Make your new investment count by learning the tips & tricks it takes to help your vehicle last forever.

Take Pride In Your Ride

A little bit of pride can go a long way. Just an ounce of pride keeps your vehicle’s health in the front of your mind. It encourages you to clean it, maintain it, and take care of any issues that may come up. Having pride in your ride means that you care about making it last, rather than carelessly driving it around until you find a newer model.

Know Your Mechanic

The relationship you have with your mechanic can have a dramatic effect on the lifespan of your vehicle. Find someone that you can trust with your beloved ride – not only trust to keep costs low, but also trust to make repairs the right way. You don’t want shortsighted, quick fixes that will only cause trouble farther down the road.

Schedule Maintenance

All vehicles come with a manual that can be found in the glove box. Inside the manual, you will find a maintenance schedule. Integrate this maintenance schedule with your calendar. Whether you have an old fashioned pocket calendar or use the latest phone app, it’s important that car maintenance be scheduled right alongside birthdays and doctor’s appointments.

Keeping up with your oil changes, fuel filter changes and air filter changes can make that engine run forever, because your vehicle needs clean air, clean fuel and uncontaminated oil to prevent wear and tear.

Regular maintenance also gives you a chance to chat with your mechanic, as well as spot any issues that could potentially cause serious problems down the road.

Don’t Ignore Warning Lights

Many people drive for years with the old check engine light on. While we recommend taking the vehicle to the mechanic when this light shows up, it’s not always necessary.

However, it is NEVER, EVER o.k. to ignore these three crucial lights: the engine oil light, the engine temperature gauge and the brake light. Just a few minutes with the oil light on, and you may suddenly find yourself broke down on the side of the road – and in the market for a new ride. A few minutes with the temperature gauge in the red zone, and you’re sure to see smoke start bellowing out from under the hood. A few minutes with the brake light on, and you may suddenly realize that there is no slowing down as you approach the next stop light.

Watch Your Weight

Extra weight can be an engine killer in the long run. Any added stress causes premature wear and tear, and that includes both weight inside the car and drag outside the car (such as bike racks or cargo carriers).

Don’t let weight worries keep you from having a little fun every once in a while, though. It’s fine to hook up the bike rack, tow the boat (assuming you have the proper vehicle for it), and haul a few hundred pounds of friends and family out to the lake for the weekend. However, having these demands on your vehicle during a daily commute will slowly wear out critical systems in your ride – such as the tires, suspension, exhaust, engine, transmission, etc.

Drive Easy

Easy driving means treating the gas and brake pedals like an egg: press too hard and they may break. Gently accelerate and decelerate. Keep a safe distance behind other cars on the road and anticipate when you will have to slow down or stop.

Driving easy will cause less stress on your ride, which will also result in less fuel and oil consumption. That can save you money in the short run as well as farther down the road.

In the end, it all boils down to common sense. Take care of your vehicle and drive safely, and it will last forever. We hope that these tips will lead to a long and happy life for both you and your ride.