How to make your car last longer: obvious and unexpected tips

When buying a new car, every driver wants it to stay on the road for as long as possible and not be bothered by frequent breakdowns. And this dream may well come true. To do this, you need to follow simple car care tips.

OBOZREVATEL has compiled a list of such tips. Some of them sound quite unexpected, and some seem obvious, but many people forget about these simple steps.

Know your car

Probably, when you bought some equipment, you immediately threw the manual away, because what could be incomprehensible? Meanwhile, experts advise you to read the manuals. When it comes to cars, the owner's manual can tell you what all the indicators and signals on the dashboard mean, and what errors and malfunctions they indicate. As a rule, these malfunctions are cheaper and faster to prevent than to repair their consequences. It's also worth listening to the sound of a working car to distinguish strange noises that could be a bad signal. Therefore, at least for a while, refrain from listening to loud music while driving.

Choose the best roads possible

The road surface in Ukraine was not very good even before the war, and now it is even worse. However, if you can choose different routes to your destination, choose the one with the best road conditions. It may take longer, but it will be less damaging to the chassis and will definitely postpone your appointment with the mechanic.

Take care of the car engine

Short trips have the worst effect on the engine's condition, because in a short time, cold oil does not have time to become liquid enough to effectively lubricate it. This accelerates the wear of engine parts and increases fuel consumption. Therefore, if you only need to cover a few kilometers, give preference to public transportation, or even better, walk.

Also, don't try to dynamically increase the engine speed to the point where it warms up, even if you have a new car that can quickly reach the optimum operating temperature. This is also harmful to the engine. Experts advise warming it up by slowly moving off, not by idling, so you can extend its life.

But there is also the opposite advice - from time to time to load the engine to almost maximum power. Dynamic start can be useful from time to time. The main thing is not to abuse it.

Don't take long breaks from using the car

It would seem that there is no better way to preserve a thing than to simply put it down and not touch it. In general, yes, but not when it comes to a car. Long periods of inactivity can lead to battery failure, stuck brakes and transmission, and drying out of rubber and plastic parts, including tires. So use your car regularly.

Say no to an empty tank

The fuel system is not designed to run almost dry. Due to the small amount of fuel, the impurities contained in it quickly settle at the bottom of the tank, which leads to clogging of the filter, pump, and injector. And repairing these parts will definitely cost you money.

Don't forget about the battery

Many systems in a modern car run on electricity and are powered by a battery, so it discharges quite quickly. But what happens to the battery if it's been in a deeply discharged state for a long time? That's right - it permanently fails. Therefore, charge it regularly.

Don't let the seals dry out

The seals, without which the cabin would not be as comfortable, tend to dry out over time and lose their functionality. That's why they need regular maintenance and timely lubrication. In winter, this also prevents the doors from freezing. Therefore, carry out this procedure at least once a year.

Turn on the air conditioner

On the one hand, turning off the climate control allows you to save some money on fuel. On the other hand, during prolonged downtime, the entire system begins to malfunction. And when you turn it back on after a pause, you may notice that it has started to leak for some reason, or even needs to be repaired.

Take care of your windshield wipers

Your safety on the road depends to a large extent on such a small and inexpensive part, because dirty or scratched glass with a dried eraser seriously interferes with your ability to see what is happening around you. Therefore, keep an eye on the condition of the wiper blades and replace them in a timely manner.

Don't skimp on garage or covered parking

You can only leave your car in an open parking lot temporarily. On a permanent basis, it should be stored under a roof. It doesn't matter whether it's a simple shell garage or a covered parking lot. The main thing is that the car should not be parked in the scorching sun and not covered with snow in the cold.

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