally, it's going to fall apart.
Conversely, one that's run pretty much wide open during the break in period is likely going to show some premature wear to the drivetrain components.
well, if one does drive like a mad idiot, they can mitigate the damage by adhering to a stricter maintenance schedule. for instance instead of changing the oil every 3000 miles, you change it every 2000 miles, and you use a top quality oil.
That is not fully true. There are a lot of components in an automobile that a severe driving cycle, no matter how rigorous the maintenance, will wear out prematurely.
Of course, the driving cycle itself can be a major factor in wearing a vehicle out. The typical American driving cycle--urban/suburban driving with a lot of stop-and-go and short trips--is one of the absolute worst when it comes to wearing a vehicle out prematurely. At the other end of the spectrum, a rural driving cycle where a vehicle is driven frequently on gravel or dirt roads, or on rough backcountry trails is another duty that is really rough on vehicles. Severe duty maintenance can help extend the life of vehicles used in those kinds of duty, but even that can't mitigate all of the wear that a severe duty cycle can cause.
It has also been my observation of a lot of decades of driving that people who poorly maintain vehicles also tend to drive them poorly--a double whammy.
Buy a car that is capable of going half a million miles, in my experience that would be a Japanese car and not an American car if we are talking small cars, American pickups will go the distance but they are kinda expensive as a single occupant daily driver.
Follow owners manual maintenance schedule scrupulously ,
learn the correct tecnique for washing and waxing a car Autopia Car Care Products - Car Detailing Supplies, Car Wax, Car Polishers, Auto Detailing
as wax protects paint and paint protects metal from rusting, many cars will meet a premature end due to rust issues, up here in Canada many people have their cars oil sprayed every year to prevent corrosion,if you can find a place in your area that does this proceedure you'll never have any rust problems .I use this franchise http://www.krown.com/process.php
Basically take care of the car and it will go a lot further than if you dont.
So besides basic oil change/tire change and brakes changes. What do you do to keep your car running for long period of time. I heard stories where people kept there cars for 500K miles. What is the secret?
I usually keep my oil changes updated. even though I go for the cheapest oil. Didnt purchase the full $$$ package when my car hits 50K mileage checkup. Am I doing something wrong?
oil changes are just a drop in the bucket. It's funny to hear people complain about their cars prematurely wearing out, and you'll hear them say "but I changed the oil when I was supposed to!". However, they didnt pay attention to any other maintenance items as recommended by the manufacturer at specific intervals.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
